Resolved MacBook Dropping wireless connectivity

[warrmr]

OK there's goto to be something in this re: the Meraki MR12, I have also got one recently and ever since I installed it wife's Macbook Pro constantly drops out, today my old Macbook has started doing it too so I started having a look online and found this thread.

Warrmr - have you got anywhere with Meraki? I'll log a support call with them tomorrow and see if they can get any logs off the MR12 that might show why the Mac's are dropping out.

I also tried creating another SSID but without any encryption and my Wife's MBP still drops out so it's almost like there's a problem with Meraki AP's and some Mac wireless cards/drivers/OS levels....

Hi DJS,

I did have a case logged with Meraki but it was closed down as a client problem as it was only happening to my macbook and not my sisters macbook. Hence me going down the apple route to see if they can direct me to any log files to bring back to Meraki and say the problem is because of X.

There has been a recent OSx update since I last posted that apparently "improves compatibility with certain enterprise networks" But apple are rather secretive when it come to explaining what that means.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5730

I have downloaded and installed the update but am yet to test it as I ma using a workaround for the moment that hasn't been causing me any problems.

I have my Airport Extreme plugged into the Second LAN port of the Access point then connected my macbook up to my airport using a hidden SSID. This means that I can still backup and I dont have any network dropouts but the statistics and bandwidth usage still gets logged by the AP.

I am not to happy with that work around but it works for now, I have asked work to send me on the CMNA course as you get more free gear off them for completing you get MR24, MX60 and MS22 to play with. I just have to try and get my CCNA finished before the next set of dates they can get me on.

 

[DJS1234]

Thanks Warmrr - I'm unsure whether the problem is client or AP related but will get the update installed on my Wife's MBP and test - You'd think Meraki would be in a hurry to look into it for you - from a Corporate level you're unlikely to buy any more Meraki AP's if you think all the Mac users will have problems and scream at you...!

 

[warrmr]

Thanks Warmrr - I'm unsure whether the problem is client or AP related but will get the update installed on my Wife's MBP and test - You'd think Meraki would be in a hurry to look into it for you - from a Corporate level you're unlikely to buy any more Meraki AP's if you think all the Mac users will have problems and scream at you...!

Indeed Sir, from my point of view I would not recommend them to anyone with Apple clients with the exception of the iPad and iPhone as they have been tested and working.

From a corporate point of view they are pushing the sales as we are a Cisco partner and this is what the sales team have been told to push.

 

[warrmr]

I have just installed the 10.9 Dev Preview and the issue seems to have been resolved. None the wiser to what the cause was.

 

[RavenII]

I came across this thread because I too have an MR12 (from their giveaway) and was having issues with my older (Mid 2010 MBP) and I just chalked it up to the wifi card going bad...since my Wife's Uni-MB wouldn't do it...or at least she never complained about it.

Now I just got a brand spanking new 15" rMBP and after restoring from my TM Backup...it does the same thing. Periodically drops out. I've got to monitor my other MBP and Wife's Uni-MB to see what's going on...doesn't make sense. I don't think it's the MR12 since it's usually resolved by turning off then on the Wifi...

 

[calistah]

I have a new rMBP 15" and I'm having the same problem RavenII. This is the first place I've found with an accurate description of the issue.

We have a Meraki MR12.

I'm able to ping by IP and by name, but RDP, HTTP, HTTPS, and anything else I've tried does not work until I disable and enable the wireless adapter on my MBP.

I haven't opened a case with Meraki yet, but that's next on the list.

 

[punnerud]

After 1/2 year I finally found the solution, or the problem.
Someone in my neighborhood is sending out fake ARP Deauthentication messages to make my WiFi devices disconnect from the WiFi. This happening so fast that is seems that the WiFi is connected, but I get slow to no internet connection and variable speed depending on where I am in my house.

The real reason behind the variations depending where I am in the house is because my Macbook don't receive the fake packages every where in the house (so obvious when I figured it out).
It also looks like my two Macbook's is the only devices with the problem. The answer to this is because the Macbook have a better antenna than any of my other device, and because of this have a bigger "problem".

My short time solution to the problem was to find out the channels the signals is send on, and find a channel more than 2 channels away (up/down) at set it fixed. The next thing is to use the signal-strength to locate the house and place a "nice" note telling the person that what they are doing is illegal (in most countries and states).

Auto-channel on the router will make the problem worse because the router look for a channel with little traffic. That is obviously the channel with the bad person sending out this messages to destroy the traffic for everyone else.
I figured out that restarting my router often will give it a random channel to begin with, then periodically look for a "better" channel. This is where the problem begins that you have to restart the router all the time as some kind of fix.

How to know if this is a problem at your place:
-Download WireShark for Mac
-Click the Gear, activate "Monitor" as circled out and Start (you can not use the Internet while this is running)
-Filer using "wlan.fc.type_subtype eq 12", this is to only show ARP Deauthentication packages.


If you see more than 1 package every 5min, something is wrong. I got 5-10 packages in burst every 10.seconds all day.
Let me know if this solved the problem for you.

List of some of the programs causing this:
NetCut - Windows/Android
WiFiKiller - Android
dSploit - Android
zAnti - Android
JamWiFi - Mac
(note that it is illegal to use these to block networks you don't own)