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Apple MacBook Pro dropping wireless connection

s-pirrello
Level 1
Level 1

Hi,

We have many MacBook pros that are having a hard time staying connected on wireless.  Often times a user can be connected for only minutes at a time.  Our wireless environment consists of 1142s and 3502 series access points.  We use WPA2 Enterprise for authentication via ACS server 5.x.

The Windows 7 machines usually never have an issue.  Can someone please provide some insight.?

*we use Lion OSX on our Macs.

This Discussion has been converted into a Document:- https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-26228    

62 Replies 62

No we only have WPA2 with AES enabled.

Do you see this issue with certain clients or certain clients with the same driver version? The AP's and WLC are locate in the same location?

Sent from my iPhone

-Scott
*** Please rate helpful posts ***

Only with MacBook pros and MacBook airs.  The aps and wlc are not in the same location.  The wlc is in our data center and the aps are in an office.

Okay so disabling client load balancing fixed the issue with the MacBook and MacBook Air when joining. Now you have another issue of taking a long time for these devices to obtain an ip when they first connect in the day?

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

-Scott
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Exactly.  The oddity is that this happens even early in the morning when we barely have anyone in the office.

I don't think there is a configuration that can fix that.  I have a mac book pro and the only issue I have with that is if client load balancing is enabled.  Maybe ist your authentication that is timing out.  Maybe you need to bump up that timer.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/1140/quick/guide/ap1140gsg.html#wp37791

-Scott
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Scott, I checked the link you sent but I didn't see anything regarding authentication or timers.

Consol, telnet or ssh to the WLC and enter this command:

config advanced eap ?

bcast-key-interval Configures EAP-broadcast key renew interval time in seconds.
eapol-key-retries Configures EAPOL-Key Max Retries.
eapol-key-timeout Configures EAPOL-Key Timeout in milliseconds.
identity-request-retries Configures EAP-Identity-Request Max Retries.
identity-request-timeout Configures EAP-Identity-Request Timeout in seconds.
key-index      Configure the key index used for dynamic WEP (802.1x) unicast key (PTK).
max-login-ignore-identity-response Configure to ignore the same username count reaching max in the EAP identity response
request-retries Configures EAP-Request Max Retries.
request-timeout Configures EAP-Request Timeout in seconds.

Might of sent the wrong link:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_configuration_example09186a0080665d18.shtml#Tshoottips

-Scott
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Or you can change the 802.11 Authentication Response Timeout in the GUI:

Under Wireless | Timers|

-Scott
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+5 Scott...

I always enjoy following your post as you bring things to my attention I didnt know ...

"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
___________________________________________________________

Haha... I learn the hard way:) that is what I like about this forum too... I learn things that you guys post also.

Sent from my iPhone

-Scott
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I'm going to try it this weekend and will let you know.

Sounds good!

Sent from my iPhone

-Scott
*** Please rate helpful posts ***

Hi guys,

I am interested to know the outcome of this Macbook, Lion and wifi problem as we are experiencing a similar issue with our Macs..

We have a mixture of 1131 and 1142 APs around the building and have a similar problem with Macs failing to authenciate on 802.1x during roaming or Macs coming out of standby mode.

I have tried the above suggestions with the disabling Clients Loads balancing and it does not appear to have made any difference ( although I do seem to see more notifcations about Loads Profile failures now ).

We are currently experimenting with putting some APs into H-Reap mode ( instead of Local ) and on static ips to see if that makes any difference..

Did the above suggestions make any difference to your Macbook or have you tried anything futher ?..

Thanks.

Jon.

Jon, disabling "client load balancing" did the trick.  I suggest you try and please update us all on your progress.

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