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I recently purchased a new MacBook Air (2011) with Lion preinstalled. There is this persistent and incredibly annoying problem that is occurring with the WiFi. Every time I close the lid or let the computer go to sleep, and then begin reusing it, the popup comes up asking me to select a network to join. IT remembers the password, it just wont connect me until I chose a network. This happens every time. Things I've tried:

  1. Restarting computer
  2. Turning WiFi on and then off
  3. Changing encryption of the wireless (even though it happens to all wireless networks)

Has anyone else discovered this problem? Has anyone found a fix for it? Or is it just a bug with Lion that hasn't been fixed yet?

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4
  • Have you tried creating a new location? System Prefs > Network > Location Dropdown > Edit Locations. Call it whatever you like, switch to that location, and see if it persists.
    – Gauzy
    Jul 29, 2011 at 0:04
  • And if you turn off the Bluetooth? it fix the problem?
    – user11774
    Oct 8, 2011 at 23:41
  • One of my friends has this problem too. It looks like it's a bug with 10.7.2
    – daviesgeek
    Nov 1, 2011 at 3:58
  • 10.7.2 fixed this for me. In fact its release notes say Address an issue that causes a delay in accessing the network after waking from sleep.
    – spudwaffle
    Nov 1, 2011 at 6:00

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
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I had the same issue with my 2011 MacBook Air with Lion, and I think it had to do with having changed security preferences on my preferred wireless network. I went to System Preferences > Network > Advanced > WiFi and deleted all existing Preferred Networks, then re-added them. So far, so good. It joins my preferred network automatically after awakening from sleep mode.

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  • This might be the issue. The saved network says the security is a WEP key. I changed the key to WPA2 when I got the Air hoping that might help. When I get home I'll delete the preferred network and reconnect to it.
    – Chris
    Jul 29, 2011 at 14:42
  • Why is everybody recommending to delete ALL saved networks?! I don't want to do that, they're synced with my phone too, I have passwords from pubs and friends, and I don't know them to just "re-add". Downvoted.
    – Iulian Onofrei
    Jun 9, 2016 at 12:28
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Bluetooth interference can cause this. Try turning off the Bluetooth via System Preferences and see if the problem goes away.

If that is the problem, the only solution I know is a) stop using bluetooth or b) change your wifi frequency to 5GHz.

This is a rare example of a design-fault in the MacBook line, all metal models seem to suffer from it.

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1

Check your network settings. If you're using DHCP with manual address, change it to just plain DHCP and see if that fixes it. I've read reports of people with similar problems resolving it this way

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1

I was having the same issue on my mid-2009 MacBook Pro. None of the answers or tips mentioned here seemed to do anything for me... but I did find a thread here that suggested resetting the SMC. I did so, following these instructions, and the problem seems to be fixed.

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1

Following is a solution that costs money, but will actually work. The above solutions from other posts appear to work, but ultimately every one of them I tested, some of which initially appeared to work, but ultimately the issue returned within a day or hours.

I can confirm that if you have an AT&T 2WIRE wireless router (which is required with Uverse, and various models of Apple laptops (MB, MB Air, MB Pro) with 10.6 or 10.7, that this issue occurs (unable to reconnect).

One week later, I can confirm a sustained solution, which is to purchase an Apple wireless router (ex: Airport Extreme), wire it into one of the LAN ports on the existing router, turn off wireless on the existing (2WIRE in my case) router, configure the Apple router in bridge mode.

This was a complete fix for all of the laptops we have. I cancelled my order to Charter to replace uVerse.

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0

When this happens to me, it just means I need to add the network to my list of Preferred networks. Here's how:

Open System Preferences-> Network-> Wifi-> Advanced-> Wi-Fi. Click the [+] button under the Preferred Networks list. Click Choose a network... and select the one you want to connect to automatically.

While you're there, it's a good idea to remove networks that you no longer need from that list.

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4
  • The only networks on the list are the work wireless and home wireless.
    – Chris
    Jul 29, 2011 at 14:40
  • @Chris and the network that is disconnected after sleep is on that list?
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Jul 29, 2011 at 14:41
  • That would be the home one. I never had issues with my MacBook, iPad2 or iPod. Only Air + Lion. Strange
    – Chris
    Jul 29, 2011 at 14:43
  • @Chris strange. Sounds like a bug then.
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Jul 29, 2011 at 14:45

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