Interned does not work while ex. hdd is connected Macbook air 2013

hi,i have few weeks old MBA 2013,I'm having trouble with wi fi connection,after 2 weeks of using it i start having problems with wi fi connection,in the middle of the work wi fi just broke several times during the day around 5-10 minutes depends,not showing the bars or it was showing bars but there was not connection,isp,internet and several options was red in network settings,i "solve" the problem with deleting locations and renew dhcp in network setting or rebooting adsl router or laptop,for now internet is working with exception of few times of lost connection unknown reason,BUT now i have problem while my external hdd is connected to the air,when i have connected 2 drives one is 16gb kingstone usb flash and on another side is my external hdd and when i start to copy files internet is stoping right away,i can see dns,dhcp values and it says its connected and bars are there but no way i can browse internet while copying files or even when my external hdd is connected not doing nothing with it,as soon as i disconnect external hdd internet comes back in 15-20 seconds I'm 10.8.5 lion,one of the people i now is suspect that something is wrong with the motherboard or similar??? can anyone tell me what i can do to diagnose whats wrong with data while my hitachi hdd is connected to mba,one note if this is important (hitachi hdd is from samsung laptop seating in external enclosure brand is next star on usb 3.0 case)
thanx

 

That's an odd issue. So what you are saying is that your external HDD takes up too much power and that causes the WiFi card to not function correctly since it's not getting enough power?

 

You shouldn't have that problem with plugging in an external HDD and using WiFi, even if the HDD is power-hungry (USB is limited to a small amount of power per port).

Sounds like a factory defect; I'd call up Apple or visit one of their stores to get a repair or replacement.

 

Take it in to an Apple store or authorized service provider and see if you can demonstrate the issue in front of a genius/technician. It definitely sounds like a manufacturing defect.

 

im not assuming anything I'm just saying whats happing,in the time of writing this i will test it one more time.

 

ok i tested one more time,when ext hdd is plugged in the left side of the air where is power port internet is working and when is connected on the right side where usually i connect hdd internet immediately stops to work, and when i disconnect hdd from the air internet is starting after several seconds,the right usb port works normally I'm using wireless mouse over it and i just test it with kingstone usb flash drive everything works good hm???

 

As others have already suggested I would recommend taking your MBA to the Apple store so they can diagnose.

Even though USB and WIFI aren't directly connected there is potential for something interfering. For example the Bluetooth module is integrated on the WIFI board and shows as a USB device. Perhaps the WIFI board is faulty.

My 2013 MBA 13 does not have this issue.

 

someone else told me on different forum this:

The phenomenon that you see is called USB 3.0 interference with 2.4 GHz band WiFi. Read more here: Error: Page Not Found
Solution: Buy Airport Extreme Base Station and use only 5 GHz band.

what do you think about this?

 

As what Rhodan said, you're best off just taking it back and getting the laptop checked out, and either repaired or replaced. Your warranty is for exactly this sort of problem, go use it!

I've never, ever, ever had any interference problems between USB and WiFi on any laptop/desktop/whatever that I've ever used, and I don't know any of my friends or peers that have either.

 

thats gonna be hard since I'm in the country where there is no official apple store,and apple distributors are requesting proof of purchase or receipt in order to take a look air so.. i don't have much options just to try to convict myself that its not a hardware problem and to try to use 5ghz wi fi router

 

ok but with usb 3.0 usb?

 

Both 2.0 and 3.0.

 

im not the only one

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23423485#23423485

 

The thread you linked to mentions a software issue that was fixed in Maverick and potential hardware issue still outstanding. I didn't read the 120+ pages but that's what I got from the few pages I read.

If Maverick does not fix your problem then you will most likely need to deal with Apple or a certified third party. Perhaps contacting Apple directly could allow them to direct you to a authorised repair provider which will assist you under Apple Warranty.

Good luck.

 

first i will try with other external hdd 2.0 not 3.0 if on 2.0 internet works normally then usb 3.0 interference is the problem,also i will try to upgrade to maverics

 

If it's a hardware problem, an OS upgrade isn't going to really change that (outside of disabling the trouble-causing device).

 

yes i know,ill check but according to apple this is let say "normal"
Using USB 3 devices on Mac computers FAQ

under 16.

 

Apple also used to say that it was normal for your iPhone to drop signal when you placed your fingers around it a certain way, too. And that laptops under 13.3" wouldn't sell and that they'd never make one (or a sub-10" tablet)...

Point is, they're wrong in that this is normal. Yes, electronics can produce EM radiation. However, it's next to impossible for it to interfere with something like a WiFi card unless

1) the EM radiation is powerful enough to block those 2.4GHz WiFi signals (in which case that utterly violates FCC rules and shouldn't be sold and/or recalled).
2) The laptop design is faulty.
3) Your particular laptop is a lemon.

(I'm gunning for 3, since I haven't seen a lot of MBAs' have WiFi issues related to USB devices, and I see a lot of them around campus).

Seriously, why are you so hesitant to simply get a repair/replacement that you are entitled to under that warranty you have on the MBA? This isn't a normal problem, and I have never seen anyone else (either in the physical world, or here on NBR) that has had the problem you're experiencing.

 

not sure what you mean about lemon?
i updated to maverics,at the first time internet didnt work but after i disconnected once and put it back again and move a little further from the right port it seems to work now,need to tested one more time today as im on job right now,im hesitate because i dont have proof of purchase (receipt) as im not in the states where i can just walk in into apple store with the laptop and get replaced,here in serbia we dont have official apple store,and apple retailers in order to fix something they ask for receipt or proof of purchase,thats why

 

Ah, okay then. Didn't realize that was the situation you were in.

 

well it seems the update to new os solve the problem with external hard drive now i have internet while hdd is connected to the right usb greeeattt

 

One thing you mentioned here is when you moved the drive away a little from the right side USB port WIFI starts working again. If I remember well the WIFI board is located near the right side so perhaps your USB drive is the culprit. Have you tried other USB 3 drives on the right port? I know you said Maverick fixed this, still I'm wondering if the issue is with the USB device instead of your MBA.

 

internet is working now even when the hdd is near usb port i don't have to move the drive away anymore,this the only usb 3.0 device i have

 

if you could try a 5Ghz router somewhere else without buying it go ahead but it doesn't seem like that should work anyway.

 

after maverick update everything works just fine now

 

I might be a little late, but I had a similar problem where the wifi would drop after a while especially with lot of people around in school. What I did is that under bluetooth, I turned off all the settings that had the computer try to detect keyboard or mice (if i have working laptop, why do I need them?) and my wifi now works even in a crowded area.

I think that the computer's bluetooth was trying to connect to other computers and mac airs and pros and I have read bluetooth signals interfere with WiFi in Macs.