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NYC schools freezing Mac orders due to WiFi problem

updated 09:30 pm EDT, Wed April 16, 2008

NYC schools freeze orders

A problem with Apple computers accessing the New York Department of Education's wireless networks is freezing the school board's orders for the computers. A technical liaison for one of the New York City public schools tells MacNN that the issue seems to revolve around the new iMacs shipping with Leopard, but could surface in other Leopard-imaged machines. The DOE is currently in discussion with Apple to resolve the problem.

"We've been having numerous problems with our new iMacs running Leopard, which Apple has now officially acknowledged in an email from our sales rep, and on the webpage for purchasing hardware," wrote the tipster.

The page informs members of the school board who wish to purchase Apple computers may do so, but that the order will be held until the issue with the WiFi networks has been addressed. Notification will appear on the page upon successful resolution, when shipments will begin again.


 
Previous Comments

gee

04/16, 10:17pm reply

maybe this will fix regular customers issues with wifi and leopard as well....

testudo

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Joined: Aug 2001

0

Hmm

04/16, 10:43pm reply

Weird that on our many Macs running Leopard at work, we've not had any Wi-Fi problems at all...

MacnTX

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Joined: Apr 2004

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My company does work with

04/16, 11:57pm reply

the NYC Bd of Ed, and users of NYC BD of Ed system can't even log in ( or are not supposed to be able to) third party email, like Yahoo or Hotmail. That's the policy. But some can because of 'all the attention' paid to the system. Our website is hosted by a third party and we wanted to give email addresses to those we worked with in the schools. They couldn't use them...in most places. It's more like a 'too many chefs' situation more than anything else. It could be that one of those chefs has an apple beef and knows how to kybosh the whole network. That's a guess....

korgri

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Joined: Apr 2008

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Yes!

04/17, 07:21am reply

This is great! Let us all hope this forces Apple to fix the problems with wireless networks on Leopard machines. Something they should have fixed in short-order but haven't seemed to care about.

panjandrum

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Joined: Dec 2004

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sounds to me...

04/17, 08:17am reply

...like more of an Apple Beef situation to me.

Most likely the 'Apple Issue' has more to do with problems with a proprietary router configuration that the schools insist on using, then a genuine problem with Macs. That's my speculation, and that's all it is.

ZinkDifferent

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Joined: Jan 2005

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likely due to....

04/17, 10:06am reply

a bug in leopard with certificate based 802.1x connections over wi-fi. If you try it enough times, it will eventually work, but it is completely arbitrary as to how many times it will take you to connect. Once connected though, from that point forward it works without a hitch.

ratpH1nk

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Joined: Aug 2005

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Configuration Issue

04/17, 10:19am reply

We've sold well over 1,000 iMacs with Leopard on them in the store I work at and have never seen one come back with Wireless issues. Doesn't mean it isn't possible that there is a batch of them out there with issues, but knowing how school system's IT department works there is likely a configuration problem there. And seeing first hand how many IT departments work, there is a Windows fanboy trying to place blame on the Macs.

Roehlstation

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Joined: Aug 2001

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Mac WIFI

04/17, 10:31am reply

I have several clients with WIFI problems using Leopard 10.5.2 on both MB Pro & Air... signal drops, time-outs to mail servers, etc.

chotty

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Joined: Jan 2003

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re: configuration issue

04/17, 11:39am reply

It's not a configuration issue.

I'm having a wake-up issue with WiFi on my own system with an Airport Extreme (g-version) router. When my MacBook wakes up, it connects to the router, but actual Internet connectivity is gone. I have to turn WiFi off and on for it to get out to the internet. Hopefully 10.5.3 will fix it.

hayesk

Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

yep - having problems too

04/17, 11:49am reply

There was a wireless update recently and my Wireless signal just dies_

I look up at the ICON in the Menu Bar and the bars are grayed out_ I go to click on it to pull up the instant menu and my Wireless Network is not listed_

I go look at my Router and Moem and both are active and lit up with no problems_

The only quick fix I've found is to unplug and restart the Router and then in the OS turn off the Wireless signal via the Menu Icon and turn it back on after the Router restarts_

This was doing this when I first bought my Airport Extreme in December '07_ There was an Airport update in Jan or Feb '08_ It fixed it and everything worked great_ Then wihtin the past couple of weeks another update happened and it now craps out again_

UberFu

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Joined: Oct 2002

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