It happened! I, an old, seasoned Windows user and Linux beginner, am writing about the MacBook. The only thing that consoles me is that I will not write about the superiority of apple products. In general, when you don’t come across a product, so to speak, personally, your idea of it is formed from reading publications and hearing stories, and all this is supplemented by a huge portion of your own perception, which is not always objective. And this own perception, oddly enough, turns out to be the most significant in shaping our attitude towards something.
Throughout my career, I have constantly heard about the vast superiority of Apple products. At the end of the 80s, acquaintances involved in layout buzzed all ears about excellent graphics; since the end of the 2000s, all that has been done is that iPhones, iPads and MacBooks have been praised. But then, in the 80s, I was not involved in graphics - I did not write programs for layout and games with sophisticated graphics, but from the point of view of an ordinary programmer developing network simulation programs queuing and payroll calculation... Well, I don’t know, CGA, of course, was rather weak, but EGA’s capabilities, in principle, were enough for me. Now, to be honest, I don’t really understand why an iPad is better than an Android tablet. And in general, in 2006 I was the owner of a wonderful HP iPAQ hx2795b with Windows Mobile 5 on board, and nothing, I was very pleased. In addition, my daughter, who dreamed of an iPhone and finally received its fifth version, somehow began to use excellent epithets about it much less often. This is, of course, a serious confirmation of usability. Well, I also heard a lot of stories from my daughter about the MacBook and its glitches. But it’s one thing to hear, and another to participate... Here’s more about that.
So, some time ago my daughter changed her laptop: she moved from Samsung to MacBook Pro. As I wrote above, this transition, in addition to the positive emotions of ownership, was also marked by a number of annoying blunders. All of them, for the time being, avoided me, but it was clear that god mode would end sooner or later. And then, at some point, the daughter suddenly declares a decisive protest.
It turns out that her MacBook very often does not see home networks at all. Yesterday everything connected and worked fine, but today I can’t access the network, or rather, I can’t log in. The list of available networks lists all the networks of our and neighboring entrances, but there is no trace of our relatives, home networks. Why in the plural? Because there are two networks: one network in the 2.4 GHz band and one more in the 5 GHz band. And this despite the fact that Mac must be able to cling to both!
But I’m a grated kalach. As for the network that operates in the 2.4 GHz band, I immediately had a guess why it was not visible. The fact is that something similar happened with some equipment before. And all because I put this network on channel 13. On the other hand, it is known that the availability of channels greatly depends on the country. I had a laptop from HP, which also refused to see the home network, since the country in the WiFi driver settings was set to the USA, and there channel 13 was prohibited. True, the 5 GHz network uses the unremarkable channel 36, which, in my opinion, is protected from these legal incidents (as it turned out later, I was mistaken). But I decided to temporarily forget about this range - Apple likes to show off and make some demands that it itself fulfills, but other manufacturing companies do not always; you never know what he could come up with for grids in the 5 GHz range.
In general, I began my search in the direction in which some kind of light was looming ahead - I need to understand whether Macs have a country setting for the WiFi driver, and, if so, where can I see what value is set there. And the most important thing is how it can be changed, if, of course, it is possible.
The very first request to Google showed me that in matters of working with WiFi networks Macs are not doing well - the growing threads of many forums spoke of a large number of people experiencing problems with access. Of course, such forums flourish for others as well. operating systems and equipment manufacturers. The lion's share of questions in such threads is related to the lack of basic knowledge among the majority of users, and this is understandable - one cannot demand from the user too deep knowledge in areas in which he does not specialize. But, after all, Apple positions its products as the most user-friendly, friendly, that is. But in reality it turns out to be no friendlier than the hated Windows?
Well, okay, I won’t be too sarcastic about this, although, of course, I really want to. The main thing is that on the forums I received an answer to a couple of my lame questions: yes, there are country settings for the WiFi driver, and you can see the current value in the “System Information” application, in the Wi-Fi section.
However, what I saw impressed me, to put it mildly - the country was registered as TW, that is, Taiwan. In addition, for the convenience of the user (don’t forget - this is a user friendly MacBook Pro), a list of channels that can be used in Taiwan has been provided. What can I say, the Taiwanese are limited, these are the channels available in their country:
En1: 802.11d country code set to "TW".
en1: Supported channels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165
What is characteristic is that the list of available channels does not include not only channel 13, but also channel number 36. That is why my daughter’s MacBook Pro did not see either the 2.4 GHz home network or the 5 GHz one. So all the questions “why?” got the answers, all that remains is to resolve the questions “how?”.
It was with the search for answers to these “hows” that the problems began. I would like to note right away that the operating algorithms for Apple products, described by different experts in different sources, are somewhat different, but, basically, these differences are manifested in the details. In general, delving into the jungle of information on MacOS and MacBook revealed the following feature of the behavior of this user-oriented hardware and software complex.
WiFi drivers have adopted some default country values, so to speak. basic settings, and they depend on the country of origin and sale, which is generally expected. But they also depend on the WiFi adapter that is inserted into the laptop. Yes, yes, behind the supposed Apple AirPort WiFi adapters are hidden non-kosher adapters from Atheros and Broadcom. It’s time, after all, to stop being ironic, but it’s getting boring!
Further - even more interesting. Did I mention that Apple loves to show off? So, this miracle of technology (I’m talking about the MacBook) listens to the broadcast in the hope that there is some router in the area that broadcasts its regional settings via the 802.11d protocol. No, of course, all this was done to implement the user friendly concept. After all, all users of Apple laptops, of course, use only Apple routers, use Apple phones, go without watches until Apple releases them, and live surrounded by similarly Apple-oriented neighbors.
But the harsh truth of reality makes its own adjustments to the picture of the world. In practice, it turns out that the algorithm invented - for the world by Apple - for determining the country for WiFi laptop in the real world it simply fails. Because there are a lot of “gray” routers around from Chinese and other manufacturers, stitched unofficial firmware and tuned or not tuned, as God wishes. And then, what will Apple do now that the use of 802.11d has been banned in the States?
Well, your router does not broadcast via the 802.11d protocol - you disabled it yourself, or the manufacturer did not provide for it, or, worse, you bought it through Alibaba, and it came to you with settings intended for China or Taiwan. And you are neither in sleep nor in spirit. And in general, I’m not aware of any protocols. And it’s not you, but your neighbor on the floor above. It just so happened that, according to the algorithm, or contrary to it - programmers make mistakes in programs - his grid was scanned before yours. That's all! Get TW or CH country for your WiFi module. And all this disgrace will be remembered until the next power outage. What if you turned on the laptop while visiting or in a cafe? Or... You never know how many such “or”s you can come up with?! Truly, beware of casual relationships! Take your MacBook, an AirPort router, or better yet, an AirPort Extreme, go to an open field, or into the wilderness, and there, far from civilization, enjoy the world of Apple. Yes, don't forget your suitcase with batteries.
In fact, the worst decision in all this... paradise, is that you are not given any opportunity to set these settings explicitly, that is, you cannot go into some program and specify too smart device in his place: like, dear, wake up, you’re in Europe, not Asia. Probably because a friendly device should not allow a crooked user to show his crookedness. That's how things are.
But I believed in humanity. And I was not mistaken. Continuing the search led me to a forum page, on which the user provided a method by which you can patch the driver so that it behaves in a simpler way - after the patch, the code of a certain country is firmly written into the driver and the rushing - in search of a better country - stops. The patch itself is a so-called one-liner - calling the perl interpreter and passing it a command that needs to be executed (you can). The command was a regex expression that replaced one set of bytes with another - a banal binary patch.
At that moment, I personally thought that a solution had been found, and I gave the link to my daughter so that she could execute the required command on her laptop. After some time, the results of the patch were brought to my attention - the MacBook stopped seeing the WiFi card. Yes, the WiFi icon turned gray and when viewing the card properties, a message was displayed stating that the hardware was not found. As they say, they have arrived.
I had to brainstorm ways to fix the situation. Having calmed down a little and thought about it, I came to the conclusion that the binary patch had messed up something in the driver and it stopped loading. A little more effort and a solution was found to return the situation to its original level - since the patch replaces one set of bytes with another, it is necessary to perform the reverse replacement. I asked my daughter to run the modernized command (it's all one line):
Sudo perl -pi -e 's|\x81\x78\x30\x6B\x10\x00\x00\x90\xE9|\x81\x78\x30\x6B\x10\x00\x00\x0F\x85|' /System /Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortBrcm4331.kext/Contents/MacOS/AirPortBrcm4331 && sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions/
And, a minute later, I breathed a sigh of relief - after the reboot, the hardware returned to life.
Still, what's wrong with the patch? After all, some users wrote back saying that the patch worked normally and fulfilled its purpose. The first, and, as it turned out later, correct, thought was to dig towards MacOS versions. I looked at what my daughter had installed - the numbers 10.10.2, that is, Yosemite, were proudly displayed there. Most of those who reported a successful experience used earlier versions of the operating system, and only on the page with the patch there was a mention that everything worked on the version of the OS I needed.
For some time I continued to crawl - with the help of Google - through the English-language segment of the Internet. But, at some point, I asked another question using my native and powerful language. Why! Why didn't I do this earlier?! There was a blog page in the search results, and the blog itself is just a treasure trove useful information, and with solutions, and even in Russian.
In general, as I expected, the binary patcher did a lot of things. No, he most likely fixed everything correctly. But in Yosemite these drivers are signed and the signature is verified when they are loaded. Naturally, replacing a few bytes invalidated the signature, the driver did not load, and the MacBook, as a result, issued a warning that the hardware was not found. After executing the mirror command, we returned the bytes to their places, verification of the signature during loading was completed successfully, and functionality was restored.
While I was scouring the Internet in search of all this information, my daughter conducted an experiment - she turned off/on the laptop several times while moving around the apartment. At some point, the MacBook deigned to grab a router with the correct regional settings, perhaps even a home router, and then connected to the network without problems. By the way, one of the solutions to the described problem discussed on English-language forums was based on this principle (turning off/on the WiFi module) - it was proposed to write a script that would turn the module off and on until the required country code was set.
After a short consultation with my daughter, it was decided not to carry out experiments according to the scenario described in the blog - she needed to work, but there was a risk that something would not work and the laptop would again stop connecting to the network, or would not load the drivers again. The main stumbling block for me was that the original one-liner and the one-liner proposed on the blog used different regex expressions. So, I cannot say that the information provided in the blog corrects the situation, although everything looks very convincing, especially the part related to disabling signature verification when loading drivers. Maybe someday my daughter will make up her mind and we will bring the research to its logical conclusion. For now, that's probably all...
Reading time: 7 min
Let's now look at the main reasons why your MacBook Pro or Air does not automatically connect to WiFi, although this network is familiar to it, i.e. The password is correct, but it still says that the time has expired.
This article is suitable for all MacBook Pro and Air models released in different years. There may be some differences in the architecture or description of the Mac OS version.
Causes of the problem
First of all, you need to determine what the problem is. Various information about the error will help you choose the right solution.
Update your software
- For Mac computer install all available updates.
- If you are using a third-party Wi-Fi router, check whether the latest version firmware. If an update is available, follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.
- Check that the firmware of the Apple Wi-Fi base station is up to date.
Do the symptoms appear on other Wi-Fi devices?
WITH Wi-Fi problems may be connected due to the network or computers connected to it that are equipped with a Wi-Fi module. If other devices connect to the Internet without problems, then most likely the Wi-Fi router is working.
Ask your question to a specialist
Don’t know how to solve a problem with your gadget and need expert advice?
Checking connections
Certain network problems can be caused by disconnected or loose cable connections. We check all power cables and Ethernet cables that are connected to Wi-Fi router. You can solve the problem by checking that the modem and router are turned on, disconnecting and reconnecting Ethernet cables, or replacing damaged cables.
Restarting network devices
Turn off the power to the router or modem for a few seconds, then turn it on again. This way you can solve a number of network problems without taking additional troubleshooting measures.
Checking TCP/IP settings
If the device is connected to Wi-Fi networks, but there is no access to the Internet, then you should check the TCP/IP settings. Select the “Network” area in the “ System Settings" and perform the following steps:
Resetting Wi-Fi settings
In most cases full reset Wi-Fi settings allows you to solve the problem. We carry out the algorithm of actions:
Hardware shutdown of the Wi-Fi module
Increase
This will cause the Wi-Fi module to be disabled, which often solves the problem.
Hardware problems
The Wi-Fi module itself often breaks down, and the situation may manifest itself without visible reasons. Wi-Fi problems may be due to the following:
- Contact with moisture.
- Voltage drop.
- Factory defect.
In almost all of the above situations, it is necessary to change the Wi-Fi module. Even if a problem occurs, you need to check the Wi-Fi antenna. They very rarely break on their own, since they are very securely placed in the display case and are almost not subject to wear.
Fair, not overpriced and not underestimated. There should be prices on the Service website. Necessarily! without asterisks, clear and detailed, where technically possible - as accurate and concise as possible.
If spare parts are available, up to 85% of complex repairs can be completed in 1-2 days. Modular repairs require much less time. The website shows the approximate duration of any repair.
Warranty and responsibility
A guarantee must be given for any repairs. Everything is described on the website and in the documents. The guarantee is self-confidence and respect for you. A 3-6 month warranty is good and sufficient. It is needed to check quality and hidden defects that cannot be detected immediately. You see honest and realistic terms (not 3 years), you can be sure that they will help you.
Half the success in Apple repair is the quality and reliability of spare parts, so a good service works directly with suppliers, there are always several reliable channels and your own warehouse with proven spare parts for current models, so you don’t have to waste extra time.
Free diagnostics
This is very important and has already become a rule of good manners for service center. Diagnostics is the most difficult and important part of the repair, but you don't have to pay a penny for it, even if you don't repair the device based on its results.
Service repairs and delivery
Good service We value your time, which is why we offer free shipping. And for the same reason, repairs are carried out only in the workshop of a service center: correctly and according to technology can only be done in a prepared place.
Convenient schedule
If the Service works for you, and not for itself, then it is always open! absolutely. The schedule should be convenient to fit in before and after work. Good service works on weekends and holidays. We are waiting for you and working on your devices every day: 9:00 - 21:00
The reputation of professionals consists of several points
Company age and experience
Reliable and experienced service has been known for a long time.
If a company has been on the market for many years and has managed to establish itself as an expert, people turn to it, write about it, and recommend it. We know what we are talking about, since 98% of incoming devices in the service center are restored.
Other service centers trust us and refer complex cases to us.
How many masters in areas
If there are always several engineers waiting for you for each type of equipment, you can be sure:
1. there will be no queue (or it will be minimal) - your device will be taken care of right away.
2. you give your Macbook for repair to an expert in the field of Mac repairs. He knows all the secrets of these devices
Technical literacy
If you ask a question, a specialist should answer it as accurately as possible.
So that you can imagine what exactly you need.
They will try to solve the problem. In most cases, from the description you can understand what happened and how to fix the problem.
You've probably already checked the functionality of the router and made sure that everything is in order with it, but just in case, let's remind you. This must be done first to eliminate problems. wireless network and make sure that other devices connect to it without problems and the Internet works on them.
2. Install system updates
Sometimes problems with wireless internet occur due to macOS software glitches. Typically, Apple quickly finds and fixes them, releasing system updates that contain the corresponding fixes.
To check and install the update, go to “Settings” → “Software Update” and click the “Update Now” button. IN macOS High Sierra and earlier versions run Mac App Store, go to the "Updates" tab in top panel and install the available ones.
If your computer does not have an Ethernet port, then use an adapter or distribute the Internet via iPhone using USB mode.
3. Turn Wi-Fi off and on
Oddly enough, this banal advice helps. Turning off Wi-Fi completely deactivates the Mac's wireless module, and often this manipulation allows you to solve the problem if it arose due to some minor problem.
You can disable Wi-Fi by clicking on the Network icon in the menu bar or through the system settings in the “Network” section. Wireless access is resumed by pressing the same button again.
4. Change network location
With the Placement feature, you can quickly switch between different sets of Network settings, such as at home and in the office. In some cases, creating a new location can help fix Wi-Fi problems.
To apply this method, open Settings → Network and in the Placements list, select Edit Placements.
Click “+” and confirm creation by clicking “Finish”.
After this, macOS will automatically switch to the new connection and try to connect to the wireless network.
5. Delete the Network and connect to it again
8. Reinstall macOS
Finally, the last option you can try is reinstalling the system. If it is performed correctly, all previous errors that could have accumulated after macOS updates from previous versions are erased and if the problem was in them, then it should be solved.
Sometimes your computer loses its ability to access the Internet. What to do when your MacBook doesn't see Wi-fi? As with any other computer problem, you first need to determine the cause of the situation.
In this particular case there may be several:
- No connection due to loose cable.
- The router is malfunctioning.
- Problems with the operating system.
- Incorrect network connection settings on the MacBook itself.
- The router is not configured correctly.
The above reasons are ordered by the level of ease of their solution. It is recommended that you perform all steps in the order described below.
Lagging cable
Check that all cables, both data and power, are correctly and securely connected to the router and computer. If not, then disconnect and reconnect them. To avoid damage, first disconnect all equipment from the power supply.
Router failure
Using the power button, turn off the router, wait 20 seconds and turn it on again.
Operating system crash
Just restart your computer and check your Wi-Fi again.
Poor network connection setup
Check to see if the Wi-fi icon is visible in the top right corner of the screen. If displayed, click on it to see all available networks in the drop-down list, see which one is on at the moment active (checkmark next to the network name). Specify your network if it is not active. Check that your network access password is correct.
If there is no Wi-fi icon, go to System Settings – Network –WiFi. Check the box next to the option to display the icon and after closing, check the network as written in the previous paragraph.
If these actions did not bring a positive result, and you are not very knowledgeable about computer technology, then contact your provider or ask someone more experienced to sort out the problem.
