WiFi only works with Ethernet plugged in

iMac running Ventura, Apple Base Station, Verizon FIOS router. After losing power twice in 20 minutes during a storm 2 days ago, my iMac's WiFi stopped working altogether...unless I connect it via Ethernet cable to the Base Station. Of course, at that point I don't need the WiFi because...Ethernet connection (so in fact, I'm not sure the WiFi is doing anything on the iMac). Seems to me something has gotten scrambled in the iMac. A MacBookPro and MacBookAir are both connecting via WiFi without a hitch. Wondering if anyone's dealt with this situation or if it's time for the iMac to visit the shop.

-gf

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 11:38 AM

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Posted on Aug 11, 2023 1:04 PM

There is your problem, having Avast AV installed. Mac OS does not require nor does it benefit in any fashion by adding third party


  • Antivirus apps
  • Cleaning apps
  • Security apps
  • VPN apps
  • maintenance apps


These types of apps have the exact opposite effect you want, they make Mac OS slow, unstable, appear buggy (much like you are experiencing) and offer NOTHING in return except to help empty your wallet. Malwarebytes is okay and was developed by a trusted developer and participant of these forums. While you likely don't need Malwarebytes it is not harmful and if you do download something like adware it can assist by removing it.


Please locate the developers uninstall procedure from Avast and follow it to the letter. After you hav e executed that, please restart the computer in Safe Mode and then restart normally.


In order to keep your Mac secure and stable simply keep Mac OS up-to-date and restart the computer about once every week or two. Other than that, please leave Mac OS alone!

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Aug 11, 2023 1:04 PM in response to Gregory Frost

There is your problem, having Avast AV installed. Mac OS does not require nor does it benefit in any fashion by adding third party


  • Antivirus apps
  • Cleaning apps
  • Security apps
  • VPN apps
  • maintenance apps


These types of apps have the exact opposite effect you want, they make Mac OS slow, unstable, appear buggy (much like you are experiencing) and offer NOTHING in return except to help empty your wallet. Malwarebytes is okay and was developed by a trusted developer and participant of these forums. While you likely don't need Malwarebytes it is not harmful and if you do download something like adware it can assist by removing it.


Please locate the developers uninstall procedure from Avast and follow it to the letter. After you hav e executed that, please restart the computer in Safe Mode and then restart normally.


In order to keep your Mac secure and stable simply keep Mac OS up-to-date and restart the computer about once every week or two. Other than that, please leave Mac OS alone!

Aug 11, 2023 1:35 PM in response to Gregory Frost

Remove the add-on anti-malware.


Some of that add-on anti-malware has had a history of privacy issues, too. For instance, Avast was selling your entire online and purchasing activities. They claim to no longer being doing that, of course.


Add-on first-few-hops VPN apps can also cause issues, and can (usually do) leak private info. Remove those.


Most interesting cases I’ve encountered involve the built-in anti-malware blocking add-on anti-malware from corrupting macOS due to false positives. We get the occasional posting about that around here, too.


Torrents are good sources of malware, and the cracked apps available there are increasingly used for distributing malware, and torrents in general can cause unexpectedly massive system and network loading.


Off all the add-on security apps, I’d suspect it’s that RadioSilence app that’s causing the issue here, and all (four?) of the VPN apps are always suspect when routing issues can be in play. I’d still also remove the two (three? Virus Barrier?) add-on anti-malware apps, and whatever other security apps I’ve missed, though.


Given how many security add-ons and torrent bits and VPNs and the rest I’m seeing loaded here, I’d probably wipe this Mac and start over


==


PS: Printer vendors just fill a computer with… stuff, too. When replacing, consider getting printers with AirPrint support.


PPS: If performance becomes a factor, and given iMac 27” memory user upgradable, consider adding more memory. Not a big win given the SSD, but you’re using ~all of the existing 16 GB.

Aug 11, 2023 2:31 PM in response to Gregory Frost

Thanks for the update. I'm trying a different tack by troubleshooting your Mac's hardware to see if there is anything amiss after that power outage. I'll leave the AV-related stuff to the experts here.


With that said, the next steps I would like you to try ... still leaving the Ethernet disconnected, and that would be to cycle the Mac's wireless hardware by issuing the following commands in the Terminal:

  • sudo ifconfig en1 inet down <return>
  • sudo ifconfig en1 inet up <return>
  • sudo ifconfig en1 <return> << look for flags = UP & status = active


If this is the result, great! The Mac's internal Wi-Fi card is both functional and is recognized by macOS. Now we just need to figure out why your Mac is not successful accessing the Internet with a wireless connection.


Let me know your results.

Aug 11, 2023 9:18 AM in response to Gregory Frost

Got it and thanks.


By chance is there any third party:


  • Antivirus
  • Cleaning
  • VPN
  • Security
  • Maintenance


apps installed on the computer? If your answer is no then please do the following:


It will help us get a good idea of what is causing your problem if you provide a report of your system, that way we do not have to play 20 questions with you. The report we are requesting does NOT provide any personal information and is extremely safe to use. Please navigate to www.Etrecheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you have you downloaded the app and installed it, please run the report and save it. This report will help us get a good idea what has been installed on your system and help us be able to diagnose what may be wrong.


When you have your report, you can attach it when you reply to this message and we can then review it and help you determine what is needed to get your system running well again. 


For instructions on how to download your EtreCheck report and attach it to your reply to this message please click How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community It is helpful to us if you download the report to your Desktop.



Aug 11, 2023 1:21 PM in response to Gregory Frost

See if the following troubleshooting steps can help.


From your iMac, with the Ethernet cable disconnected as we only want to test the Wi-Fi connection:

  1. Open the Terminal app.
  2. At the prompt, enter the following command: ifconfig en1, and then press the return key.
  3. Look to see if results indicates the interface is not enabled: (status = inactive) or it is enabled: (status = active)
  4. If status = inactive, then enter the following command: sudo ifconfig en1 inet up <return>
  5. Enter the same command that you entered in step 2 to see if the interface is now active.


Aug 11, 2023 2:16 PM in response to MrHoffman

Rkaufmann87 & MrHoffman--I will see about getting rid of Avast. Thing is, I taught for years at a local college and to connect to their network remotely, Avast software was mandatory. No Avast, no communicating with students. Prior to that I had no "protective" software...too many stories of Norton anti-virus scams, etc. But now that I'm retired from it, I can delete the stuff. So...thanks. I also changed the DNS settings (thank you, Rkaufmann87!), something I used to have to do routinely with my previous Verizon Fios router and old iMac) and LO, the WiFi is operating as it should once again. So thanks, a second time, for all who helped. If I ever meet y'all, I'll stand you a beer. -gf


Aug 11, 2023 11:55 AM in response to Gregory Frost

If you are still using your ISP's default DNS that could be your problem. Below is a link to an old however still valid article. I would recommend changing your DNS settings to the ones in the article, if that does not help the problem, you can always remove the updated DNS settings.


https://osxdaily.com/2015/12/05/change-dns-server-settings-mac-os-x/



Aug 11, 2023 3:05 PM in response to Gregory Frost

Gregory Frost wrote:

…Prior to that I had no "protective" software…


No add-on protective software, that is…


Apple has been quite quietly busy in this area.


XProtect and related have been built in for a while now, with the App Store for distributions, with Gatekeeper, Notarization became a requirement, and particular with the write-only system volume. mechanisms which were just used to block a third-party app that recently reportedly went rogue, and that incidentally also work very well to block corruptions caused from false positives in add-on anti-malware apps.


Details: Apple Platform Security - Apple Support


This could well be a hardware issue yes, but I’d tend to go with software given the firewall add-on, the two (or three?) add-on anti-malware apps, and the VPNs

Aug 11, 2023 6:53 AM in response to KiltedTim

Sure. By Base Station I mean "Apple Airport Extreme." I've done no troubleshooting of the AE because two Mac laptops in the house are having no trouble connecting to it, which leads me to conclude the problem isn't with the AE but with the iMac. And I don't know that the WiFi is working--just that, when I connect via Ethernet cable and turn on WiFi in the menu bar, it lights up green as if it is working, though at this point I don't trust this evidence.

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WiFi only works with Ethernet plugged in

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