Linksys BEFW11S4 doesn't show up in AirPort

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Linksys BEFW11S4 doesn't show up in AirPort

Hi!

I'm currently experiencing some problems with my grandma's network. She's running an old Linksys BEFW11S4 v4 Router, it works fine with her Windows XP PC, the Windows 7 Notebook of my girlfriend's and my MBP in Bootcamp Windows 7 work fine, too.

But if I try to access the network via OS X (10.6.8 yesterday, 10.7 today) it just doesn't even show up in my menu bar. When I try a manual connection it says "Network not found".

My Specs:

MBP Mid 2009, OS X 10.7

Linksys BEFW11S4 v4 WEP 64bits 10 hex digits DHCP enabled

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot!

MacBook Pro 5,5 (Mid 2009)-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 21, 2011 10:04 AM

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Answer 1

wifiguru

Level 2

240 points

Jul 21, 2011 10:20 AM in response to senthor

Are you using any odd characters in the network name ? Is the network hidden ? If it is, unhide the network and then try.

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Answer 2

senthor Author

Level 1

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Jul 21, 2011 10:26 AM in response to wifiguru

The network name is linksys. There are no other networks that have a similar name.

Wireless SSID Broadcast is enabled, and the network is visible for Windows PCs.

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Answer 3

DrVenture

Level 2

180 points

Jul 21, 2011 10:33 AM in response to senthor

Is grandma's router up to date with the latest firmware?

What channel is the router on?

Try this, reboot your Mac and let it come up. Once you are at the desktop with WiFi on, wait a minute or so then do the following:

1. Open a terminal

2. do sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/System/Library /PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport -s

See if you can find "linksys" in the scan list.

Just a side note, you might want to change the SSID from "linksys" to something else. Its not that I think this will fix the issue, but rather to cut down on the world wide "linksys" roaming network. 🙂

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Answer 4

senthor Author

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Jul 21, 2011 10:42 AM in response to DrVenture

I just updated the firmware to the newest version, no change. It's on channel 6.

No "linksys" showing up in airport -s.

If I change the network SSID, my grandma will get a cry. She then couldn't tell how to get online again… (she doesn't like to save passwords.)

thanks 🙂

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Answer 5

wifiguru

Level 2

240 points

Jul 21, 2011 10:47 AM in response to senthor

Can your Mac see any other network's ? Can you paste the output of airport -s here ?

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Answer 6

DrVenture

Level 2

180 points

Jul 21, 2011 10:49 AM in response to senthor

Now that is strange. I wonder why the Mac is not picking up the beacons from the Linksys router. Can you turn on Airport debugging and try a couple of scans (just clicking on the WiFi icon will cause the Mac to scan).

To turn on debugging just do:

1. open term

2. do sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/System/Library /PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport debug +alluserland +alldriver +allvendor +LogFile

3. try a couple of scans

4. Go to console and look for the Wifi log. Copy and past the wifi log here.

5. Turn off debugging with: do sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/System/Library /PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport debug -alluserland -alldriver -allvendor -LogFile

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Answer 7

senthor Author

Level 1

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Jul 21, 2011 10:56 AM in response to DrVenture

Terminal:

SSID BSSID RSSI CHANNEL HT CC SECURITY (auth/unicast/group)

telenet-0B098 00:23:ee:fc:15:04 -82 11 N -- WEP

Vince_Crien 00:1d:2e:52:3b:27 -83 1 N -- WEP

Console:

21.07.11 19:53:48,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Broadcast scan request received from pid 227 ().

21.07.11 19:53:48,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Initiating scan.

21.07.11 19:53:50,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::scanDone: Scheduling cache purge timer in 30 seconds.

21.07.11 19:53:50,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::getScanResult: All scan results returned for pid 227.

21.07.11 19:53:58,640 Scalare: -- Got 0 Status updates, pending: 0

21.07.11 19:54:03,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Broadcast scan request received from pid 227 ().

21.07.11 19:54:03,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Initiating scan.

21.07.11 19:54:05,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::getScanResult: All scan results returned for pid 227.

21.07.11 19:54:18,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Broadcast scan request received from pid 227 ().

21.07.11 19:54:18,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::startScan: Initiating scan.

21.07.11 19:54:20,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: clearEntries[0] Firing!

21.07.11 19:54:20,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: Rescheduling in 15 seconds.

21.07.11 19:54:20,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::getScanResult: All scan results returned for pid 227.

21.07.11 19:54:25,919 com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (org.tigris.scplugin.launch[1916]) Exited with code: 1

21.07.11 19:54:25,919 com.apple.launchd.peruser.501: (org.tigris.scplugin.launch) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds

21.07.11 19:54:35,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: clearEntries[0] Firing!

21.07.11 19:54:35,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: Rescheduling in 15 seconds.

21.07.11 19:54:50,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: clearEntries[0] Firing!

21.07.11 19:54:50,000 kernel: IO80211ScanManager::cachePurge: NOT Rescheduling.

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Answer 8

DrVenture

Level 2

180 points

Jul 22, 2011 10:56 AM in response to senthor

Can you try changing the channel on the router to 1 or 11 and see if the Mac picks it up. Can you also look at the advanced wireless config and post what options you are using (beacon interval, data rates, etc.).

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Answer 9

wifiguru

Level 2

240 points

Jul 22, 2011 11:13 AM in response to senthor

senthor,

Is your wireless network by any chance on channel's 12/13/14 ? Can you set the channel manually to channel 6 and try ?

If that does not work:

Can you post some screenshots here of the wireless settings on your router ? Also have you tried resetting the router to its defaults and set it up fresh ?

have you checked if there is a firmware upgrade available for this router ?

Can you try disabling wireless security on the router and check if that help's ?

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Answer 10

senthor Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2011 12:52 PM in response to wifiguru

I tried changing to channel to 1, 3, 6, 9 and 11, no change. Wireless security off: no change.

I tried setting up the router as fresh, no change.

No firmware updates available.

What finally made me buy a new router is the fact, that both Mac OS X (10.7.2) and iOS (4.3.5) are unable to find the network.

Seems like a huge incompability.

I will be at my grandma's in late december, I'll post some router config then.

Thanks!

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