AirDrop doesn't show both computers??

I found that this fix worked for Airdrop between an early 2011 Macbook Pro and a Mac Pro 1.1, it could also help the OP with their issue. This terminal tweak simply removes Lion's restriction on Airdrop to make it work on any network interface, and not just PANs.

This discussion has gone around in circles.

Thre are two issues:

1. Getting airdrop to appear on an older machine - solved using the terminal command, and

2. Getting the older mac to be visible on the newer models - which was the original question for which I cannot see an answer yet.

I can transfer files from my old mac to the new, and the old mac will appear temprarily in on the new mac, but it dissapears once the file has been transferred.

So back to the original question:

AirDrop doesn't show both computers??

Has anyone solved this?

Thanks Timothy, I, like you, still waiting. 😉

I would expect nothing to change unless someone came up with a hack - whether that would be a reliable workaround or not would be the million dollar question; Apple has decided which models will be supported and which ones will not.

FWIW, unless you have the second computer within reach or someone sitting at the second computer, it is a bit of a hassle: launch Airdrop on both; drag a file to the other's icon; confirm you want to send; run to the other computer and confirm you want to receive. Although Airdrop works on both of my machines, I can get it done faster by copying it to my small portable external and then copying it to the other computer when I'm using it anyway.

Some people dont have a "small portable external......." so airdrop is the only easy way and the original question has still to be solved 😢

I was trying to ease you into the realization that there is no way to "solve" your question.

A small portable external can be as cheap as a 4 GB USB thumb drive.

Like the ease bit - lol.

Actually, I just log in over the ethernet. There used to be an application called dropcopy -which was so much better - it left a grey translucent dot on the desktop, It didn't require the finder to be open. One could make it always visible, or hidden.

Airdrop is a Windoze like solution that doesn't work as well. It requires repsonding to whether you want to send it, and then acceptance is needed.

Dropcopy, allowed you to circumvent this need for actions.

http://10base-t.com/macintosh-software/dropcopy/

Rah, rah.

I have the EXACT same problem.

AirDrop works fine between my iMac and my MacPro, BUT, it reacts the same as you have explained when either my iMac or MacPro tries to connect to my MacBook Pro.

I can see the MBP from either my iMac or MacPro, but the MBP does not show the iMac or MacPro until one of those two mac's tries to send a file to the MBP. Then, they'll show up in the AirDrop window on the MBP, transfer the files, then POOF! they just disappear from the MBP screen.

I'm still waiting for an answer on this issue. Perhaps it will be resolved in a future OSX update.

I was having this exact same issue. I had to run the hack on BOTH computers. I have a 2010 macbook pro and a late 2009 macmini. Running the terminal hack on both fixed it.

Exactly the same here (and same as Mark describes): my fully Airdrop capable MacBook Pro is not visible within Airdrop from other Macs.

I can see other Macs within my Airdrop window. But they can not see me. While sending a file to another Mac, they are seeing me. But the moment the file transfer is finished, my Mac again disappears.

So effectively: I currently can not use Airdrop to receive files from other Macs.

I checked the setting of

defaults read com.apple.NetworkBrowser DisableAirDrop

but this is not defined. So I guess I did not modify the systems value here.

Actually it has to related to settings in my user account: when logging with a different user account everything works as it should be..

Same for me, pls stay focused on the post subject as Timothy wrote.

Thre are two issues:

1. Getting airdrop to appear on an older machine - solved using the terminal command, and

2. Getting the older mac to be visible on the newer models - which was the original question for which I cannot see an answer yet.

I can transfer files from my old mac to the new, and the old mac will appear temprarily in on the new mac, but it dissapears once the file has been transferred.

So back to the original question:

AirDrop doesn't show both computers??

Hi youmanonline.com

On your "older" Mac, invisible to the newer,could you try to

- create a new user account "airdroptest"

- logoff from your current account

- login with "airdroptest"

- use Airdrop

Let us please know, if this makes a difference.

In my situation airdrop works on a fresh user account.

On a different user, not really a new one, the first thing I noticed is that Airdrop isn't enabled like in the main user. This is probably due to the fact that I did not performed the "defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces 1" hack on other users than the main. I Guess.

any way thanks for the suggestion, I'll wait your feedback prior to creating a new user and test. Even if my need is actually to enable airdrop for every user and mainly the one I created as main time ago.

One more thing, my Old Mac is supposed to qualify for native airdrop capabilities according to the apple list (I've doublechecked) I'm I wrong? attached the serial number of my mac.