I have a 2007 iMac which I upgraded to Lion. I can't find AirDrop either in applications or utilities. Can some one point me in the right direction?
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
In the Finder window sidebar. If not present, opent up Finder preferences and click to show in sidebar.
AirDrop is only enabled for the newest iMacs and Macbooks. It is not enable on older iMacs like your 2007 model.
Sorry but AirDrop only works with newer Wi-Fi hardware.
Mac models supported...
You can get Airdrop to work on any machine running Lion.
Launch terminal and at the command line enter:
defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces 1
After setting the defaults, A restart of Finder will be necessary:
killall Finder
I have a 2008 Macbook with Airdrop thus enabled.
This is not AirDrop proper, even if it displays AirDrop in the Finder window.
If AirDrop does not show up in the Finder, your mac is not qualifed for AirDrop and/or has no other AirDrop compatible mac around. AirDrop makes sense if there are at least 2 AirDrop-savvy macs. Faking AirDrop via the Terminal command does not mean AirDrop proper and, in some circumstances, may affect system security.
My 2006 and 2007 MacBooks do not have airdrop either, I may live without this, believe me.
Cattus Thraex wrote:
This is not AirDrop proper, even if it displays AirDrop in the Finder window.
it looks like Airdrop.... It works like Airdrop....
I'm comfortable to describe it as Airdrop even if it's not 'Airdrop proper', whatever that means
Read here > OS X Lion: Can I use AirDrop with my computer?
I'm not at home anymore so can't try the terminal input but Apple doesn't state why AirDrop shouldn't be used in earlier Macs in that reference even if the terminal input works.
It can be used, of course, and I did for some time, just it is not AirDrop proper, which means a direct connection between 2 macs aside of the wireless (standard) connection (wifi). Terminal command triggers and AirDrop-like look, but is not AirDrop proper. Of course, for current use, this is not very important as long as people may exchange date via radio waves.
Cattus Thraex wrote:
It can be used, of course, and I did for some time, just it is not AirDrop proper, which means a direct connection between 2 macs aside of the wireless (standard) connection (wifi). Terminal command triggers and AirDrop-like look, but is not AirDrop proper. Of course, for current use, this is not very important as long as people may exchange date via radio waves.
In what way is it inferior/different to the 'Airdrop proper'?
The terminal command does nothing but initiate the service in the way Apple designed it, surely? The fact that they chose not to make Airdrop routinely available to 'older' macs is a marketing preference, not a technical limitation, surely?
If by 'not airdrop proper' you mean available more widely than Apple intended, then we can agree that much at least, but if you mean it's somehow a lesser service - or worse a security risk - then please explain.
AirDrop means that macs communicate directly, not via the wl network. In order to do so, they must have a wl module of the newer generations, manufactured after 2009 (my early 2009 MB does not have AD capabilities). There was no clear list of supported models, I do not know whether there is one now. It seems difficult to have such a list, as some models manufactured in 2009 and, seemingly, 2010, are not Ad compatible.
But, I repeat, if running the Terminal makes you happy with this fake, there is no problem, use it, you will not harm anyone.
Airdrop will work on older Mac models than the official list provided by Apple.
(I can turn on AirDrop on my 2007 iMac, even though it is not on the official supported list of Mac).
You can enable it in older models:
(1) Use Oynx to turn it on (Oynx is a Mac utility to turn on hidden features on the Mac):
* download the latest version of Oynx: http://www.titanium.free.fr/download.php
* make sure you use the correct version of Oynx that corresponds to your MacOSX version
* (You have to use Tiger, MacOSX 10.7 to use AirDrop)
* In Oynx, click "Parameters" icon,
* then click "Misc" button on the tab
* then check the "Force enabling AirDrop" checkmark to turn it on.
or
(2) If you are geeky enough, go to Terminal and type this line:
defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowserAllInterfaces 1
Then re-log/relaunch Finder.
Once you turn on AirDrop on both machines, click on the AirDrop icon in the sidebar of the directory window, and you will see each other's Mac if the wi-fi is turned on, then drop your files to it to send file.
Upgraded to Lion; where is AirDrop?
