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Captive Network Assistant checks 249 different airport, hotel and other misc WiFi hotspots adding a good 3 minutes to my startup time.

Hey there,

During startup of my MacBook Pro, Captive Network Assistant checks 249 different airport, hotel and other misc. WiFi hotspots. Proabaly adding a good 3 minutes to my startup time. ***? This all started while I was on extended layover at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

I thought Captive Network Assistant was an iOS thing. No iOS devices in my home or office. Here's a portion of the console log during startup.

2/20/12 4:34:13.000 PM kernel: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'US'.

2/20/12 4:34:13.000 PM kernel: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165

2/20/12 4:34:15.000 PM kernel: MacAuthEvent en1 Auth result for: 00:26:0a:ee:8f:b3 MAC AUTH succeeded

2/20/12 4:34:15.000 PM kernel: wlEvent: en1 en1 Link UP

2/20/12 4:34:15.000 PM kernel: AirPort: Link Up on en1

2/20/12 4:34:15.000 PM kernel: en1: BSSID changed to 00:26:0a:ee:8f:b3

2/20/12 4:34:16.386 PM genatsdb: *GENATSDB* FontObjects generated = 495

2/20/12 4:34:16.426 PM ntpd: bind(26) AF_INET6 fe80::fa1e:dfff:fed8:2f6d%5#123 flags 0x11 failed: Can't assign requested address

2/20/12 4:34:16.426 PM ntpd: unable to create socket on en1 (5) for fe80::fa1e:dfff:fed8:2f6d#123

2/20/12 4:34:23.308 PM configd: network configuration changed.

2/20/12 4:34:23.425 PM UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CaptivePublishState:1211 en1 - Probe

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CNSPreferencesBuildSSIDLookup:278 ssidLookup:

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: Estancia La Jolla

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: PatientInternet

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: MONZOON

2/20/12 4:34:23.552 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.553 PM UserEventAgent: !Blue Peaks Public Wireless*~

2/20/12 4:34:23.554 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.554 PM UserEventAgent: AIELKHORN

2/20/12 4:34:23.554 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.554 PM UserEventAgent: Goldies341

2/20/12 4:34:23.554 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: Royal on the Park Brisbane Pub

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: hcc

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: wireless_yokum

2/20/12 4:34:23.555 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: Picospot

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: bytelynk

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: Lynmar

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: WEBbeams-Argo Tea

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: ETHOSTREAM

Several hunderd lines of the same omitted..........

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: bigwireless

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: ParkInn-ethostream

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.556 PM UserEventAgent: High Speed Internet

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: OBC_wireless

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: BTOpenzone-CaffeNero

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: Airport View

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: Telefonica

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.581 PM UserEventAgent: Oaks Calypso Public Wireless

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: White Sands Beach Resort

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: public-supsi

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: La Quinta Inn

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: radisson

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: 0 : com.apple.cnstest

2/20/12 4:34:23.582 PM UserEventAgent: *** process 11 exceeded 500 log message per second limit - remaining messages this second discarded ***

2/20/12 4:34:23.910 PM UserEventAgent: CaptiveUserAgent:doLaunchWebsheet:119 can't run websheet, -43

2/20/12 4:34:23.926 PM configd: network configuration changed.

2/20/12 4:34:24.016 PM com.apple.launchd: (com.apple.xprotectupdater[51]) Exited with code: 253

Looking at the times, I see this only takes a fraction of a second but my startup time is still much much longer than it ever was or should.

Does anyone have any idea on how to get rid of this? I deleted the Captive Network Assistant.app from my computer but the checking continues. It seems to be a rarely mentioned issue doing a web search, and nothing like this, although it's referred to in certain articles.

Really weird.

Gregg

Posted on Feb 20, 2012 3:53 PM

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6 replies

Level 9

54,333 points

Feb 20, 2012 4:43 PM in response to Gregg Luhring

I'd take another look at your startup log.

If you look closely, you'll see that all those log messages occurred in the space of 30 milliseconds - by comparison, a human blink takes about 150 milliseconds.

So while I don't doubt you're seeing slow startup time, I don't think CaptiveNetworkSupport is the culprit, per se.

Fortunately, since every startup event is timestamped, it should be easy enough to determine what task is taking the most time.

As for CNS, it's not just an iOS thing - it's standard in Mac OS X, too. I'm also under the impression (but can't confirm) that it only checks the networks that you've previously connected to, so check System Preferences -> Network -> AirPort -> Advanced -> WiFi and delete any networks you no longer use or expect to connect to.

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Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 20, 2012 5:06 PM in response to Gregg Luhring

If you don't want this activity, uncheck Apple menu > System Preferences > Date & Time > Time Zone > Set time zone automatically...

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Feb 22, 2012 1:47 PM in response to Camelot

Camelot,

I did mention in my message that I saw that it was only a fraction of a second.

I like to call myself a traveler, but I have definitely not been to all of those places. There were only 4 or 5 in there that I hadn't deleted recently.

I will look at all times in the startup to see what the real culprit (timesucker) is.

Thanks

Gregg

Reply

Feb 22, 2012 1:50 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

Thank you. This did stop the listing of WiFi hotspots. Sadly it looks like my problem goes beyond that so my troubleshooting continues. (Minus one suspected cause)

Thanks,

Gregg

Reply

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 22, 2012 1:57 PM in response to Gregg Luhring

I suggest you start a new thread with a more descriptive title to address the real issue.

Reply

Level 9

54,333 points

Feb 24, 2012 12:13 AM in response to Gregg Luhring

I think that proves my point - it isn't the WiFi scanning that's causing your delay. A more in-depth look at the logs is warranted.

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Captive Network Assistant checks 249 different airport, hotel and other misc WiFi hotspots adding a good 3 minutes to my startup time.

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