Couldn't get WiFi working on Mavericks-solution found

I got the the ":w" part and get a red line with white text saying:

"/usr/local/etc/ipfw.conf" E212: Can't open file for writing

Press ENTER or type command to continue

This was the only thing that I haven't tried and was praying it would be "the one" that worked.

Any suggestions?

Did both a couple of times and got the same error. I have edited in Terminal before.

Thanks gecko64. This worked for me. Rather odd to see that you have to go into terminal to explicitly allow DHCP inbound even when the firewall is turned off (under System Preferences). Any idea why this is happening?

Spot on! Fixed my wagon. Thank you!

I've tried this several times with the variant of "nano" instead of "vi" to get a more "helpful" interface and each time it says the file, ipfw.conf, does not exist. Could be why it's not working for me. I have cut and pasted what was posted and still, no joy.

I just know that this is the fix for me, it makes sense, but just can't get it to work. Also tried it in Lion where it was said to come from and the same thing happens in ML.

You did use the command exactly?

sudo vi /usr/local/etc/ipfw.conf

If vi does not find a file it will usually create a new one with that name.

I cut and pasted each time. Can also type it by memory now. Keep getting errors like:

Then I hit return and it took me back to the inserted line and then got:

This is making no sense. That is why, I know it will work, fingers crossed, once I can get past this.

After a restart it now says that there is no hardware (WiFi) installed.

This might work for you too

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5537854

Thanks for the suggestion. Tried this long ago. My new main problem is no matter what, now my machine is not showing any hardware installed. So can't do anything more if it doesn't see hardware.

Ugh, not good - though sounds like a "clean install" job to me now.

I upgraded to Mavericks from ML (I think ML was an upgrade too) so I was having a few issues beyond networking and decided to bite the bullet and install Mavericks clean. It didn't fix the network issue - hence my other post but oh so much slicker & quicker with everything else...

I got the the ":w" part and get a red line with white text saying:

"/usr/local/etc/ipfw.conf" E212: Can't open file for writing

Press ENTER or type command to continue

---------

It's happening because no ../etc folder in /usr/local/

1. Go to /usr/local/ and look for ../etc folder. If no ../etc then go to p. 2, if ../etc is present then go to p.3

2. Make folder /usr/local/etc manually (via Finder or via Terminal command: md /usr/local/etc)

3. Run terminal command vi /usr/local/etc/ipfw.conf

4. Paste or type add 00050 allow udp from any to any src-port 67 dst-port 68 in as a new row

5. Press ESC

6. Type :w (to write file)

7. Type :q (to leave editor)

8. Run 'exit' command and close terminal window

9. Reboot MAC.

The end.

Mavericks was a clean install. WiFi stopped in ML last July after working great for months. Once Mvrx was installed I had SLS, ML and Mvrx all on separate partitions and WiFi wouldn't not work on any of them. Kept getting the "No hardware installed", "!", connection errors and the lot. And as you can see above, this avenue didn't work for me. But now it's a moot point, as of a couple of days ago my WiFi came back on its own just as it quickly as it stopped. It's been running great since. I have had it jumping on various networks just like it did before the failure. So for now, I'm just crossing my fingers and counting my blessings. Now I am connected at 270Mbps and going strong.

Right now I am noticing strange little things like it taking longer to sleep when I close the lid. And last night I shut the lid and walked away, it didn't sleep, overheated and locked up with a kernal panic with the screen on full bright and totally killed the battery. New day, new issue. But WiFi is fine . . . for now.

I have had the Mavericks wifi issue on a 2011 imac, as multiple posters have put wifi would work then it would stop. Issue would be resolved via a reboot or turning wifi off and on.

I read a post on another thread about creating a new location which I have just tried and since then am not getting any disconnects. I have a constant ping to my router, before the response times would be very up and down and at the moment they are consistent. I have no issues on my 2009 macbook pro which runs on 10.6.8 and the two machines are sat side by side so I know its not a router/network issue as all other apple devices work fine.

So its worth a try creating a new location to see if your issues are resolved.

Thank you gecko64. I have been trying to solve this for months and your solution worked! Can't tell you what a relief this is :-). Cheers!