WiFi goes blind on 10.9 for mid 2012 MBA

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WiFi goes blind on 10.9 for mid 2012 MBA

Hello folks, hello experts,

this is going to be another thread with issue seen on previous versions of OS X.

I have bought a brand new in a box MacBook Air 11 a week ago, old stock however, mid 2012. It was just a day or two after 10.9 Mavericks came out, so the first thing I did was going to AppStore (over WiFi), made the FW check for the SSD, applied the Update, then (from this part over Ethernet) Upgrade from 10.7.5 to 10.8.5. Right after that Mavericks 10.9.

At home I have added my WiFi network and started to using the thing. Then following issue came out:

After waking from sleep, the WiFi is searching for networks but cannot see ANY.

What I did/tried:

All the possible old tricks (stupid or not) I could find:

- waking the MBA with power button

- keep the Bluetooth turned off

- deleted all preffered networks

- deleted Keychain entries

- moving system cofiguration files !

(- aks about others, I might have forgotten some...)

Nothing helped.

From the On/Off tricks also all possible were tried:

- Wifi

- Sign out

- Restart

- Power

Since the thing was new I had no problem to make fresh new install of 10.9 Mavericks. I did. Did not helped.

The issue is still here.

I have brought the MBA back to the shop, it went to authorized service. They have tried for one day (not sure, may be less) but they could not repeat the issue. They made Apple HW test, all OK. We agreed, when it comes back, they will try longer.

Symptoms:

- When MBA goes to sleep - seems like only the "deeper sleep" with disc unplugged - and then wakes does not see any available networks. WiFi is On and searching. Produces no error, behaves like everything is OK, just there are no networks around.

- Probably it should be not an issue of my router as the MBA does not see any network, not even the ca. 8 newtorks from my neighbours

- There is no 100% cure, the blindness seems to go away randomly. I mean, sometimes one trick helps, sometimes none (On/Off: WiFi, Sign Out, Restart, Power). I cannot tell why it then goes all right.

- My network (from which it goes to sleep) is on TP-LINK router with excellent signal, set up as not broadcasting SSID, Auto channel, WPA2, Auto bgn. I tried using also broadcasting SSID, fixed channel, fixed N.

- I cannot tell if it has a connection to a user, seems like not. There are 2: Administrator and Standard. Looks like the issue might relevant for both. I could update here.

- It does not matter if the MBA is on battery or plugged in.

- This issue never occured on any other device before (Windows PCs, Andorid devices, iPhone, MacBook 2009 - this one was not tested on my network after 10.9 update yet).

Other information:

- All possible updates for 10.9 are installed, including the one from this week.

- No accounts are connected (no mail, no cloud).

- From the installed software, there is TeamViewerQS and Skype - this one was and is not connected, Chrome web browser.

- FireWall is turned on.

Technical information PC:

- MacBook Air 11 inch mid 2012

- 1,7 GHz Intel i5, 4GB 1600 DDR3

- OS X 10.9 - 13A603

- Boot ROM: MBA51.00EF.B02

- SMC: 2.4f19

Technical Information WiFi:

- CoreWLAN: 4.0 (400.45.1)

- CoreWLANKit: 3.0 (300.35)

- Extra menu: 9.0 (900.34)

- Information about system: 9.0 (900.8)

- IO80211 family: 6.0 (600.34)

- Diagnostics: 3.0 (300.37)

- AirPort utilita: 6.3.2 (632.3)

Interfaces:

en0:

- Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0xE9)

- Firmware version: Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.22)

- Local: ETSI

- Country: SK

Any other required information or log files could be supplied within my skills (and your navigation), just ask for them.

My personal humble opinion told/tells me follwing:

- At first I thought it was SW issue. That is why I did the clean re-install.

- Afterwards it looked like a HW problem. That is why it went to AD/S.

- Since all HW tests passed OK, I think again it could be only SW issue. The question is now, is it a WiFi firmware issue or OS X 10.9 issue ? Or both...

Any input will be welcomed and highly appreciated. Thank you all in advance !

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 9, 2013 6:29 AM

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Answer 1

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 10, 2013 2:09 AM in response to Miaco9

Update:

I haven't tried to reset the SMC or PRAM. I think it should not be necessary as I have a clean install. Please correct me, if I'm wrong.

Furthermore, I did not played with the Locations. Not because I do not think this is the way it should "work" (it can in fact help to sort out the situation) butmore from my expectations. The preffered service, which is Wi-Fi is on the top and the install is clean. The computer should be apple, sorry, able ;o) to handle on automatic.

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Answer 2

Nov 11, 2013 3:52 AM in response to Miaco9

Miaco,

I have the same issue and it behaves as you say. I did the SMC reset and it solved the provlem...

...for a few days. Now the same behavior is back :-( I did again an SMC reset and also a PRAM reset but it did not help.

I was again in contact with Apple chat and he also recommended to play with the locations, creating a new one. I haven't tested that, but will give it a try.

The next thing if this does not help, was to to make a new installation via "archive - install". I will see...but it is very annoying because under Moutain Lion everything was fine. I'm not really motivated to make a new Installation since this is very time consuming....:-(

So if I were you, give it a try to reset SMC, PRAM and play with locations...

reset SMC:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964?viewlocale=en_US

reset PRAM:

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14222?viewlocale=en_US

regards

Roger

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Answer 3

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 11, 2013 4:12 AM in response to rogerfromwil

Hi Roger,

OK, I can give it a try, I just thought, that these things (SMC and NVRAM/PRAM) would get a reset by the clean re-install. Does it not ? Can anybody confirm, please ?

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Answer 4

Nov 11, 2013 4:16 AM in response to Miaco9

Not sure if a clean installation is resetting those memories. However, it takes you 10 Minutes to do it and it does not really hurt, so it is worth a try :-)

When you made a clean installation, did you do a "archive - install", meaning that some user data (like installed programs and so on) got copied?

Good luck

Roger

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Answer 5

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 11, 2013 5:33 AM in response to rogerfromwil

OK, made some inquiries around and did the reset for both then. Actually did another re-install after some playing around while I still could ;o) The last one I think.

So current status is: fresh and clean 10.9 with available updates (Mail, iTunes, iBooks), SMC reset, NVRAM/PRAM reset. (All in this order, if it should matter.)

If this turns out to be either SMC/PRAM issue or FW/OS issue, then, in the first case I am done, in the second I have to wait for Apple. Where I am pointing is, that I have installed some Apps (Skype, Chrome, gDrive, TeamViewerQS, Libre Office) directly and plan to test again in "normal working conditions".

I'll keep you posted.

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Answer 6

Nov 11, 2013 6:30 AM in response to Miaco9

Miaco9,

Cool, keep us posted. I will this evening play around with creating new network location and if it does not help, re-install OS...somewhen. This could take a while though since I'm using the Mac for business :-(

regards

Roger

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Answer 7

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 11, 2013 9:47 AM in response to rogerfromwil

Update:

Resetting SMC (2 times is a row) and resetting NVRAM/PRAM (4 times in a row) did not helped. Issue persists.

Regarding the locations, usually the advise is to create a new one a set the order. I have tried for now to set the order on the Automatic, which is possible as well. The WiFi was not on the top. This was the original order:

1. Bluetooth DUN (became visible only when setting the order)

2. Thunderbolt Ethernet

3. Wi-Fi

4. Bluetooth PAN

5. Thunderbolt Bridge

I have moved the WiFi on the top, both Bluetooth afterwards (DUN, PAN) and Thunderbolt to the end (Ether, Bridge). We'll see.

So far getting the "Eyes of the WiFi open" helps toggling it On/Off with optional toggling the Bluetooth On/Off. But... that is only the way to get it back. We'll see if this keeps helping.

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Answer 8

Nov 11, 2013 11:54 AM in response to Miaco9

Played around with the Location Settings, did not really help. Once it was fine but now it is hanging again :-(

Hmmm....next step would be to make a re-install....but not sure if that will help...

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Answer 9

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 11, 2013 10:06 PM in response to rogerfromwil

Update:

Setting order in the Location Settings does not really help.

As you said, Roger. Although it might shorten the searching interval but I'd say it's more a placebo... Re-install did not help me so may be you wait for the fix it such action should cause you some discomfort.

Thus all (?) known tricks have been tried. Hardware tests were OK, so now it should Apple on the turn. I hope it'll be sooner then later. I'm sending this thread.

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Answer 10

Nov 11, 2013 11:26 PM in response to Miaco9

Miaco9,

The same here...as mentioned, I'm at the end of the ideas. I don't know how it is in your case but in my case it is not a question of time for searching WLAN. If the issue hits me, WLAN does not come back, I have to restart the Mac and then all is fine (o.k., I did not wait 20 Minutes to see if WLAN comes back...). I have a 15" MBP early 2011.

Right now I have no time to do a re-installation, since I really need my Mac for work. If I look at your experience, it might not really help anyway. So I'm waiting for the first updated of Mavericks. I pray it comes within the next days. If this does not solve the issue, I goe back to Mountain Lion, where everything was perfect.

If anyone has any other solution, please share with us...

regards

Roger

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Answer 11

Nov 17, 2013 6:35 AM in response to rogerfromwil

I have a new MB Air and it does the same thing. Rather then rebooting I just turn off Wifi in the menubar and when i turn it on, Wifi reconnects.

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Answer 12

Miaco9 Author

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Nov 25, 2013 4:31 AM in response to coffeecoffee11

Well, the behaviour is basically unchanged but I've got some new suspect. Have anybody traced the occurence in the reference to the battery level ? I'll try to look after it to tell if there could be a possible connection.

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Answer 13

Miaco9 Author

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Dec 1, 2013 12:56 AM in response to Miaco9

Update:

Looks like the battery level makes no reason in the appearing of the problem. It comes regardless of the power capacity.

Ticking off all the Bluetooth settings did not help either.

(And oh, I just now noticed that I have probably misplaced this thread in the Wi-Fi peripherals. It suits to the OS X Mavericks thread better I think. Sorry.)

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