Wi-Fi shows full bars but no networks listed, not connected

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Wi-Fi shows full bars but no networks listed, not connected

I recently began having an issue where my MacBook Pro (mid-2012, running 10.9.2) loses the wireless connection. However, the wi-fi icon in the menu bar still shows full bars (as if I were connected), but no networks are listed in the drop down menu.

Our other computer (a 2008 MacBook) and phones (moto G and Nexus 5) remain connected, at the same time, nor have they any similar issue. So it appears to be an issue specific to my MacBook Pro.

When I try to turn the Wi-Fi off then back on in the menu bar to see if it will reconnect, the wi-fi icon goes empty when I click off, but it does not come back to show the bars when I click it back on, remaining 'empty'. Yet I in the drop-down menu I regain the option to 'Turn Wi-Fi Off,' though no networks are listed.

Also, I use this machine daily at work on a university network Wi-Fi and have not had any issues (yet).

I've run Disk Utility after running into this problem, and it instructs me to Repair the Disk in Recovery Mode (via restarting the computer with CMD+R). Doing this, and sometimes doing just a normal restart, so far brings the connection back as normal.

This happened for the first time last weekend, happened again a couple days later, then twice this morning. So it's not constant but is enough that I'm seeking help.

I've scoured the system.log but don't really know what I'm looking for, thus not sure what to paste in here that would be helpful.

Thanks.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), wireless Airport

Posted on Apr 19, 2014 10:17 AM

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Answer 1

dominic23

Level 10

83,910 points

Apr 19, 2014 10:26 AM in response to drmja

Power off the router. Unplug it from the wall. Wait a while.

Plug it back to the wall. Power the router on. Wait until all the lights are lit properly. It will take a while.

Restart the computer.

Start up in Safe Mode.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11212?viewlocale=en_US

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Answer 2

drmja Author

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Apr 19, 2014 2:28 PM in response to dominic23

Tried this. i'd lost the connection again this evening upon waking up the machine from sleep. Unplugged the router and turned it back on, restarted the computer in Safe Mode. Still no connection.

The Wi-Fi icon was still being funny too: showed empty logo, as if the Wi-Fi was off, but I had the option to turn on Wi-Fi Off in the drop down. When trying to turn off and on in the Network preferences pane, I'd click 'Turn Wi-Fi on' but nothing would change. At no point did available networks show up in the drop-down menu.

I rebooted again, clearing the PRAM / NVRAM. So far the connection is there, but, again, this isn't new: it'd come back previously too after I rebooted the machine.

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Answer 3

Apr 19, 2014 3:40 PM in response to drmja

Mine used to suffer from this problem too (also mid-2012 and running 10.9.2) up until recently and boy was it annoying. I had to take my Mac to the Apple Store for some repairs last Saturday and ever since I got it back, it doesn't do it any more. I have no idea what the guys at the store did to fix it as my hard drive was the part that was being repaired, but I'm not gonna question it.

My advice is - book a genius bar appointment if you have an Apple Store near you. It's free and it wouldn't hurt having someone take a look at it. Good luck!

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Answer 4

drmja Author

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Apr 21, 2014 5:23 AM in response to Jordsters

Unfortunately, I'm living in a spot in Europe that's not really near any Apple stores (and not sure I wholly trust the nearest 'Trusted retailer' to sort this out).

The more I dig through this issue, the more it's seeming to categorize with the numerous discussions already ongoing about wi-fi drops with Mavericks (here, here, and here for example). The jist of these is that there seems to be no true, ultimate "fix." I tried many of the suggested workarounds (deleting Bluetooth plist, keeping the Bluetooth off, dropping the Wi-Fi from the Network preferences pane and re-adding it, creating a new network location, unsyncing iCloud Keychain, resetting the PRAM, rebooting the SMC). None gives permanent fix thus far.

My hardware tests and Disk Utility reports still come back clean, as well.

And I'm again using this computer on a Wi-Fi network at work with zero problems so far.

Further, we still have another computer (older MacBook, running 10.6.8) and two phones connecting to the home Wi-Fi that haven't had any issues, so it's not likely as simple as a bad router or home connection.

Whether something in the configuration isn't playing nice with Mavericks, however, is an issue I'm going to try to sort out further (e.g., I've read that changing the wireless router channel has helped some people).

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