Won't automatically connect to Airport network after 10.4.8 update

After updating my Mac Mini CoreDuo from 10.4.7 to 10.4.8, it will no longer automatically connect to our Airport Express based Wi-Fi network. Even though the Network settings in System Preferences have not changed, and they do list it as the preferred network, it still will not automatically connect after log in.

Does anyone have this issue, and know of a solution?
(aside from the workaround of manually connecting after log in, and after waking the computer from sleep).

Background: My setup is to join preferred networks by default, the network name continues to be the one listed, the network still continues to show up in the Airport network list in the upper right corner of the screen. In essence, the Mac sees it is there but just won't connect to it. We have two other Macs in the household, both are PowerPC based, and both were updated to 10.4.8, and they have no issues. They continue to automatically connect to the Wi-Fi network we have. This seems to be with our Intel Mac only.

Mac Mini CoreDuo Mac OS X (10.4.7) Mac OS X 10.4.8

Posted on Sep 30, 2006 7:36 AM

Reply
11 replies

Sep 30, 2006 11:13 AM in response to Jeff Skrysak

I have an iMac/Intel, MacBookPro and an iMac G4 all updated to 10.4.8 with the combo update. This problem only affects the iMac/Intel. I've re-authorized my network as "default" in network prefs and closed the lock. Nonetheless, each time the iMac/Intel wakes from sleep or restarts, I have to choose my network from the airport icon in the menubar. I have a DSL modem and an Airport Express.

17" iMacIntel 1g ram 250g HD, 15"MacBook Pro, 17" iMac/1.25ghz 768mg Mac OS X (10.4.7) 10.4.8 update

Sep 30, 2006 12:50 PM in response to Jeff Skrysak

This all happens most likely due to a corrupted key chain (entry).

For instance, if you choose to keep your local Airport password stored in your personal key chain it needs to be accessible by the private Apple Airport Framework used by the network preferences. If this by any means, is not possible - the automatic login into you Airport WiFi network cannot take place.

All you have to do to get this fixed is:
1) Launch your Keychain Access Application located at: /Applications/Utilities
2) Open the Keychain First Aid (under the Main Menu: Keychain Access)
3) Set the Radio Button to Repair and enter your Keychain Password (most likely your personal password)
4) Start.....

Now after your personal keychain (name=username) is repaired it might be listed double in your Keychain List Window (it depends how you've setup the keychain). If so, NEVER DELETE ONE OF THIS ENTRIES because that's obviously a cosmetic bug in the Keychain Access Application but not harmful. Just look in your local Preferences Folder, locate the file "com.apple.keychainaccess.plist" and thrash it. Re-launch the Keychain Access Application and there is only one again.

Restart your Mac and........

After all I think anything should be back up to how it supposed to be. :-))

Sep 30, 2006 1:31 PM in response to Jeff Skrysak

Interesting. My 802.11b/g performance improved after the 10.4.8 update. Curiously, my wireless performance seemed to be negatively impacted by the previous Airport update.

I'm also seeing conflicting comments in various posts.

Hmmm...

Makes me think that the problems being experienced, my own previous difficulties included, are configuration and location specific rather than a problem with Apple updates.

Regards!

Oct 1, 2006 2:49 PM in response to Jeff Skrysak

I have found a workaround posted by Apple:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304482

It's quite simple, and may be eluded to in other posts on this topic. Delete the preferred network listed in the window under the Networks tab of System Preferences, and put it in there again. Reboot, and voila, it works.

Shrug
I dislike the ideas of workarounds, Apple hopefully will fix this issue in the software update and future updates, but for those of us who are stung by this, at least there is a way to get it working again.

Oct 2, 2006 6:36 AM in response to Jeff Skrysak

The fix supplied by Apple did not work for me.

I'm not sure I have the exact same problem. Airport tells me it's connected to the right network (strong signal shows in menubar/internet connect; correct network selected), but I don't actually have internet access, and my extreme and express do not show up in Airport Admin Utility. If I turn Airport off, then back on again and manually select the network everything works. This also only happens when I restart. Everything reconnects just fine when waking from sleep.

Anyone have a similar problem?

Thanks!

Oct 3, 2006 6:49 AM in response to macmatt

I have the exact same problem.

In order to understand a bit more this problem, I looked the logs of my Airport Extreme Base Stations.

My airport base station reports this kind of messages:
Jan 03 23:27:23 Gravity: 5 Associated with station 00:16:cb:xx:xx:xx
Jan 03 23:27:45 Gravity: 5 Deauthorizing station 00:16:cb:xx:xx:xx [15]
Jan 03 23:27:45 Gravity: 5 Deauthenticated with station 00:16:cb:xx:xx:xx (received invalid class-3 frame).

My girlfriend also has a MBP and gets the same problem.

I don't have any clue now.

Oct 4, 2006 7:37 PM in response to macmatt

Here are a few things that I've used on my Airport Express which may help you to get your wireless up and running. Do them in order, one at a time and check to see if it worked:

1) Airport Express:
a. soft reset. restart computer
b. hard reset. restart computer
c. factory reset. restart computer

Information, if you need it: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108044

It's helpful if you save your wireless configuration as a file, so you can import it later, if necessary.



2) Go to: HD/Lib/Pref/SystemConfiguration and put: Networkinterfaces.plist on desktop/ restart.

3) Go to: HD/Lib/Pref/SystemConfiguration and put: com.apple.ariport.preferences.plist on desktop/
restart

If all goes well, you can trash the folder(s) on your desktop. Your computer will rebuild the files you removed.

Good luck,
Joe

Oct 7, 2006 9:15 AM in response to Jeff Skrysak

The fix from Apple slightly helped the situation, but not completely. My Mac still loses the network connection to the Airport Express, and does so when in use, or after waking from sleep.

The immedate fix I tried was to turn off the "Create a closed network" setting in my Airport Express.
My Mac now seems to stay connected to the Airport Express network after I made that change.

Oct 7, 2006 4:07 PM in response to macmatt

I, too, had been using AirPort for several months with no problems. Now, after recently downloading Apple software updates, whenever I first turn on the laptop, I get a "not connected to the internet" message. I can usually fix the problem after going through the diagnostics -- the indicated issues vary -- but usually, I can get connected by choosing my "closed network" and reentering my WPA password.

I am very tired of having to do this -- has anyone figured out what is going on?? Why does the macbook seem to "forget" my wireless network configuration?

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Won't automatically connect to Airport network after 10.4.8 update

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