Q: EDIMAX wifi extender stopped working with El Capitan

I decided to downgrade to yosemite... and the problem is solved now.

I am not sure but it looks like as if the usb port is shut off under yosemite when the computer goes into sleep, while under el capitan it stayed on.

I have tried the instructions that were part of this thread and I still can't get the extension to install.  I don't know if I am just doing it wrong.  The steps that I go with are as follows:

1. Open Pacifist.

2. Drag the Edimax.dmg file into Pacifist.

3. I right click on "Contents of USBWireless-Install.pkg" and select Install At Default Location.

4. Use Administrator Privileges and click on Install.

5. I reboot the the computer.

6. I check the Network Preferences and I don't see a Wifi option.

7. I run a System Report and the extension is not there.

8. The Edimax Wireless Utility App is not in Applications.

I do not know what I am doing wrong.  The only thing that I can see if that RT2870Resources is installed in Macintosh HD.  It's like the install was in the wrong location, but it is set for the "default location".

Let me know if you need any more information.  I have spent all night trying different options.  When I try something different I do uninstall all of the Edimax drivers and whatnot.

I have tried the instructions that were part of this thread and I still can't get the extension to install.  I don't know if I am just doing it wrong.  The steps that I go with are as follows:

1. Open Pacifist.

2. Drag the Edimax.dmg file into Pacifist.

3. I right click on "Contents of USBWireless-Install.pkg" and select Install At Default Location.

4. Use Administrator Privileges and click on Install.

5. I reboot the the computer.

6. I check the Network Preferences and I don't see a Wifi option.

7. I run a System Report and the extension is not there.

8. The Edimax Wireless Utility App is not in Applications.

I do not know what I am doing wrong.  The only thing that I can see if that RT2870Resources is installed in Macintosh HD.  It's like the install was in the wrong location, but it is set for the "default location".

Let me know if you need any more information.  I have spent all night trying different options.  When I try something different I do uninstall all of the Edimax drivers and whatnot.

Sorry to intervene ebh5348, your post came along and may be I can help.

First: is the application of edimax available? Check in applications.The icon is a yellow wifi sign.

Second: is the wifi adapter visible in your system specs? (open apple icon, left corner in the top, >my mac > system overview > check in the list at the USB ports)

Please  try in netwerk preferences to disable 'ethernet'.  a screen will appear where you could enable 'other'. I my case the edimax popped up (with another name). Then open the application of the edimax dongle, the yellow wifi sign. When you open this application you wil get a screen in which you have to fill in some details of your wifi network such as name and password. Click on radio "on". It will take quite a few seconds before it works.

Hope this helps.

if you follow my post from the beginning of this thread you may have better luck.

you are opening the dmg file, but instead you should be opening the pkg file inside it with pacifist. if install of the pkg contents to default location does not work, then try installing the kext to custom location with admin privilege, with the location of /Library/Extensions. if still no luck, make sure you are using the right driver. also, read this entire thread to see how to manually load a kext file, which will give you the most useful information about whether or not you're on the right track

DJ-LB

I did what you said, and now the kext is in the /Library/Extensions folder, though I had to Extract it there instead of installing since I didn't have any option to install to a custom location.  But still no luck.

I pulled a System Report and while the extension shows up there it reports that it's not loaded and not loadable.  The error text is:

Authentication Errors:

Authentication Failures:

File owner/permissions are incorrect (must be root:wheel, nonwritable by group/other): /Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext,Contents,Info.plist,MacOS,RT28 70USBWirelessDriver,Resources,English,Iproj,InfoPlist.strings,History.txt

When I have the USBWireless-Install.pkg file in Pacifist and I View Info, it shows that the Default Install Location: /.

I also ran Kextload and it returned an error:

/Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext failed to load - (lib kern/kext)

authentication failure (file ownership/permissions); check the system/kernel logs for error or try kextutil(8).

That error tells you everything you need to know. Let me help link you to an earlier post in this thread that you read:

Re: EDIMAX wifi extender stopped working with El Capitan

You may run these commands on the driver located in Library. I'm surprised, however, that your pacifist won't let you extract the kext as administrator to any location you like.

Good luck!

Thanks a lot this worked for me. However, ever since I got it to work, when I put the Mac to sleep, it doesn't go out of sleep. The small LED on the front of the computer stays on whereas it usually slightly blinks. I have to keep pressing the power button to turn off the computer and start again. However, if i close Wireless Network Utility and remove the USB before putting computer to sleep, then it operates normally. Any idea why?

Thank you.

Best,

Christophe.

Dongles not working in mac (el capitan) ?

THIS WORKS!

there's a little discussion on this thread about the sleep issue in some earlier posts. as with most hackintosh setups, unsupported/untested usb devices can produce strange sleep/wake issues(wifi, bluetooth, some keyboards/mice, or even audio devices). unplugging the device prior to sleep is one way to do it. turning the device off(whatever the button is called that disables the radio) in the utility is another... and the third way(how I solved it on my SP1 el capitan install) was to use an automator "app" that ran "sudo kextunload THEWIFIKEXT.kext && pmset sleepnow" and another automator app that ran "sudo kextload THEWIFIKEXT.kext && open UTILITY.app" for sleeping the machine and re-enabling the device, respectively

Just wanted to quickly say thanks for your help, installing via pacifist worked perfectly.  I did disable csrutil via recovery mode prior to installing via pacifist. To disable csrutil, (cmd +r during boot, takes you into recovery mode then at the top of this screen look for utilities then open terminal and type in "csrutil disable."  Note says successful then you restart, then I insatlled 10.10 driver via pacifist then reboot again, success!!! DL-LB you are the man!

Just another user saying thanks for the directions - this worked perfectly for me.  I'm going to include your directions in my Amazon review of the Edimax EW-7822UAC, and will be sure to credit you, DJ-LB. 

I didn't have to disable csrutil, even though Pacifist had a pop-up saying I would need to while installing the Edimax package.  In fact, the dongle started working immediately after installing via Pacifist - I rebooted to be on the safe side, but the dongle was already operational prior to doing so.

For reference, I'm on a Mid-2011 13" MacBook Pro using Mac OS 10.11 (El Capitan). 

Thanks Man it helped me a lot

Received yesterday from Edimax:

Hi DJ-LB,

Thanks for taking the time for helping all of us out!

I followed your steps and after I sudo kextload, the Wireless Utility manager opens up. However, it's completely blank. It can't find my wireless network and says "Disconnected!!"

When I look in my System Preferences > Network, I can see "Wifi" but it says "Cable Unplugged" (screenshot below). Any ideas?

I'm running OSX El Cap 10.11.1 on a Mac Pro (Early 2009). The tower does not have built-in wifi, which is why I needed to get this dongle (Edimax EW-7711MAC)