Wifi missing after upgrade

Question

Level 2

223 points

Wifi missing after upgrade

So before El Capitan my Mac Pro (Early 2008) had wifi capabilities. I could connect to my wifi network although i usually =just went connected through the ethernet port. I saw the wifi icon in the menubar and I could remove or add it in the system prefs if I didnt want to see it. I could share that wifi conection and connect my phone to it as well.

After upgrading to El Capitan, i can do none of those things. I dont see the icon, cant find in the settings to put it back on (used to be the check box that says show in menubar), I cant find anyway to connect to a wifi network or share it.

Any ideas what happened?

Posted on Oct 21, 2015 6:15 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 21, 2015 6:39 PM in response to tomstitzer

If you go into system preferences>network are you able to see if your wifi is on?

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Answer 2

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 21, 2015 7:30 PM in response to jStephens8

No, not at all! This is all i see, no options to add wifi at all, but I KNOW it worked before the upgrade.

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Answer 3

Oct 21, 2015 9:12 PM in response to tomstitzer

an SMC Reset might be good about now.

Power off.

Pull out the AC cord.

Press the power-on button to discharge the power supply capacitors for a deep reset.

Restore AC power cord.

wait a quarter minute.

Power on.

? got Wi-Fi now?

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Answer 4

Oct 21, 2015 9:34 PM in response to tomstitzer

if an SMC doesn't work, create a test user through Sys. Pref.>users/groups check on that, if still nothing it may be some trouble with the airport card and if you have an older mac pro you could have a look at it, just open the side and see if it's come unhooked, if you have the cylindrical model, best to get it diagnosed.

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Answer 5

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 21, 2015 9:46 PM in response to tomstitzer

Ill try the reset and then the test user as well.

But take a look at this picture. I see the bluetooth module, and i see where an airport card should go... ive NEVER had an airport card in this MacPro, but i KNOW FOR CERTAIN I connected to Wifi networks with it because It was a lot slower than when i connected via cable. I even at one point purposely turned wifi OFF so it would automatically connect and I could use the cable connection.

How did i connect wirelessly (and like i said above, use the mac as a wifi access point for my phone) if I dont have an airport card in there?

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Answer 6

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 21, 2015 9:47 PM in response to tomstitzer

And NO ONE has access to this machine to remove anything either. I'm confused!

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Answer 7

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Oct 22, 2015 1:32 AM in response to tomstitzer

Well, upgrading to EC did not remove any hardware. If the AP socket is empty then you have no wifi via an AP card..

However, do you have either a USB wifi dongle or PCle wifi card?

If so they very likely require updated drivers for EC.

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Answer 8

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 22, 2015 1:32 AM in response to lllaass

Yeah no dongles of any sort. Somehow it always just HAD wifi As I was able to connect to my wifi network, and the signal bars would appear and show full strength. And like I said, I was able to share that's signal out. I dunno what the heck happened. I may downgrade back to Yosemite and see what happens.

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Answer 9

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Oct 22, 2015 8:19 AM in response to tomstitzer

Without a wifi dongle, Airport card or PCle wifi card your Mac can't have wifi.

Could you be sharing internet via Bluetooth PAN?

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Answer 10

Oct 24, 2015 10:26 AM in response to tomstitzer

would you happen to have a phone with hotspot tethering capabilities? if so, hook it up to your USB port and enable your hotspot, then see if you have internet access?

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Answer 11

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 22, 2015 6:47 PM in response to jStephens8

Yeah I have an iPhone 6 with the hotspot. I'm thinking I'll just downgrade to Yosemite rather than try and solve this puzzle. I don't NEED the capabilities that are missing that bad so I can survive until this next weekend or the one after when I have time to reinstall. Once I do that I will report back and see if the airdrop and wifi somehow comes back. I did have it before and I know I wasn't using any dongles or such. So weird. Thanks for the help and stay tuned!

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Answer 12

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 24, 2015 10:25 AM in response to jStephens8

Thsi is what my System Profile says:

Software Versions:

CoreWLAN: 11.0 (1101.20)

CoreWLANKit: 11.0 (1101.20)

Menu Extra: 11.0 (1102.32)

System Information: 11.0 (1100.1)

IO80211 Family: 11.0.1 (1101.24)

Diagnostics: 5.0 (500.83)

AirPort Utility: 6.3.6 (636.5)

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Answer 13

tomstitzer Author

Level 2

223 points

Oct 24, 2015 10:34 AM in response to lllaass

OMG, lllaass and lStephens8...

Please permit me to facepalm myself and invite you both to facepalm me as well or smack me upside the head. I am 40 but didnt think my memory was going THAT quickly. I have a MacMini, newer model, maybe 2-3 years old at most. It was my main machine here in my little bedroom office. I finally decided a few months ago to get my MacPro working again. Was attempting to sell it because I didnt really need it but decided to let my children 6 and 8 have the macmini for their stuff. And so I would use the MacPro. Aaaand like I said, Airdrop and my wifi, they worked perfectly and I used them all the time. All. The. Time.

ON MY MINI.

Which is not in this bedroom. Not in my office. THIS is my MacPro.

I forgot I switched the computers out.

I. FORGOT.

DOH.

Thanks both of you for attempting to help. I'm an idiot.

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Answer 14

Oct 24, 2015 10:41 AM in response to tomstitzer

That just tells you the software is available.

If you have Hardware as well, there is a lot more stuff in that report, such what channels are available and such.

Software Versions:

CoreWLAN: 5.0 (500.35.2)

CoreWLANKit: 4.3 (430.38.1)

Menu Extra: 10.3 (1030.34)

System Information: 9.0 (900.9)

IO80211 Family: 7.3 (730.60)

Diagnostics: 4.2 (420.71)

AirPort Utility: 6.3.5 (635.2)

Interfaces:

en2:

Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x8E)

Firmware Version: Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.24)

MAC Address: 00:24:36:af:94:8f

Locale: FCC

Country Code: US

Supported PHY Modes: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Supported Channels: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,

36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64,

100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124,

128, 132, 136, 140, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165

Wake On Wireless: Supported

AirDrop: Supported

Status: Connected

Current Network Information:

Bennet-AlderAssociates:

PHY Mode: 802.11n

…

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Answer 15

Oct 25, 2015 2:55 PM in response to tomstitzer

hahaha no worries bud, thanks for letting us know.

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