Vdubbman
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Q: No Wifi symbol in my menu bar, network preferences or in Utilities. Can anyone help?

I have an early 2008 Mac Pro. I am running Yosemite 10.10.5. I want to connect my Solar panel monitoring device to the Mac, via Wifi, but I cannot, for the life of me, find any reference to Wifi anywhere on my Mac. There is no symbol in the menu bar, nothing in applications, Utilities, or anywhere else that I can see. In the 'About this Mac' panel it shows Wifi under Network but not under hardware. In Network, in system preferences, it shows no reference to Wifi or Airplay anywhere, so  I cannot enable it. I have used search on the Mac, but it comes up with no results. I am connected to the Internet via Ethernet cable. I would assume Wifi would show on the list in network preferences, but there isn't anything. Am I missing something or is there no Wifi on this machine? Any advice would be appreciated.

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Mar 16, 2016 4:10 AM

by Vdubbman,Solvedanswer
Vdubbman Vdubbman
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

I contacted Apple and it appears I don't have Wifi. My Mac came with this as optional. Can you believe that!!?

Thanks to all for the replies though. I now have to buy a Wifi dongle and that should hopefully resolve the issue. Any advice on a reasonably priced dongle would be useful!

Posted on Mar 17, 2016 2:09 AM

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Vdubbman

Q: No Wifi symbol in my menu bar, network preferences or in Utilities. Can anyone help?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 16, 2016 4:48 AM in response to Vdubbman
    Level 9 (52,812 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 16, 2016 4:48 AM in response to Vdubbman

    Go to System Preferences>Network.  At the bottom there should be a box that you check:  Show Wi-Fi Status in menu bar.


    Ciao.

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Mar 16, 2016 5:30 AM in response to Vdubbman
    Level 6 (19,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 16, 2016 5:30 AM in response to Vdubbman

    Are you saying that System Preferences -> Network does now show Wi-Fi as a device on in the left side of the Network panel?

    Screen Shot 2016-03-16 at 8.20.51 AM.png

    Do you have multiple "Locations:"?  Or is "Automatic" the only location available?  Locations can be configured to have more or less network devices available (I have one with zero network interfaces I use to make sure my Mac is off-line).

     

    If you really do not have any Wi-Fi network interfaces, you can add them back in using the [+] button at the bottom of the column

    Screen Shot 2016-03-16 at 8.22.32 AM.png

    Feel free to make your own screen shots if you wish us to see what you are seeing.  Command-Shift-4, then drag the cross-hairs over the area to select, and then Click.  Screen Shot should be on your desktop.  You can then drag and drop the screen shot file into a forum reply window.  Command-Shift-4-Space to easily select an entire window panel, as I did above.

     

    You can use Preview -> Tools -> Annotate to draw boxes, circles, arrows and put text descriptions into your screen shots before posting.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Mar 16, 2016 12:23 PM in response to Vdubbman
    Level 9 (74,268 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 16, 2016 12:23 PM in response to Vdubbman

    With the option/alt key held down, go to the  menu and select the first choice, which is either System Information or System Profiler. Does the Wi-Fi entry show installed hardware?

  • by Vdubbman,Solvedanswer

    Vdubbman Vdubbman Mar 17, 2016 2:09 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2016 2:09 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I contacted Apple and it appears I don't have Wifi. My Mac came with this as optional. Can you believe that!!?

    Thanks to all for the replies though. I now have to buy a Wifi dongle and that should hopefully resolve the issue. Any advice on a reasonably priced dongle would be useful!

  • by Vdubbman,

    Vdubbman Vdubbman Mar 17, 2016 2:11 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2016 2:11 AM in response to BobHarris

    Thank you Bob, I have been told by Apple I don't have Wifi so I need to buy a Dongle!

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 17, 2016 3:32 AM in response to Vdubbman
    Level 9 (52,812 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 17, 2016 3:32 AM in response to Vdubbman

    Vdubbman wrote:

     

    I contacted Apple and it appears I don't have Wifi. My Mac came with this as optional.

    That is absurd.  You must have purchased it from a third party because every MBP ever produced has had Wi-Fi installed when new.  Should this actually be an Apple employee telling you this, I would immediately escalate this up the management chain.

     

    Ciao.

  • by BobHarris,Helpful

    BobHarris BobHarris Mar 17, 2016 3:50 PM in response to Vdubbman
    Level 6 (19,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 17, 2016 3:50 PM in response to Vdubbman

    The 2008 Mac Pro is the oldest model to support Yosemite, and its technical specs do say

    Optional 802.11n AirPort Extreme wireless networking2

    The 2009 says

    Optional AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking card;2 IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible

    The 2010 was the first Mac Pro with built-in Wi-Fi.

     

    So Vdubbman, if you have a 2008 or 2009 Mac Pro, then yes, it is possible your Wi-Fi was an option that was not purchased.

     

    <Apple - Support - Technical Specifications>

    <Upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support> these are the same system requirements as Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 17, 2016 6:52 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 9 (52,812 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 17, 2016 6:52 AM in response to BobHarris

    I was thinking Macbook Pro, not Mac Pro.  There is a difference.  Thanks for the correction.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Vdubbman,

    Vdubbman Vdubbman Mar 17, 2016 3:50 PM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 17, 2016 3:50 PM in response to BobHarris

    Thanks Bob, I understand now, so will be buying a dongle shortly.