n c h
Level 1 (8 points)
Wireless

Q: Time Capsule and Nearby Network conflicting Country Codes

All my equipment (Time Capsule 4th generation, MacBook Pro mid 2010, and iPhone 5) was bought from Apple supported retailers in South Africa. They are all a few years old now, but only recently my MacBook Pro and iPhone WiFi connections to my Time Capsule have been dropping frequently and not reconnecting automatically. I have to switch off my WiFi on my MacBook Pro, and switch it on again to reconnect. My preferred network is the 5GHz.

 

I ran Wireless Diagnostics and it lists this problem:

 

Screen Shot 2016-08-10 at 8.46.11 PM.png

 

The only problem is that the nearby network has the right country code, ZA, and my Time Capsule has the wrong one, GB, as my Time Capsule does not give me ZA as an option even though I bought it in South Africa from a supported Apple retailer:

 

Screen Shot 2016-08-10 at 8.50.47 PM.png

 

How is this?

 

My Time Capsule firmware version is 7.6.7, my OS X 10.11.6, and my iOS 9.3.4.

 

Message was edited by: n c h

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1), null

Posted on Aug 10, 2016 1:45 PM

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n c h

Q: Time Capsule and Nearby Network conflicting Country Codes

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Bob Timmons,Helpful

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 16, 2016 1:33 PM in response to n c h
    Level 10 (105,448 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 1:33 PM in response to n c h

    Your supported Apple retailer delivered to you.....by mistake or otherwise....a product that Apple markets in Europe.

     

    You might want to contact the seller about the mistake and ask them to correct the error......since Apple does not provide users with the ability to change the "region" codes on their products.

     

    In theory, a really good hacker.....who understands Apple programming.....might be able to change things around, but in order to do so, you would need to give them complete access to your private network, probably something that you would not want to consider unless you knew the hacker very well.

  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Aug 10, 2016 4:38 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 9 (53,016 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 10, 2016 4:38 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    might be able to change things around, but in order to do so, you would need to give them complete access to your private network, probably something that you would not want to consider unless you knew the hacker very well.

    I may be able to help.. if you are happy with the conditions as per Bob's comment.

     

    Email me. https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/a-deconstruction-of-routers-and-modem s

    It is on that page.

  • by n c h,

    n c h n c h Aug 16, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    Forgive me for the late reply. I didn't check the post, as I expected that I would receive email notification if anyone replied to my post, but I can't seem to get that to work.

     

    I've recommended and helped install Time Capsules to many relatives and friends, in South Africa, at different times, and they've all been produced for the UK/EU market, although bought from the local franchised Apple dealers.

     

    The point is Apple and most manufacturers of electronic goods, from computers, to smartphones, to printers, do not make hardware units specifically of the South African market, as it is too small a market to make specific hardware.

     

    So all the Time Capsules sold here that I've installed (± 6), and they are different generations, bought at different times, are made for the UK/EU market, so Apple should support South Africa on those models.

  • by n c h,

    n c h n c h Aug 16, 2016 8:35 AM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:35 AM in response to LaPastenague

    I am certainly interested in any help. Firstly, though, I'd like to know if this is a hardware or firmware issue. I've noticed that the list of countries has increased through new releases of firmware. Seems to be in line with EU expansion.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 16, 2016 9:30 AM in response to n c h
    Level 10 (105,448 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 9:30 AM in response to n c h

    Apple should support South Africa on those models.

    As you know, this is a user-to-user forum. Everyone here is a user, just like you, so it will not help much to tell other users what you think that Apple should do.

     

    If you want to tell Apple what you think that they should do, you can provide that feedback to them here.

     

    Apple - Time Capsule - Feedback

     

    As to whether this is a hardware or firmware issue, you might have missed the part in my post above about the possibility of a good programmer being able to hack into the Time Capsule to change the programming (firmware) of the product.

     

    If you are asking whether Apple would provide this service, or provide the information on how it might be done....the answer would be "no".

  • by LaPastenague,Helpful

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Aug 16, 2016 1:20 PM in response to n c h
    Level 9 (53,016 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 1:20 PM in response to n c h

    The country code is set during manufacture.

     

    We already know how to get at it.. others have posted if you are interested.

     

    See http://embeddedideation.com/2014/03/dissecting-the-airport-express/

     

    And I have done it for earlier TC. This will also work for your Gen4 TC. I have not discovered the serial port yet on the latest model.. the soldering is too fine even for me now.

     

    https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/a-deconstruction-of-routers-and-modem s/apple-time-capsule-repair/new-issue-wi…

     

    From the firmware the following country codes as possible.

     

    FCC ETSI APAC ROW FCC-DFS KOREA RUSSIA SAM


    Within each of those codes are the individual countries.


    So ETSI is the European code and will include most of the Euro zone.

    FCC as you know is the US. There are two lots of FCC with the DFS which has to do with weather radar and how the FCC rules then affect the power output of the devices.


    I do not actually know what is under SAM. I presume South Africa is there as it is listed as a Country but I have no way to link code to country in the firmware. There is still some trial and error to this.


    For the rest you need to email me.


    You will find the codes of different countries are probably not that different.


    ie I am from Australia and we tend to follow UK so ETSI pretty well. I think you will find South Africa being Commonwealth will have used UK code as well. So the amount of difference between UK and ZA is probably not hugely significant.


    And the error message from your original post is kind of irrelevant. That is not causing your wireless to have problems. It is more to do with regulations than wireless issues.


    If I do the same thing most of my equipment shows no country at all..


    Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 5.36.39 AM.png


    I have had issues where my Gen5 TC was set to Australia but was showing US in the diagnostics.. however my Gen5 TC took a nose dive from a high tower.