Tag Archives: WiFi

tip : surfing the internet while in Rescue Mode

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Question : My Mac’s network connection is messed up, and I need to download software to update of fix this – what can I do ?

Answer : Since OSX 10.7 Lion, there is an easy way to do this if your networking-problem is software-related, not broken hardware.*

1- restart with the ‘CMD’ + ‘R’ keys pressed (‘Rescue Mode’)

2- then use Safari (listed as ‘online help’) to go online

3- go into Safari’s preferences and change the download folder to a USB-stick or external hard drive (just make sure it has enough space to hold the file you’re going to download)

4- go to the site you need to get the download from, and download

5- restart your Mac normally and install the download from within OSX

* = in Rescue Mode you will be able to connect to the network (and the internet) both though a UTP/Ethernet-cable or WiFi/AirPort-wireless, so only if BOTH your Ethernet-hardware card AND your AirPort-hardware card are broken, this will not work…

BEWARE ! : FBI warns not to upgrade software through free-WiFi !

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The FBI has reported that users of ‘out-of-home-WiFi’ (free-WiFi hotspots, hotel WiFi, etc.) have become infected with malware, while upgrading ‘a widely used software product’.

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams

The original report states :

“Recently, there have been instances of travelers’ laptops being infected with malicious software while using hotel Internet connections. In these instances, the traveler was attempting to set up the hotel room Internet connection and was presented with a pop-up window notifying the user to update a widely used software product. If the user clicked to accept and install the update, malicious software was installed on the laptop. The pop-up window appeared to be offering a routine update to a legitimate software product for which updates are frequently available.”

Even though the software product is not mentioned by name, it is good to inform you that one of the most common software products using this type of upgrades is Adobe Flash… so watch out when upgrading Adobe Flash (and any other software upgrade that is offered) when you are not on your own private WiFi-network.

So… here are some useful guidelines regarding software updates while traveling :

1- if you can do without upgrading, don’t upgrade while traveling ; wait until you’re back home on your own trusted WiFi-network

2- if you really need to upgrade, take these precautions : when you are prompted to upgrade any software while on an ‘out-of-home-WiFi’-network, click to close the pop-up window that is urging you to upgrade. Then either use OSX’s built-in “Software Update…” feature, or open the (Mac) App Store to download your updates from there, or manually type the URL of the known software-maker and download the software update directly form their site (after having double checked that your installed version is not the latest one).

Note : in the case of of the Adobe Flash browser plugin, the software-maker’s website is Adobe.com

fixed : 10.7.4 refusing to see the Atheros AR9280 (same error as in 10.7.3)

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Question :

After the update to OSX 10.7.4 the “WiFi : no hardware installed” error is back on my Mac that has an Atheros AR9280 AirPort card, how can I fix this ?

Answer :

The solution is the same as in OSX 10.7.3 :

(Re)install the “Edited Atheros Kext for Lion*3″ you can download here :

https://macmanus.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/edited-atheros-kext-for-lion3-zip.doc

Note : after downloading the file “edited-atheros-kext-for-lion3-zip.doc” you need to rename the file to “edited-atheros-kext-for-lion3.zip” and double-click it to unzip. To install follow the instructions as lined out in the “CAUTION ! (Read Me).txt”-file

The latest version of the .kext-installer that’s needed can be downloaded here :

http://cvad-mac.narod2.ru/Kext_Utility

or here :

KextUtility for OSX 10.8

TIP : your Atheros AR9280 AirPort card and AirPort network are automatically detected when you restart in Rescue Mode… so restart with the ‘CMD’ + ‘R’ keys pressed (‘Rescue Mode’), then use Safari (listed as ‘online help’) to go online and download both files from the links above. If you get a warning that there’s no space in your download folder (because you’re in Rescue Mode), just go into Safari’s preferences and change the download folder to a USB-stick or external hard drive. Now do a normal restart and install the old .kext file and restart afterwards. Done.

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Some background info for those interested :

What is installed by the 10.7.4 installer :

IO80211Family.kext (v4.1.2)
– including these Plugins :
AirPortAtheros21.kext (v4.3.1)
AirPortAtheros40.kext (v5.0.4)
AirPortBrcm4331.kext (v5.3)
AppleAirPortBrcm43224.kext (v5.0.1)
IO80211NetBooter.kext (v4.2)

…which gives the “no hardware installed” error yet again on systems with the Atheros AR9280 AirPort-card…

What I’ve tried and didn’t work :

1- normal restart with ‘reopen windows when logging back in’ unchecked ; still the same ‘no hardware installed’ error

2- repair disk permissions, followed by a full shut down with ‘reopen windows when logging back in’ unchecked, followed by a normal startup ; still the same ‘no hardware installed’ error

3- installing the OSX 10.7.4 Client Combo Update (from Apple.com) ; still the same ‘no hardware installed’ error

tip : new firmware that might improve WiFi/AirPort-stability

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Apple has released firmware updates that might improve WiFi/AirPort-stability on your 2011 Mac after the OSX 10.7.3 update :

Mac mini (Mid 2011) EFI firmware update 1.6

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1500

MacBook Pro (Early 2011) EFI firmware update 2.7

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1499

iMac (Mid 2011) EFI firmware update 1.9

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1498

MacBook Air (Mid 2011) EFI firmware update 2.4

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1497

tip : official fix for iMacs with WiFi-problems since 10.7.3 update

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Apple has just released a special fix for iMacs that have WiFi-connection-problems each time they ‘fall asleep’, since the OSX 10.7.3 update (but… it’s a iMac-only fix…) :

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1501

There is no accompanying info with it, so it is unknown if this update fixes the “no hardware installed”-error also…

…and is still remains unclear what the actual cause of this problem was…

fixed : AirPort Utility 6 lost the option to configure connected printers

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Apple has updated the firmware for the TimeCapsule a few days ago, and updated the AirPort Utility software to version 6. Which might not be exactly what you were waiting for…

The user-interface of AirPort Utility 6 is completely new, it looks exactly like the iOS AirPort Utility interface now…

the good :

  • direct visual insight in how your local WiFi-network is set up (in a nice tree-branche structure)
  • by clicking on the hardware icons, you will see info like Network name, IP address, Serial no., Firmware version and… a list of all currently connected wireless clients
  • if your Firmware is out of date, you will see that instantly because of the little red circle with the white 1 in it next to the hardware icon
  • full iCloud support

the bad :

  • this is not an Administator interface, it’s nothing more than a nice looking info&update-utility, but as all options for managing your WiFi-network and your AirPort-hardware have vanished…
  • this app is MasOSX 10.7 “Lion” only…
  • from now on, it’s iCloud-only – no support for MobileMe any longer… (so no iDisk any longer…)
  • you can not manage AirPort-networked printers (like the USB-printer connected to your TimeCapsule) any longer
  • some client devices may not be able to find the updated AirPort Basestation / TimeCapsule (my iPhone 4 needed a reboot to become able to connect…)
  • …the printer-timeout-problem still exists, this update doesn’t resolve issues with the TimeCapule not being able to temporarily save big files that the connected USB-printer can not process quickly enough…

the ugly (the dirty way to get everything) :

…luckily, it is possible to re-install and use the previous version of AirPort Utility alongside of this one (eventhough the version 6 installer deletes the previous version) :

  • either place the previous version back into your “Utilities” folder (inside your “Applications” folder) from your TimeMachine-backup ; be sure to change the name of the old version to something like “AirPort Admin Utility” since it won’t be possible for both of them to use the “AirPort Utility” name…
  • or… download the installer of the 5.6 version from Apple :

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482

fixed : premature timeout of TimeCapsule-connected USB-printers

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Solving the premature timeout-problem of TimeCapsule-connected printers

Some printers work fine when connected directly on the USB-port of your Mac, but when you connect them to a Time Capsule they choke on large files. They will print part of your document, and then suddenly end by printing a nearly blank page with an error message “SPL-C ERROR – Including Corrupted Data”. This is caused by a pre-mature timeout of connection between the printer and the Time Capsule.

Two simple solutions, and a 3rd ‘DareDevil-solution’ that’s more complex :

  1. your USB-cable is too long ; replace the USB-cable with a shorter one (standard length is 1.8 meters, shorter ones are hard to find)
  2. your USB-cable is too thin ; replace the USB-cable with a thicker, more rigid one
  3. If the above options are not possible to implement in your case, try this (if you dare) :

Edit the .gz-file

  • find the .gz-file for your printer in Library / Printers / PPDs / Contents / Resources / [printer diver name].gz
  • for failure-protection, duplicate it and rename it from [printer driver name].gz to [printer driver name](orig).gz
  • double click the initial .gz-file to unpack it
  • then, in the same folder, find the file with the same name, without the .gz-extention
  • open this file in the application TextEdit
  • find this line :

*Throughput: “[number]”

  • change the “[number]” to “60” (or something at least twice as big as the initial number)
  • save the file ; make sure the name is the same as when you opened it (omit the .txt-extention ; if you fail to do that while saving, rename the file in the Finder, but omit the .txt-extention)
  • download a GZIP-encoder ; for instance The Zipper :

http://lipidity.com/software/zippit/

  • use the GZIP-encoder to turn the [printer driver name] file into a [printer driver name].gz file
  • make sure this new [printer driver name].gz file is located in Library / Printers / PPDs / Contents / Resources /
  • you’re done… …on this computer at least…
  • now you have to got to each of the other Mac’s on your network and replace the old Library / Printers / PPDs / Contents / Resources / [printer diver name].gz by the new one…

…time-consuming isn’t it ?

…and your out of luck : you have to go though this each and every time the printer drivers for your printer are being updated… (until the official Printer-driver will include a longer timeout-delay…)

so… isn’t replacing the USB-cable an easier option ?