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  1. There have been multiple questions as to what to do if the response after Step 4 is no such file. What are the “caused by something else” suspects?

    I KNOW my WiFi card is good because it works in Safe Mode and on another drive partition on the same Mac (no disconnects). I also have another Mac running the same OS (10.11) and no issues on the same router, so I can’t blame that either. Meanwhile my 10,1 iMac has been unable to power on the WiFi for over two years under El Capitan. I have been using ethernet as a workaround but recently purchased a new Mac and need to move the older iMac to a location where I won’t be able to hardwire it but still want it available on my home network (for the 32-bit apps it can run).

    I even tried copying over the Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ files from a working copy of El Capitan on another Mac and still the WiFi interface will not turn on. Wireless Diagnostics only reflects a bunch of crashes with Microsoft System Updater and WiFi Proxy (but no WiFi proxy checked in system preferences). Because it can’t turn on the WiFi interface, the WiFi Diagnostics report seems of limited value. (Or am I wrong? If so what should I be looking for in the report?)

    I only have two third-party apps that launch at startup besides Microsoft Updater, one was Evernote (helper app, since unchecked under Login Items in System Preferences) and the other was F.lux (app to dim screen at sunset that I have had working with this setup for many years). Meanwhile, all is well in Safe Mode. I have tried Apple Hardware Test with no clue as to a hard drive fan that’s not working great. I have even booted into Single User Mode and run disk repair from there (but there was nothing to repair). I even tried reinstalling El Capitan (which was a real hassle because I had to set the date back to 2017 to get around an expired certificate from Apple).

    I’m at the end of the line here and really hope that the author of the article can comment: What else is there to check for those of us who do not have a sysctl.conf file? Are there System files (plists?) OUTSIDE the Library/Preferences/System Configuration folder that also influence whether the WiFi interface can be powered on? (I have made the invisible files visible and can check but I need to know where to check.)

    Eternal gratitude to the moderators for posting my reply — and to anyone who can help!

  2. I’ve struggled with this periodically for like 7 years. I replaced the wifi adapter and that worked for like a week. Eventually, I had a local MAC repair business override my IOS so I could update to the newest version. I’m now using Big Sur 11.4 and it appears to be working for now

  3. In my case, resetting NVRAM/PRAM and SMC did not help. The cause was physical – the cable for Wi-Fi card became loose. I disconnected battery power, removed cable, cleaned cable & socket, and re-installed. Voilà – working Wi-Fi again! This page has detailed instructions (note in my case I did not replace the cable, just cleaned & re-seated it):
    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+AirPort-Bluetooth+Cable+Replacement/5162

  4. My iMac says no hardware installed but when I go to network in settings there is nothing there. Not even WiFi grayed out. There is nothing. How can add wood hardware back in?

    1. This was also the situation in my case, I tried a new wifi-bluetooth-webcam cable with no result so I purchased a second hand wifi card and up popped the hardware, connected solid without a problem.

  5. I’d say first of all check whether your camera’s working (e.g. launch PhotoBooth). If not, it’s a direct indication the problem may arise from the cable since it’s the same that connects the Bluetooth/Wifi card. Then open the laptop and check whether the cable is well connected to the board (in my case it was not). There, before any PRAM/SMC whatever reset, that should be the first troubleshooting step.

  6. My mac has problem with Hotspot and Im confuse of this…
    My phone is Samsung S8 and Im using Mobile data and share it with my mac wit Hotspot. And problem is there when I connect wifi to hotspot everything become slow and apps open with delay…
    I have tried different ways, Activity Monitor about cpu, memory and network is all normal…
    but whole system become slow, And when I just turn off wifi or disconnect it, every app that stuck in loading, open Instantly and no delay and lags on Os…

    how can I fix that?

  7. Ima cry like I need my laptop its part of me and this wifi issue has been happening since three days ago and Its to the point where im ranting in the comments desperate AF

  8. Finally after doing these steps multiple times I got my WiFi working only for the computer to later fall asleep and it’s not working again 🙁

    1. i’m trying several times but its not working!!!! 🙁 i feel sad because only one night i closed my computer and next day i opened it and surprise the wifi doesnt work!!

  9. Struggled for more than 3 days and decided to buy an external hardware and gave a last try and the step 6 worked like a charm! 🙂

    Thanks, mate.

  10. Saved me. I replaced my HD on a late 2012 macMini with an SSD, and also installed 16GB RAM. Got the WiFi: No Hardware Installed error. Tried everything all over the internet for hours. Step 4 is the one that worked. My late 2012 macMini had the sysctl.conf file. Once I renamed it, then booted up in Safe Mode and saw that it worked, I was good to go. The machine rocks quite fast now. Thank you.

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