AirPort and locations problem

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Thomas Reed - 21 Sep 2004 12:41 GMT

I have a couple different locations (Mac OS X 10.3.5, locations meaning
entries in the Apple -> Location menu), each different wireless
networks. The problem is that often, when I switch from one to the
other, the network isn't automatically picked up. I have each location
set to join a specific network, which I have specified and provided my
password for. Yet, almost always, when I switch to one of these
locations, I end up having to go up to the AirPort menu and choose the
desired wireless network and then enter my keychain password.

Also, sometimes when I am in one place, not changing the location, I'll
wake up my laptop and it'll complain that the password entered for the
AirPort network is incorrect. When I re-select the wireless network
from the AirPort menu, it asks for my keychain password. After I enter
it, everything works fine (on exactly the same password it just
rejected).

Anybody know what might be causing these extremely annoying problems?
Any ideas for a solution?

Signature

-Thomas

<http://www.bitjuggler.com/>

Reply to this Message

Gnarlodious.com - 21 Sep 2004 13:49 GMT

It's probably hard to imagine, but this is all new technology. Apple is
inventing it as they go. I'm sure in 10.4 this problem will be solved.

-- Gnarlie

Entity Thomas Reed spoke thus:

> I have a couple different locations (Mac OS X 10.3.5, locations meaning
> entries in the Apple -> Location menu), each different wireless
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Anybody know what might be causing these extremely annoying problems?
> Any ideas for a solution?

Reply to this Message

Thomas Reed - 21 Sep 2004 23:07 GMT

> It's probably hard to imagine, but this is all new technology. Apple is
> inventing it as they go. I'm sure in 10.4 this problem will be solved.

That seems to imply I'm not the only one seeing this sort of thing. Is
that right?

Signature

-Thomas

<http://www.bitjuggler.com/>

Reply to this Message

James Meiss - 25 Sep 2004 23:29 GMT

> > It's probably hard to imagine, but this is all new technology. Apple is
> > inventing it as they go. I'm sure in 10.4 this problem will be solved.
>
> That seems to imply I'm not the only one seeing this sort of thing. Is
> that right?

I don't have a problem....I always get connected to the right network
when I switch locations. Maybe yours are corrupted...

However, this brings up a question: where are the locations stored?
Were does it store your wireless passwords? They don't appear to be in
the key chain for some reason

Signature

James Meiss
<http://amath.colorado.edu/faculty/jdm>

Reply to this Message

Tom Stiller - 26 Sep 2004 00:08 GMT

> > > It's probably hard to imagine, but this is all new technology. Apple is
> > > inventing it as they go. I'm sure in 10.4 this problem will be solved.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Were does it store your wireless passwords? They don't appear to be in
> the key chain for some reason

The Locations are stored in
'/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist' and my
AirPort passwords are stored in my Keychain under the name of the
wireless network name or as kind "AirPort network password".

Signature

Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

Reply to this Message

James Meiss - 27 Sep 2004 01:23 GMT

> > However, this brings up a question: where are the locations stored?
> > Were does it store your wireless passwords? They don't appear to be in
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> AirPort passwords are stored in my Keychain under the name of the
> wireless network name or as kind "AirPort network password".

Ah. Thanks. I see the preferences.plist alright--guess I thought is
should be in my Users directory. Isn't it strange that it is not?

However, my home airport password doesn't seem to be in my key
chain--though I do have one that says "airport base station password."
Perhaps it uses that for the airport connection too. Curious.

Signature

James Meiss
<http://amath.colorado.edu/faculty/jdm>

Reply to this Message

Tom Stiller - 27 Sep 2004 04:02 GMT

> > > However, this brings up a question: where are the locations stored?
> > > Were does it store your wireless passwords? They don't appear to be in
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Ah. Thanks. I see the preferences.plist alright--guess I thought is
> should be in my Users directory. Isn't it strange that it is not?

Locations are system global, not user local, so they are stored in
/Library rather than ~/Library.

> However, my home airport password doesn't seem to be in my key
> chain--though I do have one that says "airport base station password."
> Perhaps it uses that for the airport connection too. Curious.

I'm pretty sure they're distinct. Are you sure you have encryption
enabled on the base station?

Signature

Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

Reply to this Message

James Meiss - 28 Sep 2004 02:04 GMT

> > However, my home airport password doesn't seem to be in my key
> > chain--though I do have one that says "airport base station password."
> > Perhaps it uses that for the airport connection too. Curious.
>
> I'm pretty sure they're distinct. Are you sure you have encryption
> enabled on the base station?

Yes. I've got WEP encryption on my "Snow" airport and the base station
is set to "create a closed network" (indeed I can't see the network w/o
typing in its name). And the curious thing is (to me) that I
automatically join the network, but the password doesn't seem to be in
my keychain.

Indeed I just changed the WEP password to a distinct one, and I still
don't get an entry in my keychain.

Along similar lines, I just was recently traveling and used another
closed network, with another password...but there is no keychain entry
for that network either....even though it remembered the password over
several days.

Another part of my confusion is that in order to get my powerbook to
remember the airport password, I have to type it into the
"Network/Airport" pane of System Preferences. There is no "remember
password" check box there anymore in 10.3, like there was in 10.2. If
you use the Internet connect generated menu to type in the password, it
is not remembered.

All, in all, I'd say, this is poorly designed. I also worry that my WEP
password is stored someplace on this computer that is not
secure....though that matters not very much I guess.

Signature

James Meiss
<http://amath.colorado.edu/faculty/jdm>

Reply to this Message

Tom Stiller - 28 Sep 2004 04:13 GMT

> > > However, my home airport password doesn't seem to be in my key
> > > chain--though I do have one that says "airport base station password."
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> password is stored someplace on this computer that is not
> secure....though that matters not very much I guess.

For what it's worth, the machine that has password entries in its
kechain has been brought up from X 10.1 through X 10.3. Our newer
machines are like yours -- no keychain entries for the network.

Since the network is alive with no-one logged in, it follows that the
password is stored somewhere in system, rather than user, accessible
storage. I made a quick pass looking for my password in clear text and
came up empty. I'll make a more detailed search later, but the password
itself may be encrypted. It's an interesting problem.

Signature

Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

Reply to this Message

Mac Forum / General / Networking / September 2004

AirPort and locations problem