Here's a scenario:
I'm at home with my router turned off.
Neither my Macbook Pro nor my iPhone are connected to the wifi (obviously), though both search for a wifi connection upon being turned on/woken up from sleep.
Leaving both machines up and running, I turn on my router.
After a short while, my iPhone automatically connects to the newly discovered wifi, which is on its list of saved/remembered connections.
However, my Macbook never automatically connects to the wifi. If I click on the wifi button on the right of my menu bar I see "Wi-Fi: Looking for Networks…" and can then select my network from the list once the list updates. Alternatively, I can close my Macbook lid and when I reopen it (it wakes up from sleep) it will automatically connect to the wifi.
So my question is:
Why doesn't the Macbook continuously search for wifi like the iPhone does?
EDIT:
I cleared the log, closed my computer lid with the wifi off, opened my computer lid where it tried to auto-join a network but found none that it could join, then I turned on the wifi and manually connected.
Here is the console log:
2014-04-24 8:01:27.390 PM WindowServer[104]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x0(0), shield 0x7fd15cb8ad30(2001)
2014-04-24 8:01:27.426 PM WindowServer[104]: device_generate_lock_screen_screenshot: authw 0x0(0), shield 0x7fd15cb8ad30(2001)
2014-04-24 8:01:29.000 PM kernel[0]: AirPort_Brcm43xx::powerChange: System Sleep
2014-04-24 8:01:31.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate image path: /var/vm/sleepimage
2014-04-24 8:01:31.000 PM kernel[0]: efi pagecount 43
2014-04-24 8:01:31.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall(preflight 1) start 0xffffff81d6cd7000, 0xffffff81fb523000
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall time: 427 ms
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: pages 1446947, wire 356846, act 322978, inact 12881, cleaned 0 spec 166, zf 2677, throt 0, compr 0, xpmapped 182497
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: could discard act 168161 inact 131668 purgeable 35397 spec 416173 cleaned 0
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall preflight pageCount 695548 est comp 41 setfile 1256022036 min 8589934592
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6c351e4000, 0x1000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6d47b99000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6d9251e000, 0x32000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x1a6307000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x32ce62000, 0x32000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x369bac1000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x47b3194000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x5ce4430000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x5f2ff15000, 0x32000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x62bd8a9000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x62ffa62000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x68abd8f000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6ace1cd000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6af7ffd000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6b33bd2000, 0x19000000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x69fa8b4000, 0x17b26000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x33247d7000, 0x15d1b000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x6d60b99000, 0x13c6c000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x47cc194000, 0x9b53000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x4ee000f000, 0xbfff000]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: [0x0, 0x0]
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: kern_open_file_for_direct_io(0) took 0 ms
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: Opened file /var/vm/sleepimage, size 8589934592, partition base 0x0, maxio 2000000 ssd 0
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate image major 1, minor 0, blocksize 4096, pollers 5
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_alloc_pages act 526536, inact 147226, anon 3805, throt 0, spec 416339, wire 376612, wireinit 134660
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_setup(0) took 0 ms
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: AppleThunderboltHAL::earlyWake - complete - took 0 milliseconds
2014-04-24 8:01:32.000 PM kernel[0]: Thunderbolt Self-Reset Count = 0xedefbe00
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall(preflight 0) start 0xffffff81d6cd7000, 0xffffff81fb523000
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall time: 819 ms
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: pages 1444938, wire 354799, act 323014, inact 12881, cleaned 0 spec 168, zf 2685, throt 0, compr 0, xpmapped 244885
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: could discard act 168161 inact 131660 purgeable 35397 spec 416173 cleaned 0
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall found pageCount 693547
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: IOHibernatePollerOpen, ml_get_interrupts_enabled 0
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: IOHibernatePollerOpen(0)
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: encryptStart 14130
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: bitmap_size 0x7f5a4, previewSize 0x353a98, writing 692412 pages @ 0x3e716c
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: encryptEnd b57b600
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: image1Size 0x1799c000, encryptStart1 0x14130, End1 0xb57b600
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: encryptStart 1799c000
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: encryptEnd 4afd6800
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: PMStats: Hibernate write took 26459 ms
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: all time: 26459 ms, comp bytes: 2836484096 time: 2495 ms 1083 Mb/s, crypt bytes: 1052384464 time: 2075 ms 483 Mb/s,
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: image 1258123264 (14%), uncompressed 2836484096 (692501), compressed 1248559952 (44%), sum1 89a55eaf, sum2 4e411579
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: zeroPageCount 117453, wiredPagesEncrypted 186129, wiredPagesClear 167624, dirtyPagesEncrypted 338748
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: hibernate_write_image done(0)
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: sleep
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: SMC::smcHandleInterruptEvent WARNING status=0x0 (0x40 not set) notif=0x0
2014-04-24 8:02:00.000 PM kernel[0]: Wake reason: EC.LidOpen (User)
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: AirPort_Brcm43xx::powerChange: System Wake - Full Wake/ Dark Wake / Maintenance wake
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: Previous Sleep Cause: 5
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: AppleThunderboltHAL::earlyWake - complete - took 1 milliseconds
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: Thunderbolt Self-Reset Count = 0xedefbe00
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: TBT W (1): 0 [x]
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'X0'.
2014-04-24 8:02:09.000 PM kernel[0]: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
2014-04-24 8:02:09.299 PM WindowServer[104]: _CGXHWCaptureWindowList: No capable active display found.
2014-04-24 8:02:09.304 PM WindowServer[104]: CGXDisplayDidWakeNotification [1983933705708]: posting kCGSDisplayDidWake
2014-04-24 8:02:09.305 PM WindowServer[104]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: NULL shield_window (lock state: 1)
2014-04-24 8:02:16.988 PM CalendarAgent[222]: Ignoring unexpected location URL scheme: (null).
2014-04-24 8:02:17.000 PM kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'CA'.
2014-04-24 8:02:17.000 PM kernel[0]: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
2014-04-24 8:03:07.000 PM kernel[0]: MacAuthEvent en1 Auth result for: 00:17:c5:8a:f0:97 MAC AUTH succeeded
2014-04-24 8:03:07.000 PM kernel[0]: wlEvent: en1 en1 Link UP virtIf = 0
2014-04-24 8:03:07.000 PM kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
2014-04-24 8:03:07.000 PM kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to 00:17:c5:8a:f0:97
2014-04-24 8:03:08.000 PM kernel[0]: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en1
2014-04-24 8:03:08.000 PM kernel[0]: flow_divert_kctl_disconnect (0): disconnecting group 1
2014-04-24 8:03:08.711 PM airportd[64]: _doAutoJoin: Already associated to “TDX HOME”. Bailing on auto-join.
2014-04-24 8:03:08.725 PM sandboxd[87]: ([64]) airportd(64) deny file-read-metadata /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security-common.plist
2014-04-24 8:03:08.781 PM sandboxd[87]: ([64]) airportd(64) deny file-read-data /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security-common.plist
2014-04-24 8:03:09.064 PM configd[16]: network changed: DNS* Proxy
2014-04-24 8:03:09.067 PM UserEventAgent[11]: Captive: [CNInfoNetworkActive:1655] en1: SSID 'TDX HOME' making interface primary (cache indicates network not captive)
2014-04-24 8:03:09.067 PM mDNSResponder[39]: SCDynamicStoreCopyValue configget(): (ipc/mig) bad request message ID
2014-04-24 8:03:09.067 PM UserEventAgent[11]: Captive: CNPluginHandler en1: Evaluating
2014-04-24 8:03:09.071 PM UserEventAgent[11]: Captive: en1: Not probing 'TDX HOME' (cache indicates not captive)
2014-04-24 8:03:09.071 PM UserEventAgent[11]: Captive: CNPluginHandler en1: Authenticated
2014-04-24 8:03:09.073 PM configd[16]: network changed: v4(en1!:150.25.20.48) DNS+ Proxy+ SMB
2014-04-24 8:03:17.401 PM AirPlayUIAgent[498]: 2014-04-24 08:03:17.401283 PM [AirPlayUIAgent] Changed PIN pairing: no
2014-04-24 8:03:17.413 PM AirPlayUIAgent[498]: 2014-04-24 08:03:17.412856 PM [AirPlayUIAgent] Changed PIN pairing: no
Best Answer
OK, first it wakes up to unknown country code XO (that is the first packet it gets)
Then it changes to correct one CA, Canada,-- this is where you are!
Then it has a lot of trouble talking to the Router.
So lets try following.
Update Routers software, Firmware.
Reset your EFI
Confirm your Macs Firmware is up to date.
More:
It has a problem reading a configuration file (plist)
Following that it has a problem establishing Captive Network (
cache indicates not captive) (the information used (stored) to maintain the connection.What to do? Delete all your network settings/profiles and start ower.