Just wanting to know how I would go about my MBA running in clamshell mode, so that I can close the lid with the machine still powered on, and have it connected to an external display using a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse ?
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Clamshell mode?
- Thread starter LevMac
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I think you need something like InsomniaX to prevent it from sleeping when the lid is closed.
Good luck,
Tom
Some computers, like my old iBook and my current MacBook, are prevented from operating that way because of cooling issues. As I recall, PowerBooks could operate closed, but I don't know about current MacBook Pros or the MBA. You might want to look into this before you try to force your computer to operate closed.
It operates fine in closed mode for me with an external monitor, wireless mouse, and USB keyboard. It does take a few seconds for it to recognize the devices before it wakes from sleep.
Connect your external stuff, close it and sleep it, and then wake it up with the externals. All should work well, the MBA doesn't use cooling the same way as the MB/Ps from what I've seen.
I have my MBA hooked up to a 20" ACD. It works great, however, I am not pleased with the effect that connecting an external display has on the MBA's fans--it sends them crazy. After only a few minutes of non-intensive work, the fans will hit 6200 rpm and remain at or around that speed without showing any signs of slowing down.
Am I the only person who has this issue when I connect my MBA to an ACD or other external monitor? As pleased as I am with the laptop, this is a major issue for me and I hope that it can be addressed through firmware updates as I currently cannot part with the computer due to excessive work.
Am I the only person who has this issue when I connect my MBA to an ACD or other external monitor? As pleased as I am with the laptop, this is a major issue for me and I hope that it can be addressed through firmware updates as I currently cannot part with the computer due to excessive work.
Thanks for the replies guys, its been helpful 
I have managed to hook the MBA up to my 32" Samsung LCD TV and it runs beautifully. I have also connected my bluetooth Apple keyboard and mouse and all I had to change was the setting in Bluetooth settings in System Preferences. There is an option that you tick which enables your bluetooth device to wake the computer from sleep, make sure it is checked and it will work fine, my lid is closed at the moment and my fans are running at 2502rpm with Firefox, MS Word, Messenger and iPhoto open....
I have managed to hook the MBA up to my 32" Samsung LCD TV and it runs beautifully. I have also connected my bluetooth Apple keyboard and mouse and all I had to change was the setting in Bluetooth settings in System Preferences. There is an option that you tick which enables your bluetooth device to wake the computer from sleep, make sure it is checked and it will work fine, my lid is closed at the moment and my fans are running at 2502rpm with Firefox, MS Word, Messenger and iPhoto open....Update: I fiddled around with various settings to determine if any particular activity set the fans off at full sped when running in clamshell mode. The research proved fruitless. However, when I disconnected the ACD micro DVI and usb cable from the MBA, the fans slowed down immediately from 6200 rpm to 2500 rpm. According to iStat Pro, all temperatures were the same, but the simple disconnection of the ACD from the laptop motivated the fans to slow down. This makes me think that the problem can be fixed through future firmware updates, but I am not a techie so I don't fully understand the effect that connecting an ACD would have on the processor and internal GPU. Any insights/tips would be greatly appreciated!
No you don't.
Just plug in the display, plug in the power, set option to allow bluetooth devices to wake computer, and close the lid.
That's all there is to it.