rMBP Late 2013 WiFi Issue (CNW001) help pls

[tigerintank]

Wondering if anyone has any knowledge on the different codes? After running diagnostics my rMBP shows CNW001 and there are at least 5 codes - according to Apple.

CNW001 CNW003 CNW004 CNW005 CNW006

There may be an issue with the Wi-Fi hardware.

Contact Apple or take your computer to an AASP or Apple Store to find out which service and support options are available.

Until I ran diagnostics tonight the Wifi status was stuck off and I just was unable to get it to turn on from GUI or Terminal. Wifi hardware showed in System Info too. Now after the diagnostics run, it shows no wifi hardware installed.

My thinking so far tonight -
1. open the laptop up - reseat card and any cables
2. Failing that - if CNW001 means something specific/ helpful - could steer me to an internal replacement part - maybe!
3. Get some sort of small USB Wifi dongle replacement

Really I'm open to any suggestions/others experience that aren't expensive fixes here. No point in putting significant cash into a laptop this old - reliable though it's been for me.

I'm reasonably handy electronics wise & replaced the rMBP battery using an iFixit replacement battery and their instructions a few years back.

 

[brdeveloper]

Wondering if anyone has any knowledge on the different codes? After running diagnostics my rMBP shows CNW001 and there are at least 5 codes - according to Apple.

CNW001 CNW003 CNW004 CNW005 CNW006

There may be an issue with the Wi-Fi hardware.

Contact Apple or take your computer to an AASP or Apple Store to find out which service and support options are available.

Until I ran diagnostics tonight the Wifi status was stuck off and I just was unable to get it to turn on from GUI or Terminal. Wifi hardware showed in System Info too. Now after the diagnostics run, it shows no wifi hardware installed.

My thinking so far tonight -
1. open the laptop up - reseat card and any cables
2. Failing that - if CNW001 means something specific/ helpful - could steer me to an internal replacement part - maybe!
3. Get some sort of small USB Wifi dongle replacement

Really I'm open to any suggestions/others experience that aren't expensive fixes here. No point in putting significant cash into a laptop this old - reliable though it's been for me.

I'm reasonably handy electronics wise & replaced the rMBP battery using an iFixit replacement battery and their instructions a few years back.

Don't know about these codes. I have an early 2013 rMBP which I've swapped the old wifi card for a late 2013 one (wifi AC). However, if I run the bundled OS (Mountain Lion, Mavericks) wifi isn't recognized. Don't know if this has something to do with your issue. I wonder if you've bought a second-hand rMBP and you're trying to run Mavericks.

 

[tigerintank]

Don't know about these codes. I have an early 2013 rMBP which I've swapped the old wifi card for a late 2013 one (wifi AC). However, if I run the bundled OS (Mountain Lion, Mavericks) wifi isn't recognized. Don't know if this has something to do with your issue. I wonder if you've bought a second-hand rMBP and you're trying to run Mavericks.

Thanks for the reply.
Actually owned this one from new and still has the original Wifi card - only hardware change is a battery swap c2-3 years back.

Its currently on Mohave and I do plan to upgrade at some point soon to Big Sur - main reason I've not done it is I've had keychain issues and I'm a little concerned I might lose the keychain contents during a migration - poor excuse but there it is!

I should also say in case it helps, Bluetooth is available and definitely works - able to pair it with my iPhone np.

 

[Audit13]

I have a late 2013 13" Pro and upgraded all the way to Big Sur with no keychain problems so far.

If the wifi card is bad, a card from a late 2013 to 2015 Pro and Air can be used interchangeably in these models.

Any Bluetooth issues?

 

[tigerintank]

I have a late 2013 13" Pro and upgraded all the way to Big Sur with no keychain problems so far.

If the wifi card is bad, a card from a late 2013 to 2015 Pro and Air can be used interchangeably in these models.

Any Bluetooth issues?

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I see new cards are very expensive but used are actually pretty reasonable - so that's got to be an option - be good if I can be sure its the card of course...

Bluetooth is actually fine - tested it and am able to pair with my iPhone no problem. I wondered if the WiFi card also supported Bluetooth - have an old iMac G5 and a single card does both there - sounds like it does for the rMBP too.

Re Keychain - its more that I already have Keychain issues and I expect / worry that when I try to migrate the process will tell me the Keychain is corrupt and so I'll loose the contents. Interestingly I thought there'd be a way to soft copy the contents but didn't find one yet.

 

[Audit13]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I see new cards are very expensive but used are actually pretty reasonable - so that's got to be an option - be good if I can be sure its the card of course...

Bluetooth is actually fine - tested it and am able to pair with my iPhone no problem. I wondered if the WiFi card also supported Bluetooth - have an old iMac G5 and a single card does both there - sounds like it does for the rMBP too.

Re Keychain - its more that I already have Keychain issues and I expect / worry that when I try to migrate the process will tell me the Keychain is corrupt and so I'll loose the contents. Interestingly I thought there'd be a way to soft copy the contents but didn't find one yet.

I'm not sure why the WiFi card would affect Keychain. I am signed into a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Air3, and iPhone SE. Keychain works fine and everything syncs.

 

[tigerintank]

I'm not sure why the WiFi card would affect Keychain. I am signed into a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Air3, and iPhone SE. Keychain works fine and everything syncs.

No I'm misleading you sorry.

I mentioned Keychain issues as my reason for not migrating to Big Sur yet. That was picking up on the post from brdeveloper above, where they'd mentioned having problems with Wifi due to MacOS level.

Not sure migrating would fix my Wifi issues, but I guess it's possible a reload of whatever MacOS level, would ensure that any OS issues that could be impacting on Wifi, would be fixed by the fresh instal. So long as I'm installing a supported version of course - Big Sur is the last supported version for the late 2013 model iirc.

 

[Audit13]

No I'm misleading you sorry.

I mentioned Keychain issues as my reason for not migrating to Big Sur yet. That was picking up on the post from brdeveloper above, where they'd mentioned having problems with Wifi due to MacOS level.

Not sure migrating would fix my Wifi issues, but I guess it's possible a reload of whatever MacOS level, would ensure that any OS issues that could be impacting on Wifi, would be fixed by the fresh instal. So long as I'm installing a supported version of course - Big Sur is the last supported version for the late 2013 model iirc.

No apology necessary.

I've been using keychain for years. I bought my late 2013 13" as a refurb from Apple with Maverick and have been using it all the way through to Big Sur with no hiccups.

Hopefully, you are able to resolve any issues you have before or after upgrading the os.

If you are not comfortable replacing the card, you could use a small usb wifi dongle too.

 

[tigerintank]

Hopefully, you are able to resolve any issues you have before or after upgrading the os.

If things go to plan will investigate reseating wifi card & cables etc at the weekend and report back.

iFixit will be my go to - should be relatively straightforward as I have the tools from the previous battery replacement.

Thanks for the help to you and others above ?