How can I use usb wifi instead of internal?

milanovich · Apr 5, 2013

I have a 13-inch, Mid 2012 macbook pro and tho the internal cards just fine I need to be able to use a usb wifi adapter for a project im working on. I have already figured out that a bunch of cards wont work on it. but now that I have one that was bought from a mac specific site (so I know it should work fine) I dont know how to make it where it no longer uses the internal one and will let me run off that one. I am completely lost, it's easy on windows you just disable the internal adapter and it runs off the usb one, but it seems like apple makes it very hard to do things like that. Any help is appreciated!

Also wondering if there is a way to dual boot using windows (not vmware) or linux, and if there is will the adapters I have that wont work on my mac now work because the os change? I have vmware but I cant get online at all (making it pointless for what I need to do) because it cant recognize the internal wifi card. Sorry for all the random issues at once but I really am confused!

TattooedMac · Apr 5, 2013

Welcome to the forums…
First ill start with Windows on Mac.
Yes there is a way and that is with Bootcamp. You can find the Bootcamp assistant which will guide you through loading windows on a separate partition and thats found in Applications>Utilities>Bootcamp Assistant. You will need to read these two links as there is a BootCamp Package you need on a separate USB Drive that you will need to run when Windows is installed, so the KeyBoard, Fonts, and a lot of other stuff will be compatible with the Mac once in the Windows Partition. The Bootcamp Package also has files/folders in it that will load onto Windows to get you on the internet.
I actually did this myself last night with Win7 because i need to run a Flight Sim only Windows compatible. Bootcamp works well as it uses ALL the Mac resources unlike a VM where you allocate a certain amount of RAM to the VM.
Bootcamp is known as a Dual-Boot because you log out of OS X and into Windows.

Apple - Support - Boot Camp and Apple - Support - Downloads. . . .

Now with the Wireless card/WIFI Adaptor ? Can you give more info ?
I have a Wireless Dongle from my ISP that i plug in the USB and it Autoruns and i install the Software that it needs on the Mac to be able to work. I turn off Airport being the Mac Wireless Connectivity and run the App when the dongle is in the USB and press connect and I'm on the internet. IS that what you have ??

mrplow · Apr 5, 2013

I'll add that VMWare should just use you're existing connection so we should be able to sort out that issue if you give us more details.

As far as turning off wifi, if it doesn't have a dedicated app you can select which network device you want to use (in a similar way to Windows) in System Preferences - Network

milanovich · Apr 6, 2013

mrplow said:
I'll add that VMWare should just use you're existing connection so we should be able to sort out that issue if you give us more details.

As far as turning off wifi, if it doesn't have a dedicated app you can select which network device you want to use (in a similar way to Windows) in System Preferences - Network

First off the adapter I have is a SMC - smcwusbs-n3 and I dont have the install disc, tho it has mac drivers listed on the site but it dates back to 09. Is there a dedicated app I can find for this particular usb adapter?

Well as far as I know with vmware fusion and my version of mac os (10.8.2) for some reason the virtual machines cannot connect using the built in wifi on my macbook, this seems to be a common issue, and since a lot of usb adapters dont support mac its been kinda rough figuring this out. I cant simply connect via ethernet to the modem/router or I'd do that (I get free wifi from my apt complex).

I have 3 usb adapaters that are all pretty new, the one I am trying to get to work now has mac drivers on the website but their dated back to 2009. Its an smcwusbs-n3 . Can anyone help me get this working on my macbook? As I said its a mid 2012 13 inch macbook pro with 10.8.2 os. I also have a belkin one that was given to me that has the dual band antennae, and has the flop out antenae. It goes for around 80 new and if possible I'd love to use that one instead, but the smc one will suffice if I can just figure out how to get it to work lol.

Also if I use bootcamp and boot up to windows straight up will I be able to use these other adapters that have windows drivers but dont work on macs otherwise? And can I use bootcamp to run linux instead of windows? Im still kinda new to this, and it seems like my old imac (was the 2009 model) was much easier to get stuff like this going on. Maybe I'm just missing something tho.

mrplow · Apr 6, 2013

VMWare works perfectly with the built in networking on the Mac. Used many versions, Parallels too and Virtual box . I really think I could get the working for you if you could give specifics of versions you're using and the errors you're getting.

Have you tried the 2009 driver?
I'd need to know the model numbers of the other devices to try and find driver for you

milanovich · Apr 10, 2013

mrplow said:
VMWare works perfectly with the built in networking on the Mac. Used many versions, Parallels too and Virtual box . I really think I could get the working for you if you could give specifics of versions you're using and the errors you're getting.

Have you tried the 2009 driver?
I'd need to know the model numbers of the other devices to try and find driver for you

First off the usb card I have is by SMC -model is smcwusbs-n3 . What do I do when I download the driver Im not fmilar with macos these days and its not nearly as simple as adding hardware in windows., seems the control panel /preferences is kinda dumbed down and locked down. So Say the 09 adapter driver works what do I need to actualy see the networks and connect to them on my mac thru mac os.

My second question is is there away for me to use bootcamp for linux? And when I use bootcamp for windows will it allow me to use devices that are windows only like the wifi adapters I have that are not mac friendly. Is this an operating system issue or hardware related?
As for internal wifi working in vmware I have heard the opposite when researching when couldnt get any wifi signals from my internal card running backtrack linux distro in vmware fusion, I can try parrallels but from what ive read alot of newer macs are having issues with this and alot of people are having to go buy mac friendly adapters for their virtual machines.

Do you have skype? If you dont mind maybe it would be easier talking thru there and I can screen share what im going thru? My skype ID is russiansecret1 if you want to speak there I'd appreciate it. Thank you!

mrplow · Apr 10, 2013

Hardware installation, like any OS, really depends on the manufacturer and how they package their driver. I'd download it and see what instructions come with it. Normally it's a dmg disk image to mount or a zip file with a package file to install.

I don't know what more I can tell you about VMs. I've used VMWare, parallels and VirtualBox. I've used and use various flavours of Linux and windows. So long as the guest additions etc are installed in the VM (these are bundled with the VMs and provide driver support) I've never had network recognition issues. I don't know where you are references these common issues but I've never encounterd them on any VM running under OSX or Windows. Sure, VMs aren't perfect but networks are not one of the issues I've ever run into. In act I've used VMs to emulate old, unavailable network hardware so that I could re-flash ancient routers firmware. Something I couldn't have accomplished with the available 'real' hardware. Why not just try VirtualBox. It's free, the only investment is your time.

Bootcamp;
You can run Windows in a bootcamp partition. If you want to dual/triple boot Linux you'll need a tool like gparted, and a bit of time to read up on the potential issues of multiple partitions and OSs.

Skype;
I do have Skype but that's not the way the forum needs to work. These conversations and posts are public, searchable. They may well help other forum users. That's what keeps the forum ticking over. Hope you understand that.

TattooedMac · Apr 10, 2013

milanovich said:
What do I do when I download the driver Im not fmilar with macos these days

When you download a driver and double-click to infall it and it goes through the Installer Wizard type window, Mac OS X installs it where it needs to go. You don't have to do anything else.

milanovich said:
and its not nearly as simple as adding hardware in windows., seems the control panel /preferences is kinda dumbed down and locked down.

You have been away from OS X for a while because i find installing Hardware on a Mac so very simple and trouble free.
I installed some software on my Bootcamp partition the other day and just kept clicking yes when it asked a question thinking the software would be in the programs folder but it ended up somewhere else . . . . . Confused i just went back to my Mac partition and ill deal with Windows another day lol

milanovich · Apr 22, 2013

TattooedMac said:
When you download a driver and double-click to infall it and it goes through the Installer Wizard type window, Mac OS X installs it where it needs to go. You don't have to do anything else./QUOTE]

When I click the driver it looks like its opening something but nothing happens, the most recent drivers from 09, im running 10.8 osx. The device Im trying to install is an smc networks aircard, its model number is SMCWUSBS-N3 , I also have a NETGEAR - IEEE 802.11n USB - Wi-Fi Adapter laying around if thats easier. I'd like to run an external usb card so I can setup a cantennae (external antennae to pickup further wifi), I already have the antennae and I know how to connect it to the usb cards so thats not the issue, just getting it to work off usb only wifi is my goal here.

Can you answer one question for me, if there is no macos driver but there is a linux driver or windows driver would I be able to install the card via bootcamp or vmware. I have vmware fusion and parralells desktop for vm software for reference.

mrplow · Apr 22, 2013

1. Yes you can run these devices from Virtual Machines. You need to manually configure the network interface on the VM as it won't be automatically picked up with it not being installed in the host OS.
2. What's the model of the Netgear USB device you have?
3. Do you have the link to the SMC driver? Edit: it's ok found it. It's a zip file. Double clicking will give you a folder of the same name. In that folder is a dmg file. Double-click that to mount it. You'll then find install instructions in that mounted disk image.
4. If you have appropriate Windows drivers for the version of Windows you have in Bootcamp you'll be able to run them in Windows, yes.

milanovich · Apr 25, 2013

mrplow said:
1. Yes you can run these devices from Virtual Machines. You need to manually configure the network interface on the VM as it won't be automatically picked up with it not being installed in the host OS.
2. What's the model of the Netgear USB device you have?
3. Do you have the link to the SMC driver? Edit: it's ok found it. It's a zip file. Double clicking will give you a folder of the same name. In that folder is a dmg file. Double-click that to mount it. You'll then find install instructions in that mounted disk image.
4. If you have appropriate Windows drivers for the version of Windows you have in Bootcamp you'll be able to run them in Windows, yes.

I already installed the smc utility with the driver but its not picking up the device while running in macos. What's that mean? I had it plugged in while installing the driver and setup wizard thingy, and I have the smc wireless utility showing up fine, and the card lights up when plugged in, but smc program says No device!! and isnt picking up any networks or doing anything.