WiFi Meter, apps won't open.

[John McWilliams]

Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.

Stumped.

Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
strength on my MBP, that'd be great.

[David Empson]

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
> downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
> not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
> not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
> box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
> Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
> wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.

Which apps are the ones which won't launch? (I see from your headers
that you are running OS X 10.10, which answers my second question.)

I'm wondering if there is some issue with GateKeeper, e.g. rejecting
apps that haven't had their code signing updated to version 2, which
would result in them being rejected by GateKeeper on OS X 10.9.5 or
later, if they were distributed outside the App Store (not sure what
impact this has for older App STore applications).

It might also be useful to look in Console > All Messages for log
messages at the point you try to launch the apps in question and see if
any error is being reported there.

> Stumped.
>
> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.

Do you need more than what you get by holding down the Option key when
clicking on the Wi-Fi status menu?

--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz

[Bruce Esquibel]

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.

You didn't say what version of OSX you are running but on like 10.10 (and I
think 10.9, maybe earlier) if you hold down the option key and click on the
wifi icon in the menu bar, it'll display pretty much everything you need to
know about the network you are currently on.

It shows the channel, if it's 2.4 or 5Ghz, type of security, The RSSI, Noise
level, transmission rate and a few other things.

The only problem with it is, the window can't be left open if you want to do
something else, it's like the downloads window in Safari, has to remain in
the foreground to update.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[John McWilliams]

On 11/18/14 PDT, 9:10 PM, David Empson wrote:
> John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
>> downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
>> not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
>> not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
>> box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
>> Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
>> wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.
>
> Which apps are the ones which won't launch? (I see from your headers
> that you are running OS X 10.10, which answers my second question.)

Wireless Signal.app; WiFi Strength Indicator.app; and Network
Strength.app are the three that I got via the App Store, and which sit
there completely unruffled when double clicked.

>
> I'm wondering if there is some issue with GateKeeper, e.g. rejecting
> apps that haven't had their code signing updated to version 2, which
> would result in them being rejected by GateKeeper on OS X 10.9.5 or
> later, if they were distributed outside the App Store (not sure what
> impact this has for older App STore applications).
>
> It might also be useful to look in Console > All Messages for log
> messages at the point you try to launch the apps in question and see if
> any error is being reported there.

Doing that now— it seems to be giving it the old college try, quite a
few attempts to go for it. I will copy paste as soon as it stops long
enough!
>
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:20.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Wireless Signal(1443)
deny mach-lookup com.apple.network.EAPOLController
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:20.952 AM Wireless Signal[1443]: [EAPOLControl.c:66]
get_server_port(): eapolcontroller_server_port failed, unknown error code
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:20.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: WiFi Strength In(505)
deny mach-lookup com.apple.airportd
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:20.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: WiFi Strength In(505)
deny system-socket
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:21.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Network Strength(865)
deny mach-lookup com.apple.airportd
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:21.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Network Strength(865)
deny system-socket
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:21.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Network Strength(865)
deny mach-lookup com.apple.airportd
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:21.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Network Strength(865)
deny system-socket
11/19/14 PDT 7:38:21.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: Wireless Signal(1443)
deny mach-lookup com.apple.network.EAPOLController
1

>> Stumped.
>>
>> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
>> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.
>
> Do you need more than what you get by holding down the Option key when
> clicking on the Wi-Fi status menu?

Duh on me. Forgot the access to that. But a quick look says that'd be
cumbersome. Just wanted to be able to walk around the house and see what
knocks down the WiFi signal, what doesn't. Be evern better if there were
one for iPad or iPhone that doesn't cost a bunch.

Thanks, David.

[John McWilliams]

Thank you, Bruce. I am now on 10.10.10000000000! :)

As I mention to DE, I am hoping to just look at a meter showing signal
strength as I move to different locations in my house. iPad or iPhone
might even be better than using a laptop if someone has a recommendation.

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> As I mention to DE, I am hoping to just look at a meter showing signal
> strength as I move to different locations in my house. iPad or iPhone
> might even be better than using a laptop if someone has a recommendation.

Have a look at NetSpot:

<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netspot-wifi-survey-wireless/id514951692>

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[John McWilliams]

On 11/19/14 PDT, 7:55 AM, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> As I mention to DE, I am hoping to just look at a meter showing signal
>> strength as I move to different locations in my house. iPad or iPhone
>> might even be better than using a laptop if someone has a recommendation.
>
> Have a look at NetSpot:
>
> <https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netspot-wifi-survey-wireless/id514951692>
>

Thanks. That opens and will do the trick, though I wish it gave readings
in numbers, not just graphics.

[John McWilliams]

On 11/19/14 PDT, 7:41 AM, John McWilliams wrote:

<< Snipped bits out >>

> Duh on me. Forgot the access to that. But a quick look says that'd be
> cumbersome. Just wanted to be able to walk around the house and see what
> knocks down the WiFi signal, what doesn't. Be evern better if there were
> one for iPad or iPhone that doesn't cost a bunch.
>
> Thanks, David.

Mysteries abound: I noticed that the lookup attempts kept going for ten
more minutes and showed no sign of abating, so I rebooted. Now the
console shows another mystery (to me):

11/19/14 PDT 7:59:37.767 AM com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]:
(com.mlbam.nexdef[443]) Service could not initialize: Unable to set
current working directory. error=2,
path=/Users/XXXXXXXX/Library/Application Support/NexDef: 14B25: xpcproxy
+ 12907 [1227][1016C726-9ACF-3A24-9C51-A279F5C6B167]: 0x2
11/19/14 PDT 7:59:37.768 AM com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]:
(com.mlbam.nexdef) Service only ran for 0 seconds. Pushing respawn out
by 10 seconds.

Seems like I should delete something to allow the service to initialize,
as those attempts are going forward indefinitely.... (What?)

[Jolly Roger]

As others have mentioned, you can already get the numbers you need by
Option-clicking the Airport menu item, right?

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

You've apparently installed the MLB NexDef HD plugin, and it's
malfunctioning. You might consider removing that software. Anyhow, this
is not likely related to WiFi access.

[John McWilliams]

On 11/19/14 PDT, 8:37 AM, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> On 11/19/14 PDT, 7:55 AM, Jolly Roger wrote:
>>> On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> As I mention to DE, I am hoping to just look at a meter showing signal
>>>> strength as I move to different locations in my house. iPad or iPhone
>>>> might even be better than using a laptop if someone has a recommendation.
>>>
>>> Have a look at NetSpot:
>>>
>>> <https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netspot-wifi-survey-wireless/id514951692>
>>>
>> Thanks. That opens and will do the trick, though I wish it gave readings
>> in numbers, not just graphics.
>
> As others have mentioned, you can already get the numbers you need by
> Option-clicking the Airport menu item, right?

Yes, and it'll all work out. Just wanted things super easy! '

Thanks.

[Jolly Roger]

I'm sure there are other apps out there. Enjoy the hunt! ; )

[John McWilliams]

Found one file, a plist and deleted it, but launchd keeps on going. Hit
Ignore Sender, but that stops all launchd processes. Dunno what to
expect now, but doubt it's good!

[Jolly Roger]

Removing software typically entails more than deleting a single property list
file. A quick web search turns up these instructions for removal:

<http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/help/faq_nexdef.jsp#q12>

[M. John Matlaw]

On 11/19/14, 10:55 AM, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2014-11-19, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> As I mention to DE, I am hoping to just look at a meter showing signal
>> strength as I move to different locations in my house. iPad or iPhone
>> might even be better than using a laptop if someone has a recommendation.
>
> Have a look at NetSpot:
>
> <https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netspot-wifi-survey-wireless/id514951692>
>

When I click on this link and try the View in Mac App Store button
Safari opens a window with thumbnails of Top Sites (previous accessed
web pages). The App Store app does not open. I've noticed this before
and figure that there's some security thing going on that has to do with
Safari not opening other applications from a link. Took a brief look at
Safari prefs but didn't see a way around it. I must be missing
something obvious. Safari 8.0 on Mac OSX 10.10.1.

[dorayme]

In article <m4i4j7$3ke$1...@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,

In situations like this: After it shows, let go the Option key and
press Command Shift 4, draw a rectangle over the WIFI info, snap and
then either open with spacebar or preview or drop over any open
browser window.

--
dorayme

[Jolly Roger]

That's not normal. Normally, you are taken to a web page where you have
the option of viewing it in the App Store.

Are you running any Safari Extensions? If so, have you tried turning all
extensions off to see if the problem persists? You might also go into
System Preferences > Users & Groups, creating a brand-new user account,
logging into it, and seeing if the problem exists there, or if it is
confined to your user account.

[dorayme]

In article <m4idms$le2$1...@dont-email.me>,

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> Duh on me. Forgot the access to that. But a quick look says that'd be
> cumbersome. Just wanted to be able to walk around the house and see what
> knocks down the WiFi signal

Ah, it does not change info as you move about? Just an option click
again is surely not too hard, if your memory is sort of ok...

--
dorayme

[John McWilliams]

Thank for the workarounds. I've been on Macs since 1986.

[David Empson]

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> On 11/18/14 PDT, 9:10 PM, David Empson wrote:
> > John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
> >> downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
> >> not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
> >> not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
> >> box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
> >> Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
> >> wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.
> >
> > Which apps are the ones which won't launch? (I see from your headers
> > that you are running OS X 10.10, which answers my second question.)
>
> Wireless Signal.app;

(For reference, I'm running OS X 10.10.1, as I see you are from another
post.)

Wireless Signal.app works for me. Launching it puts an icon on the menu
bar and on initial launch the menu opens so it is obvious.

> WiFi Strength Indicator.app;

This one works for me as well. It adds an icon to the menu bar but
doesn't open it automatically.

> and Network Strength.app

Also works for me. Similar appearance to the previous one.

> are the three that I got via the App Store, and which sit
> there completely unruffled when double clicked.

If you aren't seeing the apps launching, perhaps you aren't looking in
the right place? All of these add an icon to the menu bar but don't
appear in the Dock or task switcher, and don't have a standard
application menu. At least one had a preferences window (opened via the
menu).

If you can't see the icon in the menu bar, perhaps your menu bar is too
full?

Have a look in Activity Monitor to see whether the apps are actually
running.

None of these would do a much better job than option-click on the Wi-Fi
status menu, apart from legibility.

I get similar messages while those apps are running, so they aren't an
explanation for the apps not launching.

--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz

[John McWilliams]

OK, you hit the nail square on. I see them clearly now that I know where
to look!

I guess this is my stupid 24 hours (hoping it's not much longer!), as
I've just spent the last four hours finding and deleting the Vsearch
virus, which installs itself in all kinds of places. The stupid part was
downloading a familiar app, (MPlayerX.app) but from the wrong place. It
pretty much owned Safari until I could root it out. Wasn't nice on
Chrome, either.

[David Empson]

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> I guess this is my stupid 24 hours (hoping it's not much longer!), as
> I've just spent the last four hours finding and deleting the Vsearch
> virus, which installs itself in all kinds of places. The stupid part was
> downloading a familiar app, (MPlayerX.app) but from the wrong place. It
> pretty much owned Safari until I could root it out. Wasn't nice on
> Chrome, either.

Ah, that monster. My partner managed to get tricked into installing it
on her MacBook Pro. I think I got rid of all the bits, and have since
found Adware Medic, which should be able to clean this sort of thing in
future.

--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-11-20, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> I guess this is my stupid 24 hours (hoping it's not much longer!), as
> I've just spent the last four hours finding and deleting the Vsearch
> virus

That's not a virus. It's what we call "adware" installed by a trojan (in
this case bundled with MPlayerX).

> which installs itself in all kinds of places. The stupid part was
> downloading a familiar app, (MPlayerX.app) but from the wrong place.

Where did you download it, so the rest of us can be sure to avoid it?

In general, if you stick with known good trustworthy web sites like
http://macupdate.com for downloading software over the web, and avoid
unscrupulous places like CNET, torrents, and so on, you should have
problems with this kind of thing.

[John McWilliams]

On 11/19/14 PDT, 6:51 PM, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2014-11-20, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> I guess this is my stupid 24 hours (hoping it's not much longer!), as
>> I've just spent the last four hours finding and deleting the Vsearch
>> virus
>
> That's not a virus. It's what we call "adware" installed by a trojan (in
> this case bundled with MPlayerX).
>
>> which installs itself in all kinds of places. The stupid part was
>> downloading a familiar app, (MPlayerX.app) but from the wrong place.
>
> Where did you download it, so the rest of us can be sure to avoid it?
>
> In general, if you stick with known good trustworthy web sites like
> http://macupdate.com for downloading software over the web, and avoid
> unscrupulous places like CNET, torrents, and so on, you should have
> problems with this kind of thing.

Yes, thank you; I am duly reminded!

I think it may have come about when I was deleting control panels- there
was a link to Mplayer, which I had and which apparently is still a good
app— and now I've learned that it's notorious for bringing along the
malware or adware. Don't know what prompted me to update an app that I
was removing, but I did.

Those people who put this crap out should be drawn and quartered.
Anyone call the 800 numbers to waste their time?

[John McWilliams]

On 11/20/14 PDT, 3:40 AM, Lewis wrote:
> Okay, so one time? In band camp? Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> was all, like:

> Launch Wireless Diagnostics and choose "Info" from the menu (⌘-1).
>
Thank you, Lewis. Finding it showed me there's an Applications folder in
Core Services. I suppose moving it to, say Utilities, would be a mistake?

[M. John Matlaw]

Thanks for the advise. Turned off extensions and no problem. Actually
the only one I use is FastestTube (2.2.9.3). I presume the ones listed
below it on the left side of the extensions window but not on the right
below FastestTube are ones I've disabled in the past. Bummer about
FastestTube though. I remembered that I had the same problem with links
not opening on my Snow Leopard system using Safari and switching to
Google Chrome had solved the problem. I guess I can turn off
FastestTube there too.

Do you happen to use FastestTube? For a while it worked on Mavericks and
not Snow Leopard and then it reversed so I now download YouTube stuff
off the older OS machine. Any suggestions for a similar extension that
might not interfere with Safari like FastestTube is? Again, thanks for
your help.

[Jolly Roger]

I share that sentiment! Such crap has absolutely *no* place on my
computers! Companies that do this sort of thing have been around since
the late 80s, but luckily are usually easily replaced/avoided with other
solutions that don't come bundled with nasties.

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-11-20, M. John Matlaw <nou...@invalid.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the advise. Turned off extensions and no problem. Actually
> the only one I use is FastestTube (2.2.9.3). I presume the ones listed
> below it on the left side of the extensions window but not on the right
> below FastestTube are ones I've disabled in the past. Bummer about
> FastestTube though. I remembered that I had the same problem with links
> not opening on my Snow Leopard system using Safari and switching to
> Google Chrome had solved the problem. I guess I can turn off
> FastestTube there too.
>
> Do you happen to use FastestTube? For a while it worked on Mavericks and
> not Snow Leopard and then it reversed so I now download YouTube stuff
> off the older OS machine. Any suggestions for a similar extension that
> might not interfere with Safari like FastestTube is? Again, thanks for
> your help.

You're welcome. Sorry, no I don't use any Youtube extensions at all. : (

[David Empson]

John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:

> On 11/20/14 PDT, 3:40 AM, Lewis wrote:
> > Okay, so one time? In band camp? Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> was all,
> > like:
> >> John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >>> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
> >>> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.
> >
> >> You didn't say what version of OSX you are running but on like 10.10
> >> (and I think 10.9, maybe earlier) if you hold down the option key and
> >> click on the wifi icon in the menu bar, it'll display pretty much
> >> everything you need to know about the network you are currently on.
> >
> >> It shows the channel, if it's 2.4 or 5Ghz, type of security, The RSSI,
> >> Noise level, transmission rate and a few other things.
> >
> >> The only problem with it is, the window can't be left open if you want
> >> to do something else, it's like the downloads window in Safari, has to
> >> remain in the foreground to update.
> >

> > Launch Wireless Diagnostics and choose "Info" from the menu (?-1).

> >
> Thank you, Lewis. Finding it showed me there's an Applications folder in
> Core Services. I suppose moving it to, say Utilities, would be a mistake?

Don't move bits of the operating system around, or you will almost
certainly run into problems when updates are installed, because the
updates are installed in the expected location of the original
package/application/utility, leaving you with a broken application in
the official location, and an outdated one you moved.

If you want an easier way to launch something that is in
/System/Library, then create an alias to it, and put that alias
somewhere you can easily find.

It is also worth noting that Wireless Diagnostics can be run directly
from the Wi-Fi status menu, if you hold down the Option key when
clicking on the menu.

--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-11-20, David Empson <dem...@actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
>
> Don't move bits of the operating system around, or you will almost
> certainly run into problems when updates are installed, because the
> updates are installed in the expected location of the original
> package/application/utility, leaving you with a broken application in
> the official location, and an outdated one you moved.
>
> If you want an easier way to launch something that is in
> /System/Library, then create an alias to it, and put that alias
> somewhere you can easily find.

Good advice. It's the Mac way. : )

> It is also worth noting that Wireless Diagnostics can be run directly
> from the Wi-Fi status menu, if you hold down the Option key when
> clicking on the menu.

+1

[Robert Peirce]

On 11/18/14 11:46 PM, John McWilliams wrote:
> Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
> downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
> not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
> not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
> box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
> Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
> wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.
>

> Stumped.

>
> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.

I've been using WiFi Explorer from the App Store. It has been running
fine for me on OSX 10.10.1.

[Alan Browne]

On 2014.11.18, 23:46 , John McWilliams wrote:
> Looking for an app that'd show actual signal strength on my LAN, I've
> downloaded four apps from the app store, but three of them simply will
> not launch. Not only not from the open dialog box in the app store, but
> not from the Finder. Not after a reboot as well. And there's no dialog
> box anywhere. Also on one of them I changed Permissions to allow all to
> Read and Write, to no avail. I don't think I've ever had an app that
> wouldn't launch or give some indication why not.
>
> Stumped.

iStumbler does fine (same version from Lion through Yosemite) - is that
one of the ones you've tried?

>
> Also, if anyone has a good recommendation for an app that'd show signal
> strength on my MBP, that'd be great.

Above.

--
<< Among Broad Outlines, conception is far more pleasurable
than “carrying [the children] to fruition.”
Sadly, “there’s a high infant mortality rate among
Broad Outlines—they often fall prey to Nonstarters.” >>
"Bestiary of Intelligence Writing" - CIA