Apple has posted a support document that explains what to do if the Ethernet connection on your Mac stopped working recently.
If the Ethernet connection on your Mac stopped working recently, check System Information to find out which version of “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data” is installed. If you have version 3.28.1, you need an update. If you can connect to WiFi, your Mac will update to version 3.28.2 automatically, or you can follow the steps below to restore it manually.
First, check your version number:
1. While pressing the Option key, click the Apple menu and select System Information.
2. Expand the Software section and select Installations.
3. Click on the Software Name column header to sort the list alphabetically.
4. Look for “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data.”
5. If the most recent version installed is 3.28.1, then follow the steps below.
If you can connect to WiFi, follow these steps to update to version 3.28.2:
1. Open the Terminal app.
2. Type this command to update to the current version of the “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data” kernel extension:
sudo softwareupdate –background
3. Quit Terminal and restart your Mac.
If you can’t connect to WiFi, follow these steps to update to version 3.28.2:
1. Follow the instructions to restart your Mac in OS X Recovery. After your Mac restarts, go to step 2.
2. Select Disk Utility from the list of OS X Utilities.
3. Select your drive from the list of internal drives in the sidebar. The default name is “Macintosh HD.” Your drive might have a different name or location, if you renamed or moved it.
4. If the drive name is gray, then your drive might be protected by FileVault. Select File > Unlock from the Disk Utility menu, and enter your FileVault password.
5. Select File > Mount in Disk Utility to mount your drive, if it’s not already mounted.
6. Quit Disk Utility. If you’d like to be able to copy and paste the command required in Step 8, select Get Help Online from the OS X Utilities list to open Safari and view this article on Apple’s support site at support.apple.com/kb/HT6672. Quit Safari before you go to the next step.
7. Launch the Terminal app from Utilities > Terminal.
8. Type (or copy and paste) this command as one line in Terminal. In the example below, the drive name is “Macintosh HD,” and there’s a space between Macintosh and HD. If your Mac’s drive name is different, adjust the text:
rm -rf “/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/Extensions/AppleKextExcludeList.kext”
9. Quit the Terminal app.
10. Select Restart from the Apple menu.
11. After your Mac restarts, your Ethernet connection should work.
12. Open the Terminal app and type this command to update to the current version of the “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data” kernel extension:
sudo softwareupdate –background
13. Quit Terminal and restart your Mac.
Alternatively, if you confirmed that your Mac has Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data version 3.28.1, you can also follow the instructions to restart your Mac into OS X Recovery mode, and then select Reinstall OS X. You can reinstall OS X on your drive without reformatting it.
Source: Apple Inc.
And a reminder NEVER UPDATE your computer before you have to do something important with it right away.
*turns off auto-update
In short: we can’t trust Apple to release bug-free software anymore. We are now supposed to do Apple’s testing for them.
Is this how far Apple has fallen? I am disgusted that Apple keeps letting this stuff slip. It does speak of bad leadership, and bad attention to detail. I am beginning to wonder if Apple leaders even use the products they are shipping before they are released to users.
Apple learned from the Apple TV4 that foolish customers will happily PAY to be Apple testers so they’ve fired the QA team. It’s just funny now. Oh so sad it’s funny.
Oh yeah that’s easy. /sarcasm
Isn’t there an AppleScript or something they could drop in with the KB to check these things and run the terminal command so the user doesn’t have to?
Never even noticed it. I have GB Ethernet plugged directly to my AC. I also have GB 1300MB/s WiFi at the same time. Even with the worse signal, it’s still around the 800MB/s range. Non issue so far.
I don’t have any of those versions. Do I update anyway?
MDN says you need an update to your “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data.” Which version of “Incompatible Kernel Extension Configuration Data” should I be using? 😛
“It just works.”
QC becoming a bit lapse at Apple these days.
So you give all these instructions on what to do if you don’t have WiFi. Well if I don’t have WiFi and my ethernet is broken how in the heck am I suppose to read this article?
But answer me this oh great MAC worshippers. Is Apple adding software to my MAC all the time without me ever knowing it like it did with 3.28.1 and 3.28.2 the past 2 days? I was under the impression that Apple would notify me of updates and then I would go to the app store and download them.
I’m reading this from my iPhone.
Just go to McDonald’s and buy an oatmeal or an Apple pie. They have free WiFi to fix your problem. Problem solved.
It’s a 27 inch DESKTOP! That’s why it was connected to Ethernet to begin with. Should I get fries with that?
Widows has caught up alright. Apple needs to focus on getting stuff out that works.
Shut the door to Apple. Otherwise, odds are you’re gonna loose everything. iTunes messes with your music, Email and Safari doesn’t work properly, WiFi problems, Notes doesn’t sync to OSX 9 anymore, iPhotos lost all libraries and events. And now THIS ? What ? Apple Inc. is asking for regular users, moms e grannies, go to TERMINAL? What next, DOS?
Haven’t been this pissed at Apple for a while. It hit my trashcan and my mini. It sure felt like a router issue and after reflashing and completely resetting the router, I figured that 3 years of hard duty had finally done it in. So a new router is on the way. It will be an upgrade and the old router will make a nice access point. But Apple, you still cost me several hours and a couple of Franklins. You might think about taking a couple of guys off the stupid car and moving them to SQA.
I’d like to agree with the fanboy club that Apple is still the absolute best software company in the world, but increasing numbers of these events are completely eroding my confidence. There is absolutely no excuse for Apple to be as bad — or worse — that Microsoft. But today, in many ways, Apple is just screwing up the Mac platform.
QUALITY CONTROL, APPLE. GET TO WORK.
I’m tired of Cook treating the Mac like an afterthought.
I never noticed this issue at all. When I checked this morning my system had already updated the fix to 3.28.2. Since I never shut my Macs off, this fix also posted automatically.
So what you are saying is that Apple, without your knowledge and without your permission, scanned your machine, changed the software on your machine, and never left a note telling you that they had done so?
Doesn’t anyone recognize the hypocrisy when Apple does this? Any other company or government that does this drives the fanboys here to hysterics.
No user should EVER have his computer datamined or altered BY ANYONE INCLUDING APPLE without explicit instance-by-instance permission. In this matter Apple is acting like big brother just as much as anyone else.
great article
I did the instructions I still have the version 3.26 no 3.28 at all