My son just got the new MacBook Pro 2.9 GHz yesterday. Although we have iMacs this is his first laptop. Is it not possible to download stuff using wifi with the lid closed or even slightly open? The only way he can download stuff is having the lid fully open at 90 degrees. I have so far read that you need the lid open to use a monitor unless you use an app of some kind. Thanks!

If you plug in an external display with keyboard and mouse, you can close the lid completely - restart machine and immediately close the lid with the external devices connected. If you want to download items without an external display but aren't using the unit, why not just let the display turn off after X minutes or just turn the brightness all the way down to black?

If the lid is closed and there is no external monitor, keyboard or mouse then the laptop goes to sleep. I'm pretty sure thats what you'd need for it to download stuff etc. There may be an app that can change this.

Though on my MBP; I usually just turn the display all the way down and then there's no light (save maybe external drives or the sleep light on the Mac)

Hope that helped.


.....ooops... I got beaten. Serves me right for opening a pile of threads and going through them one by one!

Thanks both Lars and Chimpur. Even with the lid at say half way, the wifi stops but my son (sort of leaning over to see screen at the obtuse angle) can move the pointer and open apps with the mouse. Is that possible?

Thanks both Lars and Chimpur. Even with the lid at say half way, the wifi stops but my son (sort of leaning over to see screen at the obtuse angle) can move the pointer and open apps with the mouse. Is that possible?

I thought the wifi, Bluetooth and everything else cut out only once the screen was closed. And that there's a magnetic sensor somewhere on the body that gets triggered by a magnet on the bezel of the lid.

Btw, why do you want the lid closed? If your worried about dirt and stuff there are covers made for the keyboard from silicone or even microfiber towels. As for the screen you can lay a large sheet of thin paper over it or a microfiber towel for that too...

Also you can set the screensaver to come on relatively quickly and for it to lock the computer so you'd need to give a password to get past the screensaver if it's privacy or security you are looking for.

I thought the wifi, Bluetooth and everything else cut out only once the screen was closed. And that there's a magnetic sensor somewhere on the body that gets triggered by a magnet on the bezel of the lid.

Btw, why do you want the lid closed? If your worried about dirt and stuff there are covers made for the keyboard from silicone or even microfiber towels. As for the screen you can lay a large sheet of thin paper over it or a microfiber towel for that too...

Also you can set the screensaver to come on relatively quickly and for it to lock the computer so you'd need to give a password to get past the screensaver if it's privacy or security you are looking for.
I Just think he closes it because it seems the logical thing to do. I have heard with the laptop lid close it does heat up especially for a long time, true?

I don't know why you'd want to close the lid while doing a download, but for a solution, download and install the "macosx-nosleep-extension".

Head off to:
Keep a MacBook Running While Closed Without Going to Sleep with NoSleep (http://osxdaily.com/2012/02/10/run-macbook-with-lid-closed-without-sleep-nosleep/)

and then the link to get to:
macosx-nosleep-extension - The MacOS X kernel extension, preventing sleep when you close the lid. - Google Project Hosting (http://code.google.com/p/macosx-nosleep-extension/)

I don't know why you'd want to close the lid while doing a download, but for a solution, download and install the "macosx-nosleep-extension".

Head off to:
Keep a MacBook Running While Closed Without Going to Sleep with NoSleep (http://osxdaily.com/2012/02/10/run-macbook-with-lid-closed-without-sleep-nosleep/)

and then the link to get to:
macosx-nosleep-extension - The MacOS X kernel extension, preventing sleep when you close the lid. - Google Project Hosting (http://code.google.com/p/macosx-nosleep-extension/)
Thanks I'll pass that on to him. Know of an app that'll put lid on my teenage son?:D

Thanks I'll pass that on to him. Know of an app that'll put lid on my teenage son?:D

I'm sure that Google could possibly find something, but we'll need some more details about your son and for what you may want to actually put the lid on. ;)

Assuming he's not going to a Harvard or Princeton type university and Mum and Dad are paying the expensive ongoing shot - that's almost impossible to put a lid on!! ;)

I just tried a Wi-Fi transfer on my MBP (early 2011) with the lid closed to about 10 degrees. No problems at all. I doubt that it should be a problem with a newer model.

I think the Airport (Wi-Fi) antennas still run from the body to the top case through the hinge. Given that the problem seems to centre around the hinge, I'm wondering if a faulty antenna, wire or connector could be the problem?

I assumed that from the picture drawn above of the kid bent over staring into the partially closed laptop--for no ap-parent reason.




Assuming he's not going to a Harvard or Princeton type university ...

The only way he can download stuff is having the lid fully open at 90 degrees.

I'd take it back in and have it repaired or replaced. That lid ain't right.