Hoping someone has a secret fix I don't know about. I have a MBP 2.26 that no longer shows the airport card as an option for wifi, only ethernet and firewire. I tried adding it but it doesn't show airport as an option. Ok I tried an smc reset, pram and even reloading the osx (snow leopard) as well as downloading the newest firmware. Opened the back and all seems good for connections, I also read this seems to be an issue becoming more common as time goes by with these MBP's. Is there something I missed? Thanks for any suggestions as I no longer have applecare.

Try reseating the connection, if not, replace the card.

tried reseating all the cables attached to the logic board following ifixit.
still no wifi
a card can just stop working I guess.

a card can just stop working I guess.

It can.

If you have an AASP near you, they should have a known good card for testing and likely wouldn't charge (or wouldn't charge much) to just throw it in and confirm. Otherwise, eBay has these cards for as low as $20. Alternately, you are looking at around $100 for the card plus labour for replacement.

I have another mbp from the following year and I understand they are the same innards, I think it may be easier to swap logic boards or complete display units and see if it's the logic board or airport card/antenna.
Still open to ideas.

OK went to apple genius bar and had them check it out and he says it is the logic board connection. New board or usb wifi.

So, anyone know of any good mac compatible small wifi usb adapters?

The gold standard is the Newer Technology USB stick, it is a bit pricey.

We have had success with the Rosewill (generic) RNX-N180UBE USB stick $28 even though it does not claim Mac compatibility. It is a relatively small stick but it has a single positionable antenna.

Thanks for the link although this is the style I would hope for
Canada Computers | Networking | Belkin N150 Wireless Micro USB Adapter - up to 150 Mbps (F7D1102) (http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_1048_1053&item_id=039893)

Thanks for the link although this is the style I would hope for
Canada Computers | Networking | Belkin N150 Wireless Micro USB Adapter - up to 150 Mbps (F7D1102) (http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_1048_1053&item_id=039893)

I came across this while looking for a friends mac mini that does't have a wifi card. Claims to be Mac compatible.

Ultra-Mini Nano USB 2.0 802.11n 150Mbps Wifi/WLAN Wireless Network Adapter - Free Shipping - DealExtreme (http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultra-mini-nano-usb-2-0-802-11n-150mbps-wifi-wlan-wireless-network-adapter-48166)

One of the reviewers stated that it uses a Realtek chip and worked in Leopard but he had to download drivers from Realtek's homepage for Snow Leopard . YMMV!

I came across this while looking for a friends mac mini that does't have a wifi card. Claims to be Mac compatible. YMMV!

Ultra-Mini Nano USB 2.0 802.11n 150Mbps Wifi/WLAN Wireless Network Adapter - Free Shipping - DealExtreme (http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultra-mini-nano-usb-2-0-802-11n-150mbps-wifi-wlan-wireless-network-adapter-48166)

that's what I was hoping to see, thanks I'll look into it!

that's what I was hoping to see, thanks I'll look into it!

I ordered one to try. Looks like the drivers can be downloaded here ... Realtek (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=21&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true)

OK went to apple genius bar and had them check it out and he says it is the logic board connection. New board or usb wifi.

So, anyone know of any good mac compatible small wifi usb adapters?

That's too bad... it's why I suggested trying to confirm before buying anything.

As far as solutions go those ultra-mini USBs don't look too obtrusive. I know lots of people who use them for bluetooth mice on PC laptops.

I ordered one to try. Looks like the drivers can be downloaded here ... Realtek (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=21&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true)

let me know how it works out thanks

what do you know?
unplugged the cable and plugged it back in while swapping the hard drive from an existing macbook
turned it on, it boot to the os and asked which wifi network I wanted to join!
back on wifi!
thanks for the replies

I ordered one to try. Looks like the drivers can be downloaded here ... Realtek (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=21&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true)

did you get it yet?

did you get it yet?

Not yet, stuff from China usually takes a couple of weeks.

Not yet, stuff from China usually takes a couple of weeks.

any word?

any word?

I got it and it works just fine. I did have to download the driver from Realtek's website.

Realtek (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=21&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true)

thanks for letting me know, i ordered one as well, how long from order to delivery?

thanks for letting me know, i ordered one as well, how long from order to delivery?

Slow, about 3 weeks I think. What OS are you using it with?

well the wifi works on the pro so I will give it to a friend who has a huge external wifi usb, she is running vista.

just got it and she loves it, thanks for the link!

had to format and now we can't download the mac drivers, we are hardwired to the router but we keep getting the page saying
"you don't have permission to open this page" when we try to download the driver.
any thoughts on how to get past it?
Realtek (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=21&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true)

had to down load and install firefox, the site supports mac drivers but not mac browsers.