MacOS WIFI Driver broken on >= Sonoma 14.x because `airport` command is retired

[epheo]

Apple has officially retired the airport command-line utility on macOS Sonoma 14.4

Component
Python SDK

Description
SSID Scan does not work anymore on recent Mac OS X version.

To Reproduce
Try connecting to a GoPro using Mac OS Sonoma 14.4

Expected behavior
Python SDK should migrate to wdutil as per Apple recomandation.

Screenshots

~ % airport
WARNING: The airport command line tool is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
For diagnosing Wi-Fi related issues, use the Wireless Diagnostics app or wdutil command line tool.

[epheo]

So wdutil only returns the known SSIDs...
I'm struggling to find a suitable alternative to airport -scan.

One (not so straightforward) alternative could be to conditionally add pyobjc dependency if system is darwin (can rely on sys_platform marker https://python-poetry.org/docs/dependency-specification/#using-environment-markers) and make use of the native ObjC /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreWLAN.framework.

[tool.poetry.dependencies]
pyobjc = {version = "*", markers = "sys_platform == 'darwin'"}

Then something like:

import objc
from CoreWLAN import *

def scan_wifi_networks(interface_name=None):
    # Load CoreWLAN framework
    objc.loadBundle('CoreWLAN',
                    bundle_path='/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreWLAN.framework',
                    module_globals=globals())

    # Create a CWInterface object
    if interface_name:
        interface = CWInterface.interfaceWithName_(interface_name)
    else:
        interface = CWInterface.interface()

    # Scan for networks
    error = None
    networks, error = interface.scanForNetworksWithSSID_error_(None, None)
    
    if error:
        print(f"Error scanning for Wi-Fi networks: {error}")
    else:
        for network in networks:
            print(f"SSID: {network.ssid()}")

[sfoley-gpqa]

So wdutil only returns the known SSIDs... I'm struggling to find a suitable alternative to airport -scan.

One (not so straightforward) alternative could be to conditionally add pyobjc dependency if system is darwin (can rely on sys_platform marker https://python-poetry.org/docs/dependency-specification/#using-environment-markers) and make use of the native ObjC /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreWLAN.framework.

[tool.poetry.dependencies]
pyobjc = {version = "*", markers = "sys_platform == 'darwin'"}

Then something like:

import objc
from CoreWLAN import *

def scan_wifi_networks(interface_name=None):
    # Load CoreWLAN framework
    objc.loadBundle('CoreWLAN',
                    bundle_path='/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreWLAN.framework',
                    module_globals=globals())

    # Create a CWInterface object
    if interface_name:
        interface = CWInterface.interfaceWithName_(interface_name)
    else:
        interface = CWInterface.interface()

    # Scan for networks
    error = None
    networks, error = interface.scanForNetworksWithSSID_error_(None, None)
    
    if error:
        print(f"Error scanning for Wi-Fi networks: {error}")
    else:
        for network in networks:
            print(f"SSID: {network.ssid()}")

This seems like a good solution; however, on my system, the SSID is None for every network object. I've searched for a solution, gave Full Disk Access to both iTerm and terminal but no luck so far. I also tried to grant Location Services access to iTerm/terminal but I don't see an option to manually add them in macOS 14.3.1.

If you have further input, please feel free to offer it! 😬

[epheo]

I do not own a Macintosh, and MacOS Ventura is the latest I can virtualize atm.
After borrowing a system with 14.4.1 for a moment I could get a correct SSID as follow:

[...]
>>> import CoreLocation
>>> location_manager = CoreLocation.CLLocationManager.alloc().init()
>>> location_manager.startUpdatingLocation()
>>> networks, error = iface.scanForNetworksWithName_error_( None, None )
>>> print(networks)

Dependencies:

• pyobjc-framework-CoreWLAN
• pyobjc-framework-CoreLocation

I tested on MacOS 14.4.1 with Python 3.11 installed via brew and pyobjc 10.2.
The following references seems to indicate that behavior may differ between systems and Python Versions.

• CoreWLAN returning None for SSID/BSSID ronaldoussoren/pyobjc#600
• https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/748518

[sfoley-gpqa]

I do not own a Macintosh, and MacOS Ventura is the latest I can virtualize atm. After borrowing a system with 14.4.1 for a moment I could get a correct SSID as follow:

[...]
>>> import CoreLocation
>>> location_manager = CoreLocation.CLLocationManager.alloc().init()
>>> location_manager.startUpdatingLocation()
>>> networks, error = iface.scanForNetworksWithName_error_( None, None )
>>> print(networks)

Dependencies:

• pyobjc-framework-CoreWLAN
• pyobjc-framework-CoreLocation

I tested on MacOS 14.4.1 with Python 3.11 installed via brew and pyobjc 10.2. The following references seems to indicate that behavior may differ between systems and Python Versions.

• CoreWLAN returning None for SSID/BSSID ronaldoussoren/pyobjc#600
• https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/748518

Running macOS Sonoma 14.3.1 (23D60) and using the code below, I'm getting null for all SSIDs:

python3 -m venv /tmp/scantest
/tmp/scantest/bin/pip3 install pyobjc
...
/tmp/scantest/bin/python3
Python 3.10.13 (main, Sep 13 2023, 13:03:08) [Clang 14.0.3 (clang-1403.0.22.14.1)] on darwin

>>> import CoreLocation
>>> from CoreWLAN import CWInterface, CWWiFiClient
>>> wifi_client: CWWiFiClient = CWWiFiClient.sharedWiFiClient()
>>> interface = wifi_client.interface()
>>> location_manager = CoreLocation.CLLocationManager.alloc().init()
>>> location_manager.startUpdatingLocation()
>>> networks, error = interface.scanForNetworksWithName_error_( None, None )
>>> print(networks)
{(
    <CWNetwork: 0x600003afc4a0> [ssid=(null), bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-27, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600003ad4040> [channelNumber=1(2GHz), channelWidth={20MHz}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600003afc500> [ssid=(null), bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-84, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600003ad8800> [channelNumber=136(5GHz), channelWidth={80MHz}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600003afc580> [ssid=(null), bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-77, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600003ad87d0> [channelNumber=11(2GHz), channelWidth={20MHz}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600003afc4f0> [ssid=(null), bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-38, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600003ad8830> [channelNumber=149(5GHz), channelWidth={80MHz}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600003afc670> [ssid=(null), bssid=(null), security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-74, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600003ad8860> [channelNumber=10(2GHz), channelWidth={20MHz}], ibss=0]
)}

[epheo]

weird...
So I tried combining both Python 3.11 (from brew), PyObjc 9.2 (to satisfy Bleak dependencies), Python 3.9 (from system) and PyObjc 10.2 (latest) and all seems to be working fine on 14.4.1
If 14.3 and 14.4 are handling this differently, wow... such mess.

% poetry show |egrep "(corewlan|corelocation)" 
pyobjc-framework-corelocation  9.2            Wrappers for the framework Co...
pyobjc-framework-corewlan      9.2            Wrappers for the framework Co...

% poetry run python3 --version
Python 3.11.8

% sw_vers
ProductName:		macOS
ProductVersion:		14.4.1
BuildVersion:		23E224

% poetry run python3
Python 3.11.8 (main, Feb  6 2024, 21:21:21) [Clang 15.0.0 (clang-1500.1.0.2.5)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import CoreLocation
>>> from CoreWLAN import CWInterface, CWWiFiClient
>>> wifi_client: CWWiFiClient = CWWiFiClient.sharedWiFiClient()
>>> interface = wifi_client.interface()
>>> location_manager = CoreLocation.CLLocationManager.alloc().init()
>>> location_manager.startUpdatingLocation()
>>> networks, error = interface.scanForNetworksWithName_error_( None, None )
>>> print(networks)
{(
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c620> [ssid=Almacen Yuniko, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-88, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cb20> [channelNumber=10(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(-1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c6a0> [ssid=lar 2, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-87, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cb50> [channelNumber=7(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c780> [ssid=DIR-615-0914, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-87, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cb80> [channelNumber=13(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(-1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c690> [ssid=LAR1, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-50, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cbb0> [channelNumber=2(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c860> [ssid=Lar13, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-74, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cbe0> [channelNumber=1(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c920> [ssid=NETGEAR71, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-91, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cc10> [channelNumber=9(2GHz), channelWidth={20MHz}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289c9b0> [ssid=Tara, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-94, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cc40> [channelNumber=6(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x60000289ca90> [ssid=Administración, bssid=<redacted>, security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-84, channel=<CWChannel: 0x60000289cc70> [channelNumber=8(2GHz), channelWidth={20MHz}], ibss=0]
)}

% sw_vers
ProductName:		macOS
ProductVersion:		14.4.1
BuildVersion:		23E224

% python3 -m venv /tmp/scantest
% /tmp/scantest/bin/pip3 install pyobjc

% /tmp/scantest/bin/pip3 list |egrep "(CoreWLAN|CoreLocation)" 
pyobjc-framework-CoreLocation                     10.2
pyobjc-framework-CoreWLAN                         10.2

% /tmp/scantest/bin/python3
Python 3.9.6 (default, Feb  3 2024, 15:58:28) 
[Clang 15.0.0 (clang-1500.3.9.4)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import CoreLocation
>>> from CoreWLAN import CWInterface, CWWiFiClient
>>> wifi_client: CWWiFiClient = CWWiFiClient.sharedWiFiClient()
>>> interface = wifi_client.interface()
>>> location_manager = CoreLocation.CLLocationManager.alloc().init()
>>> location_manager.startUpdatingLocation()
>>> networks, error = interface.scanForNetworksWithName_error_( None, None )
>>> print(networks)
{(
    <CWNetwork: 0x600002080200> [ssid=lar 2, bssid=(null), security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-84, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600002088000> [channelNumber=7(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x6000020802d0> [ssid=LAR14, bssid=(null), security=WPA/WPA2 Personal, rssi=-91, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600002095300> [channelNumber=5(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(-1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600002080380> [ssid=ETAZLA, bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-85, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600002095330> [channelNumber=4(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x6000020802c0> [ssid=LAR1, bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-55, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600002095360> [channelNumber=2(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(+1)}], ibss=0],
    <CWNetwork: 0x600002080460> [ssid=DIR-615-0914, bssid=(null), security=WPA2 Personal, rssi=-84, channel=<CWChannel: 0x600002095390> [channelNumber=13(2GHz), channelWidth={40MHz(-1)}], ibss=0]
)}

I do not have any 14.3 systems at hand but working on virtualizing Sonoma.
Would you by chance have a MacOS CI/CD test pipeline or similar to compare versions ?

[tcamise-gpsw]

I also am getting null SSID's on Sonoma 14.4.1.
Is my understanding correct that this is because location services are not enabled? At least on my machine, I do not appear to have anyway of enabling them.