Pokerstars Software Turns on WiFi on iMac when it's not supposed to.

[MattRyder]

Does anyone have this problem? Wherever I play poker on my iMac using the pokerstars software, it always turns my WiFi on. I don't need or want the WiFi on since my computer has a hardwired connection. If I turn it off through my computer's system settings, it always turns back on within a few seconds.

This is the only App that I use that does this, and it ALWAYS does it. I have to manually turn it off every time after I quit the Pokerstars software.

I contacted Pokerstars support two months ago. I've reinstalled the software a couple of times, dumped my system cache files a couple of times, and changed some other settings, all per their directions, and all to no avail. Pokerstars support has no solution that works. They said that they were reporting it to their programming team two months ago. I've heard nothing back from them since. There have been updates to their software over the past two months, but nothing has helped.

Anybody have the same issue?

 

[Aglarion]

Does anyone have this problem? Wherever I play poker on my iMac using the Pokerstars software, it always turns my WiFi on. I don't need or want the WiFi on since my computer has a hardwired connection. If I turn it off through my computer's system settings, it always turns back on within a few seconds.

This is the only app that I use that does this, and it ALWAYS does it. I have to manually turn it off every time after I quit the Pokerstars software.

I contacted Pokerstars support two months ago. I've reinstalled the software a couple of times, dumped my system cache files a couple of times, and changed some other settings, all per their directions, and all to no avail. Pokerstars support has no solution that works. They said that they were reporting it to their programming team two months ago. I've heard nothing back from them since. There have been updates to their software over the past two months, but nothing has helped.

Anybody have the same issue?

Don't you have a hardware switch to turn off your wi-fi antenna?
That is indeed a weird issue I never had any software override my OS connection settings in that way but then I don't use a mac.

 

[MattRyder]

A hardware switch would be a surefire way to handle the issue, but sadly no such thing exist.

 

[fa1920]

First time I read a problem of this type, I would think that pokerstars has that function of "activate the wi-fi" to have a better connection, maybe ... You should look for YouTube tutorials on how to deactivate the wifi definitively On the iMac

 

[Andrei Korolev]

Sorry,first time I heard about this,maybe the Internet has info on this topic...

 

[MattRyder]

First time I read a problem of this type, I would think that pokerstars has that function of "activate the wi-fi" to have a better connection, maybe ... You should look for YouTube tutorials on how to deactivate the wifi definitively On the iMac

Thanks. I've searched YouTube for answers but haven't found any. It must be some kind of bug in their software. There's no reason for PokerStars to be changing connection types. They should just use whatever the default connection is - in my case, Ethernet.

I should add that this a fairly new thing. I've been using PokerStars on this computer for most of the past 5 years without this problem.

 

[rnmkr]

Hmm it must be some weird bug in pokerstars, tbh i afraid they won't fix it unless some of their employees or someone get this bug. Same sad thing happened with my linux software install on my old hardware. Never got lucky

 

[MattRyder]

For anyone who happens on to this thread, my problem has been solved. I decided to try reinstalling the software one more time and this time it worked. Good things come to those who wait.

 

[doggieook]

HHHHHHHEY

HEY THERE! I have been waiting for months for someone else to bring this up on a forum somewhere! I argued with Apple for months, then argued with PS for months, then Apple, then PS..... gave up!
I have NO clue why it happens. I am sitting here now and i have just sat and watched as my wifi went on, then i turn off, then it goes on, then i turn it off. over and over again for 10 minutes. It is 100% definitely PS doing it as it only happens when I have that app running. PS have no answers, they say its apple;s fault. Apple say no, its PS fault as its their script doing it.
I am just about to give up with PS altogether (which is a real shame for me) but I read your post and wondered how you fixed it.... what did you reinstall, the PS app? I have done that before and it didn't help, unless maybe they have just released a fix for the issue they say isn't an issue

 

[Aglarion]

I still can't believe Apple doesn't include a hardware switch for wi-fi on their laptops.

 

[doggieook]

Me neither, but I am not on a laptop although I find it equally hard to believe that anyone would write a piece of software (PS) which changes computer hardware settings without permission! Ridiculous. How the hell do I stop this doing it!

 

[Aglarion]

Me neither, but I am not on a laptop although I find it equally hard to believe that anyone would write a piece of software (PS) which changes computer hardware settings without permission! Ridiculous. How the hell do I stop this doing it!

If you are on a desktop do you actually use wi-fi for anything? You could just disable the wi-fi antenna as a work around.

 

[MattRyder]

If you are on a desktop do you actually use wi-fi for anything? You could just disable the wi-fi antenna as a work around.

My iMac desktop is a sealed unit. The only hardware that I have access to are the RAM modules, i.e., there is no way to manually disable the W-Fi antenna. I never have use for the Wi-Fi since I use my wired connection.

 

[MattRyder]

HEY THERE! I have been waiting for months for someone else to bring this up on a forum somewhere! I argued with Apple for months, then argued with PS for months, then Apple, then PS..... gave up!
I have NO clue why it happens. I am sitting here now and i have just sat and watched as my wifi went on, then i turn off, then it goes on, then i turn it off. over and over again for 10 minutes. It is 100% definitely PS doing it as it only happens when I have that app running. PS have no answers, they say its apple;s fault. Apple say no, its PS fault as its their script doing it.
I am just about to give up with PS altogether (which is a real shame for me) but I read your post and wondered how you fixed it.... what did you reinstall, the PS app? I have done that before and it didn't help, unless maybe they have just released a fix for the issue they say isn't an issue

Sorry, I wasn't clear on which software I reinstalled. Yes, it was the PS app. This was the third or fourth time I had done it for this Wi-Fi issue. This last time was the only time it ever worked. I have no idea why that kind of functionality would even be available to 3rd party software programmers. Whether to use Wi-Fi or not should just be a system (OS) level matter.

 

[doggieook]

"My iMac desktop is a sealed unit. The only hardware that I have access to are the RAM modules, i.e., there is no way to manually disable the W-Fi antenna. I never have use for the Wi-Fi since I use my wired connection." - Precisely, same here, I am on an iMac too.

"Whether to use Wi-Fi or not should just be a system (OS) level matter" - Yes exactly, it REALLY pees me off. I feel violated!!! It's MY damn connection setting, nobody else's! And the fact I do not use wifi for anything suggests I don't need it or want it, who the hell is PS to force me to use it, but more to the point.... WHY?! My ethernet is stable as a rock, bugger that wifi crap!

I am hesitant to reinstall PS app because I am worried about losing loads of settings/prefs etc, or does a reinstall not affect those?

Thanks v much

 

[Aglarion]

My iMac desktop is a sealed unit. The only hardware that I have access to are the RAM modules, i.e., there is no way to manually disable the W-Fi antenna. I never have use for the Wi-Fi since I use my wired connection.

"My iMac desktop is a sealed unit. The only hardware that I have access to are the RAM modules, i.e., there is no way to manually disable the W-Fi antenna. I never have use for the Wi-Fi since I use my wired connection." - Precisely, same here, I am on an iMac too.

"Whether to use Wi-Fi or not should just be a system (OS) level matter" - Yes exactly, it REALLY pees me off. I feel violated!!! It's MY damn connection setting, nobody else's! And the fact I do not use wifi for anything suggests I don't need it or want it, who the hell is PS to force me to use it, but more to the point.... WHY?! My ethernet is stable as a rock, bugger that wifi crap!

I am hesitant to reinstall PS app because I am worried about losing loads of settings/prefs etc, or does a reinstall not affect those?

Thanks v much

I didn't mean to remove the hardware but there should be a way to disable the antenna from the OS, like just uninstalling the drivers, I doubt the PS software would be able to turn it on if there are no drivers installed.
This is really easy to do on windows but I don't have any experience with OS X to show you how.

 

[doggieook]

Yes I get the theory and it's a good idea in theory, just not sure its possible on OSX. These iMacs in particular are meant to be fairly idiot proof (hence why I have one ) and very stable without a lot of knowledge to tinker around in the system stuff. I can do a bit of that, but have never heard of anyone managing to disable wifi other than by the toggle switch on the menu bar, which is how we are turning it off, and how PS is turning the damn thing on!

 

[David Watson]

Hello everyone, I've joined this forum to comment on this discussion. I should at the outset explain that I work as an IT manger and I use PS on my MacBook Pro when on the move, and at home on a MacMini. Both computers run MacOS High Sierra - 10.13.5 which at the time of writing is the latest version.

I found this thread because I too experienced the strange phenomenon of my wi-fi turning on, which is both unexpected and annoying. My MacMini only connects through a wired ethernet connection and I therefore have no need or desire (for security reasons) ever to switch wi-fi on. I habitually keep the wi-fi indicator in the menu bar, as it’s a quick means of opening the network preferences, as I regularly make changes to my home network.

I was able to confirm, through testing all my Apps, that the ONLY application which exhibits this errant behaviour is PokerStars. As others have said, the most likely reason for this is to provide another means of connection to the PS servers. However I don’t want an application making what I see as fundamental changes to my computer’s settings, which could potentially have security implications.

I tried using MacOS’s preferences to see if I could prevent it. Here’s what I found:

• Even with no saved wi-fi networks, PS turns on wi-fi. There’s therefore no preferences influencing the wi-fi power on.
• In advanced wi-fi preferences, checking the option to “Require administrator authorisation to turn wi-fi on or off” makes no difference, PS still turns on wi-fi.
• Having made wi-fi an inactive service, PS continues turned on the wi-fi. The system preference states that “Wi-Fi is turned on but is not connected to a network.”

While I’m in no real danger, given wi-fi is not connected to anything and there are no saved configurations, what really grates is the lack of control over my computer.

The only way that I can see to prevent PS doing this is physically to disconnect the Airport card in my MacMini, which would be a 10 minute job, but why should I?

I have a couple of contacts in Apple and a highly experienced Mac technician who I’m going to speak to about this, as it’s completely unacceptable behaviour. I’ll report back if / when I hear anything.

Cheers

David

 

[ps_komaklos]

I just stubbeld appon this weird issue today. Since quite some time i was wondring wth id always have to turn my wifi off and what could be the cause of this behaviour. Thanks for posting this!


I really wonder how they can implement this. Is the software still safe to use? I wonderd also why the mobile app need gps permission on ios? Could the matter be connected somehow? Is it just to verify that your playing from a country your allowed to? Maybe i reinstall the full tilt software and check if its also Turning wifi back on... i dont like this!

 

[ps_komaklos]

Not that i thought it would be different because its basicly the same software, but i can confirm Full Tilt does also turn of wifi.
I noticed that it turns on wifi after you log in to your account, when i run the software and do not log in it does not happen.
Its such a shame, this newer clients are so bad compared to the old FT client back around 2010, also performance wise.

 

[ps_komaklos]

i got also an answer from poker stars support, that its an issue with "location services" and they claim some users found a solution by updating their router firmware, but i cant image how this should affect the poker stars client in any way.
here is a link the support send me to another thread on apples: p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #4787ff} span.s1 {text-decoration: underline} https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3686034

 

[epastor]

I tested activation/deactivation of location services in my iMac and no solution found

 

[ps_komaklos]

Yeah, its pretty strange. And i guess they do not want to fix it, it is still the same for i don't know how many updates now.

 

[orchidra]

Does anyone have this problem? Wherever I play poker on my iMac using the Pokerstars software, it always turns my WiFi on. I don't need or want the WiFi on since my computer has a hardwired connection. If I turn it off through my computer's system settings, it always turns back on within a few seconds.

This is the only app that I use that does this, and it ALWAYS does it. I have to manually turn it off every time after I quit the Pokerstars software.

I contacted Pokerstars support two months ago. I've reinstalled the software a couple of times, dumped my system cache files a couple of times, and changed some other settings, all per their directions, and all to no avail. Pokerstars support has no solution that works. They said that they were reporting it to their programming team two months ago. I've heard nothing back from them since. There have been updates to their software over the past two months, but nothing has helped.

Anybody have the same issue?

Hi Matt.
Did you solve your issue?
I do not have an iMac, so cannot be much help, but found the following link.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3686034
Looks like it may be an iMac issue.

 

[MattRyder]

Hi Matt.
Did you solve your issue?
I do not have an iMac, so cannot be much help, but found the following link.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3686034
Looks like it may be an iMac issue.

Thanks for the link. I read through it and tried some of the suggestions, but to no avail. I notice that I originally posted this a year and a quarter ago. I still have the problem after several iterations of Mac OS (now on Mojave 10.14). I luv Macs but there a couple of things that never seem to get fixed. This is one of them. In my case anyway it also seems to only be related to Pokerstars.

Pokerstars had no solution a year and a quarter ago. I would try them again but they have never ever been able to resolve any actual technical issues for me. They always want my log files. Then they tell me to reinstall the software. Then they tell me that they are going to escalate the matter to the techies. Then the techies get back to me a month or two later and tell me that they have no solution.

There are a few bugs related to Pokerstars and my Mac that I just accept now because they will never be fixed. Fortunately none of them are show stoppers, just annoyances. I also have problems with the ACR Mac software. Those ARE show stoppers so I stopped using the ACR software altogether.