Am I the only one who can't get AirDrop to work? Or is it just as useless for everyone?

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MacJeepster wrote:
I had the same problem.
Then I turned on WiFi on my Mac (even though I was using a wired connection) and it works.

AirDrop is strictly a wireless (WiFi/Bluetooth) protocol. AirDrop creates a direct, independent on-the-fly connection between two devices. Lots of good information here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirDrop

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hal wrote: I assume newer OSes and hardware work even better.

Yes, I think that's true.

FWIW, you can get AirDrop to look for older devices:

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AirDrop used to be iOS or macOS only. Since Yosemite it has had heterogeneity.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

hal wrote:
When I had my 2012 imac running 10.9, I could NEVER get it to work properly. Only when running a 2014 imac and 10.11 (and my iP6 running ios9) could I get it working well. I assume newer OSes and hardware work even better.

AirDrop is supported on the 2012 MBP, but Yosemite or later is required to AirDrop to an iOS device: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203106

[Don C]

Between my iMac, MBP, and iPhone 6 the only airdrop connection I can make is from the iMac to the MBP. I can drop files onto the MBP, but no other connection works.

I do most of my file sharing on Dropbox, Google Drive, Box Sync, or DropCopy.

[NewtonMP2100]

....no.....keeps getting.....DROPPED.....

[gabester]

I've used it and had it work seamlessly in some circumstances and be more trouble that just pulling out a crossover ethernet cable and going into the Sharing prefpane in others.

[DinerDave]

I like airdrop, although every once in a while, it just can't find a random device, then next time I try, it works

Dave

[MacJeepster]

Should I turn off wi-fi after using Airdrop or just leave it alone? Should there be a performance hit for using both networking schemes? I'm certain sired ethernet is better than wi-fi.

[bfd]

It's flaky, but it could be more the bluetooth signal that's making things flaky rather than the AirDrop implementation.