BLUETOOTH and SAMSUNG GALAXY S4: 'Network not Available' and so cannot transfer files

[innfield]

Forgive me for my first appearance on these forums being a question that's probably painfully simple, but which has resisted all my efforts to fix it:

My Mac as below:

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)
Processor: 4.2 GHz Intel Core 7
Memory: 64 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Graphics: Radeon Pro 580 8192 MB
Fusion Drive

This Mac is two months old, runs 10.12.6, and the transition from my previous Mac has been flawless - until now.

I need to transfer photos and various other files from my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone to the Mac. I have paired them (apparently) successfully, turned on 'File Share' and 'Bluetooth Share', re-paired them and done all the obvious things I did on the old Mac (where this action worked flawlessly). Magic Trackpad and Keyboard both work fine, and the S4 shows up in the list,

However whenever I try to send from the Samsung, I get 'Network Unavailable/Please ensure that network access is enabled', and the send fails. I've tried every imaginable remedy that Google has thrown up for this problem, without success.

Could anyone give me a hand on this, please? I have this shiny new Mac, and it refuses to do something which is surely pretty basic. Of course I accept that it's probably something I've done (or haven't done) on either the Mac or the S4 ... but still ....

The other catastrophe is going to be upgrading to 10.13 when Apple releases a modification that makes it work on fusion drives, but that's not urgent.

Thanks in anticipation
Richard Innfield

 

[MacInWin]

Welcome to the forum.

On which device does the error message appear? 'Network Unavailable/Please ensure that network access is enabled' could mean that either the Galaxy isn't on the network, and that could be either the local network or the cellular network, or if it's on the Mac, that either the Wifi or Ethernet network is not there. And if you have a dual band router (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz), and if the two are named differently, the two might be on different frequencies, which means they may not be on the SAME network, technically. But until we know which device is showing the error, it's hard to troubleshoot.

 

[innfield]

Welcome to the forum.

On which device does the error message appear? 'Network Unavailable/Please ensure that network access is enabled' could mean that either the Galaxy isn't on the network, and that could be either the local network or the cellular network, or if it's on the Mac, that either the Wifi or Ethernet network is not there. And if you have a dual band router (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz), and if the two are named differently, the two might be on different frequencies, which means they may not be on the SAME network, technically. But until we know which device is showing the error, it's hard to troubleshoot.

Hi, MacInWin ... thanks for the prompt response. I appreciate your willingness to help.
The notification is on the iMac, and it appears when I click the Bluetooth symbol top right, where the Galaxy, the Magic Trackpad and the Wireless Keyboard are all listed. It offers the options Send file to device, also Connect to Network and Disconnect. Choosing 'Connect to Network' or 'Send file to Device' both produce this message. As far as the phone is concerned, the pairing happened normally, but no dice.

Also, in Networks (System Preferences), 'Ethernet' is on, as I'm using a Lan cable from a nearby router. 'WiFi' is currently off, as I'm not using it (although the Galaxy is on the WiFi Network). 'Bluetooth Pan', 'Samsung Modem' (Amber) and 'Thunderbolt Bridge' are all off. WiFi can easily be switched on or off, but I leave it off as I always use a Lan cable with this computer.

Kind regards
Innfield

 

[MacInWin]

Try turning on WiFi on the iMac and log into your WiFi network. You can leave the Ethernet connected. The two interfaces (WiFi and Ethernet) will show green dots and should have different IPs from each other, which is fine. Now the Galaxy and iMac will be in the same network (WiFi) and the transfer should occur. I have the same setup here because I need WiFi for the  Watch to unlock the Mac for me but I want the Ethernet speeds for most transfers. Works fine, doesn't get confused.

 

[innfield]

Hi, MacInWin ... thanks for the prompt response. I appreciate your willingness to help.
The notification is on the iMac, and it appears when I click the Bluetooth symbol top right, where the Galaxy, the Magic Trackpad and the Wireless Keyboard are all listed. It offers the options Send file to device, also Connect to Network and Disconnect. Choosing 'Connect to Network' or 'Send file to Device' both produce this message. As far as the phone is concerned, the pairing happened normally, but no dice.

Also, in Networks (System Preferences), 'Ethernet' is on, as I'm using a Lan cable from a nearby router. 'WiFi' is currently off, as I'm not using it (although the Galaxy is on the WiFi Network). 'Bluetooth Pan', 'Samsung Modem' (Amber) and 'Thunderbolt Bridge' are all off. WiFi can easily be switched on or off, but I leave it off as I always use a Lan cable with this computer.

Kind regards
Innfield

Hi again ...

I've done as you suggest, as well as uninstalling and re-installing/pairing the S4 with the iMac.

No dice - I keep getting the same message. However I can send photos, for example, from the iMac to my phone without difficulty.

Ornery machine!!

 

[MacInWin]

If photos are going from the Mac to the S4 but files are not, I can't help any more. The devices are connected, but for some reason some files (pictures) will transfer and others won't. It may be that the files that won't transfer aren't associated or in a format that the MBP can use, but that's a stretch. Maybe someone with an S4 and Mac will jump in here to help.

 

[IWT]

Hi and welcome.

I'm at risk of mudding the waters here, but can you not connect the two by USB cable?

Here are some links that discuss File and photos transfer from your phone to the Mac.

I do hope this might help. I don't want to add to the confusion.

https://www.android.com/filetransfer/
http://thedigitalstory.com/2013/07/import-samsung-camera-photo-to-mac.html
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6169625

Ian

 

[innfield]

iMac and Samsung S4

Stop Press!

I can send any file type from the Mac to the wretched phone and all is well. The S4 (sorry ... the iMac, NOT the S4) changes from 'Not Connected' to 'Connected' as soon as the file transfer begins. I think that's what normally happens, not so?

However, sending from the S4 to the Mac - not a hope. I really can't understand why.

 

[innfield]

The situation now is that I can send anything - any file - from the iMac to the S4 - but not the other way around, which is really what I need to do the most (pics, video clips, audio recordings)

It's probably something mundane - but I'm just not winning here.

Innfield

 

[cradom]

More muddy water... If he/she's sending files by Bluetooth why does he need to connect to a network? Totally different protocol.

 

[innfield]

More muddy water... If he/she's sending files by Bluetooth why does he need to connect to a network? Totally different protocol.

Thank you, cradom, for weighing in on this - as you'll see above, the situation is that The iMac will send files to the Galaxy S4, which it receives as normal. Also, 'Samsung Galaxy S4' changes from 'Not connected' to 'Connected' the instant that the transfer is initiated. But trying the other way around meets with the same little dialogue box I've been receiving since the beginning - i.e. 'Network unavailable - please ensure that the nerwork is enabled'. I hear what you say about different protocols, but I have only the most basic understanding of these things. It seems to me, rightly or wrongly, that if it works in one direction, it ought surely to work in both.

 

[dtravis7]

I own an S4 as my backup phone if my iphone fails. I will mess with it later when I get up and see if I can figure it out.

 

[cradom]

OK, I just tried this on my S3 and it works...
I also have Bluetooth Sharing In Sharing checked. Got files to go both ways.
How is your Bluetooth sharing set? Mine is "Accept and save" and "Always Allow"

 

[dtravis7]

OK, I just tried this on my S3 and it works...
I also have Bluetooth Sharing In Sharing checked. Got files to go both ways.
How is your Bluetooth sharing set? Mine is "Accept and save" and "Always Allow"

Just curious, what version of Google OS are you running on your S3? Here is 4.4.2 on the S4. I could not get it to send to the imac without error. Running High Sierra latest version here.

Also on the bluetooth sharing are you talking in Mac OS or in Android OS or both set to Accept and save? I will have to look around. I have never done bluetooth sharing before with my phone and Macs.

 

[dtravis7]

Update, On Mountain Lion all you mentioned about sharing is there but in 10.13.3 High Sierra none of that is there any longer. I tried every bluetooth panel and no sharing options to check or change!!

Update, they have moved it in High Sierra. It's under Preferences then click on Sharing then check Bluetooth Sharing and the options are all there. Just tried it with the S4 and it works perfectly.

 

[chscag]

Nice find Dennis. I would have never suspected it was moved to System Preferences, Sharing. Not only BT sharing there, but others also.

 

[dtravis7]

Not sure when they moved it all there under sharing but right now on my 20" 2008 iMac with El Capitan and it's moved there even back then. Going to boot into Sierra later on my 2nd partition on my MBP and see if it's the same.

 

[cradom]

Just curious, what version of Google OS are you running on your S3? Here is 4.4.2 on the S4. I could not get it to send to the imac without error. Running High Sierra latest version here.

Also on the bluetooth sharing are you talking in Mac OS or in Android OS or both set to Accept and save? I will have to look around. I have never done bluetooth sharing before with my phone and Macs.

Mine is running 4.1.2
Yes, Bluetooth sharing is under Sharing in preferences. I'm running High Sierra too.