Thunderbolt Bridge in macOS 11.3 Beta

App & System Services Hardware
KillerBob OP
Created Mar ’21
Replies 14
Boosts 0
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Participants 6
I use a Thunderbolt Bridge setup to direct-connect to my QNAP NAS. Obviously I have a unique IP setup for that connection, which is not conflicting with my Ethernet network.

When I updated from 11.2 to 11.3 Beta 3, and now Beta 4, the Thunderbolt Bridge stopped working entirely. Leaving the Network settings, and leaving the Thunderbolt cable plugged into a Thunderbolt port on my Mac Pro, the boot time increases to 4 minutes, and when in macOS, my HomePod stereo pair cannot be used as default sound for macOS anymore.

The second I reboot without the Thunderbolt cable to my NAS plugged in, all is fine.

My other Thunderbolt devices work just fine, like my Sonnet external PCIe enclosure, my Lacie SSDs, my ATDs, and my Lexar Thunderbolt card reader.

Today I setup a completely fresh install of Big Sur 11.2.3 on an external SSD, and my Thunderbolt Bridge worked fine. The second I upgraded this fresh install to 11.3 Beta 4, the Thunderbolt stopped working again.

Fishy...
Replies  14
Boosts  0
Views  3.9k
Participants  6
KillerBob OP
Mar ’21
I can confirm that this is still a problem in Beta 5 (20E5217a)

Basically since Beta 3, through 4, and now into 5, Thunderbolt Bridge is NOT working at all, at least not on a Mac Pro or a MacBook Pro.

I can also confirm it is EXACTLY the same problem on a completely fresh macOS installation on a MacBook Pro. Thunderbolt Bridge works in macOS 11.2.3 Beta 2, but not Beta 3, 4, or 5.

This has been confirmed by another tester on Mac Rumors...
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Cram13579 OP
Mar ’21
I confirm the statement made above by killerbob. Since I installed 11.3 beta 3, the Thunderbolt bridge feature stopped working with my QNAP TVS-872xT connected in "DAS" mode. When I revert to 11.2.3, it works again.

I tested 11.3b4 and b5 - no change unfortunately. I checked this on both my Imac 2020, and on my MBP 2019.

Looking forward to a fix - I re-connected through a standard RJ-45 for now.....


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KillerBob OP
Mar ’21
Unfortunately this is still an issue in Beta 6 (20E5224a). I deleted the Network settings for my Thunderbolt Bridge, and when I connected the cable and configured the Network settings, it still didn't work...
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KillerBob OP
Apr ’21
Guys - The Thunderbolt bridge still does not work in Beta 7 (11.3 Beta (20E5229a)), and now I have given up.

I added a Solo10GbE PCIe card to my Sonnet Echo Express III expansion box, and direct connect to my NAS via that solution...

Shame on Apple to not even try to address this issues the last 6 weeks...
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KillerBob OP
Apr ’21
This is FINALLY sorted out in macOS 11.4 Beta (20F5046g)...

I called Apple last week when the 11.3 RC came out, and this time they actually wanted to listen to what I had to say.
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gr-_- OP
Apr ’21
I confirm the above issue posted by KillerBob. I updated my iMac 2019 this morning to Big Sur 11.3 official release (20E232). My boot time is now close to 4 minutes, while it used to be 20 to 30 seconds before with Big Sur 11.2. The boot process stalls right in the middle of the progression bar. The Thunderbolt bridge is still present in my Network settings, but it is listed as "not connected" with the red marker, while it's been working flawlessly for the last 3 months with my QNAP NAS, which doesn't states "Thunderbolt device is connected" anymore while my iMac is booting.
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KillerBob OP
Apr ’21
You should get in contact with Apple, and you should raise a stink! Apple was informed about this issue in late March, and yet they choose to ignore it for a long long time.

There is a fix, but only in 11.4 Beta (20F5046g). That is simply not good enough.

The reason they test is to find these things, yet they didn't even try... I posted about this in Feedback, here in the Apple Developer Forums, on MacRumors, and I called them. They ignored it all until the final RC version, and then only fixed it in the next Beta.
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Joemolomo OP
Apr ’21
Hi, I too have had this issue since public 11.3, I have contacted apple, was on the phone for a while. I need a second Mac with TB3 so I can test that the bridge service actually works. A comment on macrumors suggests that the issue could be related to the fact that the QNAP is using a TB3 - TB2 converter inside, as they said thunderbolt bridge works with a pure TB3 connection.
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The-Visuals-Team OP
May ’21
Exactly the same story here. Using a QNAP TVS-872XT, connected via TB3 to x2 iMacs. Only one of them has the latest update (11.13.1) and I'm no longer able to connect via Thunderbolt bridge on that machine. I'm also getting a 4 minute boot time where the progress bar gets stuck halfway. Deadline day today for clients and have totally run out of options. HELP APPLE!
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KillerBob OP
May ’21
Upgrade to macOS 11.4 Beta (20F5046g). That sorts it out.
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The-Visuals-Team OP
May ’21
I have a fix for 11.3.1 that doesn't require upgrading to beta!

I've been on the phone with Apple support for 2 days, and we ran a diagnostic report on the 'WiFi' and then about halfway through the test, completely randomly, the Thunderbolt Bridge connection was esablished via TB3.

It might not work for you guys but worth a shot!

Firstly, Option+click on the WiFi symbol in the menu bar, then hit "create diagnostic report".

Good luck!
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KillerBob OP
May ’21
Sound interesting.

But, please confirm that works after a shut-down.

I had the TB Bridge works twice in that month before they sorted it out in the 11.4 Beta, and both times I thought I finally cracked it, for it only to not work next time I rebooted the Mac Pro.
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The-Visuals-Team OP
May ’21
I can confirm that it is still working after a shut-down but the boot time hasn't been fixed and is about 5 minutes.
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djjamesholland OP
May ’21
Having the exact same issue with the public build of 11.3.1

On shut down we are experiencing kernel issues too which is slowing the process down. Thanks for the wi-fi diagnostic report trick, praying this helps! Failing that I'm going to have to try downgrading back to 11.2!

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Thunderbolt Bridge in macOS 11.3 Beta
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