I finally got it working! I blame lack of attention to details, old age,
shaky hands, and < 100% vision. I uninstalled the ssd, looked all over
I consider these kinds of reaction as a variation of Stockholm syndrome:
when something doesn't work under GNU/Linux, many people will take it
for granted that it's because they're not using Windows (or macOS,
as the case may be).
If something doesn't work on my wife's Mac, she may blame my OpenWRT's
router or my "independent" ISP, or as a last recourse she may blame
herself. Apple is always off the hook.