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Are you experiencing Wi-Fi problems with your Mac? Like your MacBook Pro won’t connect to Wi-Fi, connected but no Internet, or the network speed is super slow, etc.
Wi-Fi seems to be on the more technical end of things, shrouded in mysterious terms like “DNS”, “modem”, and “IP address”. It can be a bit intimidating to try and fix without worrying you’re doing nothing or making the problem worse.
But no one likes mindlessly refreshing a webpage and hoping the Wi-Fi fixes itself in the meantime, so in this guide, we’ll show you a few ways to take matters into your own hands and fix common MacBook Pro Wi-Fi problems.
What are Common MacBook Pro Wi-Fi Problems
Here are some common MacBook Pro Wi-Fi problems that users often encounter:
- Wi-Fi Won’t Turn On: Sometimes, the Wi-Fi menu may show Wi-Fi: No hardware installed. This usually indicates a hardware problem, but it can also be caused by software issues.
- Wi-Fi Keeps Disconnecting: This can be caused by a range of issues, including interference from other devices, weak signal strength, or software issues.
- Slow or Spotty Wi-Fi Speed: There can be many reasons for this, such as a poor Wi-Fi signal, a crowded network, or issues with your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
- Unable to Connect to a Specific Network: This can be due to incorrect network settings, a change in the network password, or problems with the network itself.
- MacBook Not Remembering Wi-Fi Networks: If your MacBook isn’t automatically connecting to known networks, there might be an issue with your network preferences.
- Unable to Join Network or Connection Timeout: This usually indicates a problem with the network you’re trying to connect to, but it could also be a problem with your MacBook’s Wi-Fi hardware or software.
Remember, these are just general issues and the cause could vary greatly depending on the specific circumstances of your MacBook Pro.
How to Diagnose Your Mac’s Wi-Fi Problems
To address Mac Wi-Fi issues and instances of dropped or lost connections, begin with diagnosing the problem. The macOS Wireless Diagnostics tool, which is built-in, can be highly useful in this regard.
Here’s how to diagnose your Mac’s Wi-Fi problems using the Wireless Diagnostics tool:
1. Access the macOS Wireless Diagnostics tool using the Spotlight search or quickly launch it by holding down the Option key and clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.
2. Within the tool, you can follow a step-by-step process provided by a wizard for some basic guidance. Click Continue to start the process.
3. If you want to check out more reports and analytics, click Window in the menu bar and select Performance.
4. This report presents a graph displaying the transmission rate, signal quality, and noise level of your Wi-Fi network.
5. It is worth noting that the transmission rate and signal quality often have an impact on each other. To improve your signal, try moving your Mac closer to the router. This simple solution can resolve a potentially complex issue.
Helpful tip: If you notice high or fluctuating noise levels, find a better Wi-Fi channel. Another option is to access your router settings through a web browser and switch from the 2.4GHz band to the 5GHz band.
Basic Troubleshooting for Wi-Fi Problems on Mac
When facing Wi-Fi issues on your Mac, follow some basic troubleshooting steps to address the problem before diving into advanced solutions. Here are a few actions you can take:
1. Restart your router and MacBook: Sometimes, you can resolve network glitches by simply restarting the devices. Turn off your router, wait for a few seconds, and turn it back on. Similarly, restart your MacBook by clicking the Apple menu and choosing the Restart option. This process can help refresh the network connections and potentially resolve any temporary issues.
2. Connect to a different network: To determine if the issue is specific to your Wi-Fi network or your MacBook, try connecting to a different network. You can connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot or ask a friend to connect to their Wi-Fi network. If your MacBook successfully connects to another network, it indicates the problem lies with your Wi-Fi network setup or router configuration.
3. Verify Wi-Fi settings: Ensure Wi-Fi settings on your MacBook are correctly configured. Open System Settings and choose Wi-Fi from the left sidebar. Check if your network name (SSID) is correctly selected, and if necessary, re-enter the Wi-Fi password. Additionally, verify the Wi-Fi option is turned on.
Advanced Solutions to Fix MacBook Pro Wi-Fi Problems
If, after the basic troubleshooting steps, the Wi-Fi problems persist, you can try the advanced solutions mentioned below. But if they don’t work either, you may need to contact Apple Support. Alternatively, you can visit an Apple Store or authorized service provider to have your MacBook examined by professionals who can diagnose and resolve the issue.
Now, let’s see how you can fix Wi-Fi issues on your MacBook:
1. Remove Physical Router Interference
A router sends electronic waves, but thick walls or other large blockages such as a row of metal filing cabinets can impede these waves.
If your router is currently buried behind a file cabinet, in a closet, or otherwise awkwardly placed, move it to a more open and central location. If your router is already in a fairly clear area, consider where you’re sitting and if you can minimize the amount of distance between you and the router, or move closer.
Alternatively, consider purchasing an extension if you can’t move the router to a location without too much interference.
2. Check Neighborly Router Interference
As mentioned above, a router sends electronic waves that occur at certain frequencies and other electronic devices such as microwaves or your neighbor’s router can interfere with it. Most routers come pre-calibrated to certain frequencies or contain software that helps them pick the best channel.
However, you can manually change the channel by following these steps:
1. Find your router’s IP address. This is usually printed on the router, but you can also check the IP address in your System Settings.
2. Click Wi-Fi in the left sidebar and tap the Details button next to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Click TCP/IP and check the number next to the Router.
4. Copy the Router address into the address bar of your browser and hit Enter.
5. You’ll be directed to your router’s settings after you enter your Username and Password.
6. Select the channel you want. Make sure to choose a channel 5 to 7 away from the original, since many frequencies overlap.
7. Use Wireless Diagnostics to monitor which frequencies make the biggest difference in your wireless signal. You can open Wireless Diagnostics by navigating to Spotlight and type wireless diagnostics. It should be the first option.
8. Open the app and click Continue to start diagnosing.
3. Fix Your MacBook Pro or Router Failure
When there doesn’t seem to be any conceivable reason your Wi-Fi shouldn’t work, it’s not your fault. Sometimes the MacBook Pro, the router, or both experience an unexpected error that’s invisible to the eye and impossible to figure out exactly what went wrong.
Your best bet at solving this problem comes in two parts: your computer, and your router. Follow these steps to fix this Wi-Fi issue:
1. Turn off the Wi-Fi on your computer by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and toggling it off.
2. Turn off your router by physically disconnecting it or pressing the Power button if it has one, so all the lights turn off.
3. Restart your MacBook from the Apple menu in the top left of the menu bar.
4. After your Mac restarts, turn the router back on. You’ll need to wait a few seconds for all the lights to come on and for the signal to begin sending again.
5. Turn your Mac’s Wi-Fi back on, and let it connect to the network.
While this method isn’t guaranteed to work every time, it often solves mysterious wireless issues, especially if your problem is minor.
4. Fix a Spotty Wi-Fi Connection
Your router transmits waves, and when these are weak at your location, you’ll have connection issues. In this case, even if you connect to the network, the service is patchy at best. The cause is simple — you’re too far away from the frequency you’re trying to use.
There are two different ways you can fix this issue. First, move closer to the router if you can. This is the easiest way to solve the problem and may be all you need to do.
The second way is to use a different frequency band than you normally would. By default, your router uses the 2.4GHz band, which is weaker than the 5GHz many router models have available. If your router supports 5GHz, you should switch. It usually appears as a different network in your Wi-Fi list, with a 5GHz or 5G as part of the name.
For example, if you have a large home, an extender might be a more practical solution. It will amplify the signal from your router so it can reach the areas of your house that usually suffer from poor coverage.
5. Fix a Slow Wi-Fi Connection
The easiest way to figure out the culprit of a slow W-Fi connection is by running a quick scan using WiFi Explorer. It’s an app that shows you what’s going on with your network and helps you fix it when needed. The app offers extensive details about all your Mac networks in the vicinity, including their band, signal quality, range, security status, etc.
However, you can also fix that manually. Certain apps require larger bandwidth and restrict the data available to everyone else. If this occurs, the first step is to check your own applications. The most common offenders are multiplayer video games, video-intensive apps, or files that are uploading and downloading. If your Mac isn’t running anything strenuous, ask others in the household if they are.
While you can’t get more bandwidth without paying for it, you can ask others on the network to limit which applications they use at one time. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll need to wait a few minutes while a download finishes or until the other person is done working.
Check out this guide if you don’t know how to share Wi-Fi password to Mac by MacBookProSlow.
6. Try Using a VPN
If you’ve managed to connect to your router but are still facing issues, it may be due to the Wi-Fi connection itself. If you’re working from home, you can be assured your connection is secure and you don’t need a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
However, if you’re facing these issues while working from a coffee shop or using an unknown Wi-Fi connection, make sure to connect to a safe and trusted VPN. While it’s tempting to use the free coffee shop Wi-Fi, the lack of a protective password puts your computer at risk because malicious users can use the shared network and attempt to break in. If you must use one of these networks, a proxy or VPN can protect your computer by isolating it from the other connections.
An excellent example of a secure, user-friendly VPN is ClearVPN 2. It allows you to browse any corner of the internet without having to worry about your data and privacy.
7. Reset the NVRAM/PRAM
Resetting the NVRAM/PRAM on a Mac does not directly fix Wi-Fi issues. However, it can resolve certain hardware-related issues that could indirectly impact Wi-Fi connectivity.
The NVRAM/PRAM stores various settings and preferences related to hardware components, including network interfaces. By resetting the NVRAM/PRAM, you’re essentially clearing and resetting these settings to their default values. This can potentially resolve conflicts or inconsistencies that may have occurred in the stored settings, including those related to Wi-Fi connectivity.
To reset the NVRAM/PRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory/Parameter RAM) on your Mac, follow these steps:
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Press the Power button to turn on your Mac.
3. Immediately press and hold the following keys: Option + Command + P + R.
On Macs with Apple silicon, you need to press and hold the power button instead of the Option key.
4. Keep holding the keys for about 20 seconds, or until you hear the startup chime for the second time (if your Mac produces one).
5. Release the keys.
6. Your Mac will now continue to start up normally.
After resetting the NVRAM/PRAM, your Mac’s system settings, such as speaker volume, screen resolution, and startup disk selection, will be restored to their default values. You may need to readjust these settings according to your preferences.
8. Reset the SMC
Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on a Mac can potentially resolve various hardware-related issues, including Wi-Fi problems. The SMC controls and manages several hardware components, such as power management, thermal management, and connectivity interfaces, including Wi-Fi.
Resetting the SMC can restore proper power and connectivity functions on your Mac. In some cases, Wi-Fi issues may be caused by power or connectivity inconsistencies. Resetting the SMC helps in clearing any corrupted or conflicting settings related to these components, which may contribute to resolving Wi-Fi problems.
To reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac, follow the appropriate steps based on the type of Mac you have:
For Macs With Apple Silicon
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Press and hold the Power button for at least 10 seconds.
3. Release the Power button.
4. Wait a few seconds, and press the Power button again to turn on your Mac.
For Macs With Intel Processors
Note: The process varies depending on whether your Mac has a removable battery or a non-removable (built-in) battery.
For Macs With a Removable Battery
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Disconnect the power adapter from your Mac.
3. Remove the battery from your Mac.
4. Press and hold the Power button for at least 5 seconds.
5. Reinsert the battery.
6. Reconnect the power adapter.
7. Press the Power button to turn on your Mac.
Here are the ‘6 Common MacBook Pro Battery Issues you must know.’ Click here.
For Macs With a Non-Removable Battery.
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Connect the power adapter to your Mac.
3. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold the left Shift + Control + Option keys, along with the Power button, for about 10 seconds.
9. Release all keys and the Power button.
10. Press the Power button to turn on your Mac.
After resetting the SMC, your Mac’s power management and hardware-related settings will be restored to their default values. This can help resolve various hardware-related issues, including Wi-Fi problems.
9. Reconfigure the DNS
Reconfiguring the DNS (Domain Name System) settings on your Mac can potentially help fix Wi-Fi issues by addressing problems related to DNS resolution and connectivity. The DNS is responsible for translating domain names (e.g., www.example.com) into IP addresses that computers can understand.
Wi-Fi connectivity problems can sometimes be caused by incorrect or malfunctioning DNS server settings. By reconfiguring the DNS settings on your Mac, you can switch to alternative DNS servers that are more reliable or better suited for your network.
Here’s how to reconfigure your DNS settings on Mac:
1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.
2. Click Wi-Fi and tap the Details button next to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Go to the DNS tab.
4. Remove any existing DNS server addresses.
5. Add new DNS server addresses by clicking the + button.
6. Enter the desired DNS server addresses (e.g., 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 for Google DNS).
7. Click OK to save the changes.
10. Adjust Packet Size
Adjusting the packet size, specifically the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) size, can potentially help fix Wi-Fi issues on a Mac by optimizing network performance and resolving packet transmission-related problems. The MTU size refers to the maximum size of a data packet that can be transmitted over a network connection.
Wi-Fi networks can experience congestion or encounter issues with fragmented packets, which can lead to reduced performance and connectivity problems. By adjusting the MTU size, you can optimize the packet size to minimize fragmentation and improve the efficiency of data transmission, thereby reducing the likelihood of Wi-Fi issues caused by congestion or fragmentation.
Here’s how to adjust packet size on Mac:
1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.
2. Click Wi-Fi and tap the Details button next to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Go to the Hardware tab.
4. Adjust the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) size to optimize network performance.
5. Click OK to apply the changes.
11. Change Network Location and Renew DHCP Lease
Changing the network location and renewing the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) lease can potentially fix Wi-Fi issues on a Mac by addressing network configuration or connectivity problems. This process involves creating a new network location and obtaining a fresh IP address lease from the DHCP server.
Here’s how to change network location on Mac:
1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.
2. Select Network and click the … button at the bottom.
3. Hover your mouse over Locations and select Edit Locations….
4. Create a new location by clicking the + icon and click Done to apply the changes.
To renew the DHCP lease, follow these steps:
1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.
2. Click Wi-Fi and tap the Details button next to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Go to the TCP/IP tab.
4. Tap the Renew DHCP Lease button.
5. Close the settings.
12. Forget Your Wi-Fi Network
Sometimes, your Mac retains outdated network settings or encounters conflicts with saved configurations, leading to connectivity issues. By intentionally forgetting the Wi-Fi network and reconnecting afresh, you allow your Mac to create a new network profile, ensuring a clean and optimized connection.
Here’s how to forget your Wi-Fi network on Mac:
1. Open System Settings and select Wi-Fi
2. Click the Details button next to the network you want to forget.
3. Click the Forget This Network button.
4. Click Remove to confirm the action.
5. Reconnect to the network by selecting it from the Wi-Fi menu. This should resolve the Wi-Fi problem on your Mac.
13. Check for System Software Updates
Apple periodically releases updates that include improvements to network connectivity and Wi-Fi performance. By ensuring your Mac is running the latest version of macOS, you can take advantage of these fixes and optimizations.
System software updates may include patches for known Wi-Fi issues, updated drivers, or enhanced network protocols, all of which can contribute to a more stable and reliable Wi-Fi connection on your Mac.
Here’s how to check for system software updates on Mac:
1. Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
2. Click General and select Software Update.
3. Install any available system software updates for your Mac by clicking the Update Now button.
By following these step-by-step instructions for each troubleshooting method, you can effectively address Wi-Fi problems on your Mac.
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Final Words
If you’re experiencing Wi-Fi problems on your MacBook Pro, there are several methods to resolve them. Start with basic troubleshooting, such as restarting your router and MacBook, connecting to a different network, and verifying Wi-Fi settings. If the issues persist, you can try more advanced solutions like adjusting packet size, changing network locations, renewing DHCP leases, or reconfiguring DNS settings.
Remember, Wi-Fi issues can have various causes, and results may vary. Stay patient and keep your devices updated. By following these steps, you can improve your MacBook Pro’s Wi-Fi connectivity.
Do you use a different method to troubleshoot your wireless network? Tell us about it in the comments below!
About Eric
Peter
today is May, 2022. I have two mac book pros, All of a sudden BOTH Macbooks have ridiculous slow connection (3 M download, 0.96 upload). My iPhones (wife, children) all connect to 300M. That’s the expected speed, and it’s 100x the speed the MB pros have.
What’s going on?? I have found some articles about this, but the solutions, at the moment, do not work…
extremely disappointing. Something has upgraded in our MB pros that’s causing this.
Anonymous
Solution 6. If Mac requires rebooting router and impact others working without issue then kick out Mac and get rid of it. It is not suited for your network as it does not own your network and it should behave. Rebooting is not a solution – it is a workaround for some deeper issue.
Chris
When I travel I have an Alienware Windows laptop and I also use my personal Macbook. I’m sitting in a hotel as I type and I get FULL wi-fi bars on my Windows laptop and only 1 bar on my brand new 16″ 2022 Macbook Pro. The connections keeps dropping out on my Macbook – it’s useless. Your tips didn’t seem to help me. Any ideas what might cause such a big difference in performance between machines? It’s clearly not my location or bandwidth or interference. It’s baffling that my Macbook can’t perform a simple task!
Konversi Sunda
that’s work, Thanks Dude!
Putra Selembar
thank you for sharing the guide, hopefully the error on my macbook will be fixed soon
Patrick C
This article addresses possible problems with your network… How about the problem that the MacBook itself appears to suck?
I am In a vacation McMansion compound with 18 bedrooms and 30 people trying to get their devices connected. The router or the island connection gets overloaded periodically and everyone loses connection for a minute or 2, which is irritating….. BUT… All the android devices and the PC s and rokus and and artisan coffee pots and [everything else] gets back online in 2 minutes but the stupid farking $2500 macbook wanders around like a drunk fratboy moron .. unable to reconnect for hours every time there is the mildest hickup in the connection. The MacBook is just plain and simple the idiot cousin of the group… But at least I paid twice as much for the honor of owning this steaming pile of crap.
sahina
Not too difficult, just update your wi-fi driver using any process, manual or automatic.
Apno
To add to this old thread. My little MacbookPro also has crap WIFI. At home or at work it will drop out or not connect, connect and show no Internet, connect to the WIFI extender but not the modem and other annoying behaviors.
Three Dell laptops and 4 iPhones models 4 – 12 do not have this problem on the same networks. So it is not the WIFI itself, it’s the Macbook. It is embarrassingly bad. Although the MBP seems like a great piece of hardware overall, the WIFI sucks. (The battery hasn’t been great, either.)
Nigel Braithwaite
I fixed my WiFi connection accidentally…
WiFi working again but I don’t know exactly *why* disconnecting the external hard drives fixed the problem!!!
Chris B
I was having bad issues with my 2015 MBPro, even in direct line of sight to router the Wifi connection was slow to the point of being useless. If you go to Network control panel click on the Wifi and press ‘-‘ to delete it, then add ‘+’ a new Wifi connection back, maybe do a reboot after, then I found everything speeded up again! You can also go and delete all the related preferences but in my case just reinstalling the Wifi stack did the trick. Hope this helps someone.
Seth
External display issue is ridiculous. But I noticed that changing wifi channel on the router helps. In my case, channel 10 worked best.
T-Rev
Your response indicating that someone should switch from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz is incorrect. Now, if someone is getting good speeds but wants faster speeds? Then sure, 5Ghz is the way to go. But your article is offering advice to people with spotty and/or slow connections to their own wifi. In which case they should stick with 2.4Ghz. 2.4Ghz is a wider band and has more range through obstacles such as walls, file cabinets, etc. than does 5Ghz. 5Ghz being a more narrow band offers higher throughput but less range through obstacles. Just thought I would point that out.
-Trevor St.
Brijesh Sharma
Go to your Wifi router settings and choose 40MHZ channel bandwidth. It fixed my issue.
mariya jonsan
Most of the Common MacBook Problems require three common steps to resolve, and they are listed below:
Reset SMC in MacBook Pro.
Reset PRAM/NVRAM in MacBook Pro.
Restart MacBook Pro in Safe Mode.
Sylvie
Hello my mom is having the same problem with her mac where it is connected to the wifi but it can’t go online. Her phone and ipad are connected to the wifi and she is able to go online. What should I do I have tried everything other people have recommended but it does not work. Is there any other solution?
Septian Rishal
Wow amazing! that’s work!
Thanks dude, you’re hero and save my money haha
pragya
All the other devices at my house are connected to the wifi and we working fine. Even my macbook air. Its just this new macbook pro that does not work. I dont know what to do, i tried everything.
mark jennings-bates
I have tried all the normal bullshit stuff to connect my macbook pro when I have problems. I have a newer machine with the thunderbolt usb ports which I hate because now I need an arm full of adaptors.
After hundreds of hours, piles of websites all the simple “turn it off and on again” answers. Here is the problem. Black and white. Plain and simple.
If my portable SSD hard drive is plugged in to one of the USB ports, my mac drops the internet. If I unplug it, it miraculously joins the internet. If it happens to connect while my external hard drive is plugged in, there is almost zero bandwidth but unplug it and it works perfectly. Now some rocket scientist can tell me exactly why the f__ck that happens ‘cos I am about ready to throw my mac out the window after being a mac user for 20 years
Erik
Might aswell throw it out. Read the answer on this article. Big design flaw.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253025054
Richard
I’ve owned Mac’s since 1994 and have run shops over the years with many Mac’s, recently I purchased a 2019 MBP model to replace ageing 2010 MBP in our household. This is the worst model I’ve ever owned with terrible internet connectivity. My household’s other two Macs (MBP 2010, MBP 2017) and three iphones (4S, 6S and XS) have no issues connecting and holding onto a wifi signal. Worst purchase ever – and don’t get me started on the joke that is the tiny, over priced SSD drive that is soldered onto the mother board.
Frrank
December 2019 and I’m having the exact same issue as described. Is there anybody out there who can provide a solution for this. I paid more than 2.000$ for a now almost unusable Macbook pro from 2017.
kay citron
My Mac Book Pro is 2013. I connect with my iPad, iPhone and other wifi devices easily and quickly. My MacBookPro however rarely connects when opened. It requires the shut down method and restarting to connect. Then if I walk away long enough for the window to shut, I loose connectivity again. VERY frustrating. My son has a 2018 Mac Book Pro and does not experience this problem. Is this a fixable problem for my 2013 or is Apple just trying to get me to upgrade?
M
Our house has about 4 wireless transmitters spread about to give good coverage, my problem is this over priced silver box wishes to connect to the furthest / slowest transmitter in the house instead of the one a metre away. 🙁
Dennis Chamberlin
While at work our network seems to operate fine on my phone and on my MacBook air for the first initial moments while connected. Soon pages are not pulling up at all and the wifi seems to be searching for a connection. I have to restart the MacBook and it will work again for a short time. Any ideas?
Steve
Here’s a new one. I picked up a new MacBook Pro a month ago with a 3-way USB-C adaptor. I tried using an HMDI cable through the HDMI connection on the 3-way adaptor to my new monitor. The screen would only turn on if I unplugged and replugged in the screen and it also flickered. Solution was to get a direct video cable from the MacBook to the monitor. Works perfectly now. I had the power cable and the backup hard-drive plugged into the 3-way adaptor. Suddenly, I had all kinds of intermittent problems with the WiFi whilst the desktop Mac on the same desk was fine. Plugged the power cable directly into the MacBook and now it seems to work fine. Lessons: video cable works better than HDMI (I’m sure there’s a technical reason); be careful using 3-way adaptors – direct is best.
Robert G. Raynor, Jr.
I have this same problem with my mid 2015 MacBook Pro. The problem is so bad that I cannot use it for conferences and it is costing me money. To be honest, this is a design defect that Apple has not addressed. I have three other iOS devices and the MacBook Pro is the only only having this problem. I am now considering an Windows oriented laptop as the MacBook Pro is unusable. By the way I have tried every recommendation without success.
Gaye
Sometimes my macbook shows that I’m on the wifi network, but web pages will not fill in, as though I’m off line. This is intermittent. Other devices are having no trouble, so it’s not the router, and it is happening at home and other locations. Any answers?
Thank you!
Lee
Any solution?
Jan
Having the same issue. MBP 2016 connects to wifi though at a certain point it won’t load the pages / loses internet connection (although the wifi signal stays up). I have to shut down wifi and restart again to re-establish the connection.
Other devices work fine (like my mbp 2012) … I also tried different browsers.
Would really appreciate it if someone could help me out
rebecca
I have the same issue!
Joni
I have this same problem.. The wifi says it is working fine.. I did a speed test..s ays it is fast.. and yet.. the computer doesn’t load webpages..and eventually will not let me do anything without restarting..and doing a fresh start.. this is so frustrating.. I think it is similar to your issue.. Did you get any responses or figure it out??
Zoltan
Hi Gaye! I have the same problem. Did you find any solution?
Greetings,
Zoltan
Ann Roberts
This is exactly the problem I am having as well. Hope someone offers up a solution
Greg
I informed apple of this issue and the reason behind it back in 2016, its nothing to do with faulty routers or software its down to how apple products connect to wifi and the fix is to not have the same SSID for 2.4ghz and 5ghz as it confuses the software on apple devices
Ian Q. Rowan
So what’s the solution here? How do you change the SSID for the apple devices?
MC
Might be the fix! As soon as I switched to my 5G option and turned off the 2G one, things are blazingly fast! Thanks.
DCRF
This does not address why my pc laptop is running fast, streaming video and audio, etc., while my macbook air is hardly able to load a website it is getting the internet so slowly. Is it the internal hardware on the mac that is the problem? I have turned off my pc (and other devices) to eliminate the competition for bandwidth and it makes no difference.
This seems to be a problem with the mac not with the router or router signal strength.
This macbook cost easily twice what my pc did, making this a frustrating issue. It is a small detail, but a very important one.
Also, I have this problem both at home and at the office.
Halocme
My iPhone is stably connected to UnitedWifi.com, from which I am typing this. On my MacBook Pro, I only occasionally see United_Wi-Fi in the list of preferred networks. This is not the first time I see the MacBook Pro not connecting to WiFi while I iPhone or iPad has no problem. Four weeks ago, I experienced the same at York University, Canada. Their IT department suggested that some security software probably stood in the way. Following their advice I disabled McAfee, but the problem persisted. If security-related software is the cause of the problem, what else should I do? Do I have to install something like Malwatebytes? Is it still possible to diagnose the problem of not seeing the network that must be there as I know from my iPhone?
Dave
I made a discovery on my internet connectivity problems. I have a new Spacegray Macbook Pro – I thought my bad internet connectivity was a problem with our office router or where I was sitting, but I was puzzled that I saw full bar strength. If I unplugged and moved away from my desk, no problems, router signal seemed super strong… I narrowed my problem down to whenever I was connected to my Thunderbolt monitor. I did speed tests unplugged and plugged into an ASUS monitor and I pulled over 40 Mbps, but whenever I plugged into the Thunderbolt… .4 Mbps or lower. I am still not sure if the problem is the monitor or the Apple adapter.
Brandi
I’m having this exact problem!!! Asus monitor and all. Did you ever find a solution?
Sheree
Yeah I have the same exact issue only my monitor is a Benq monitor! Perhaps it’s not dependent on the monitor…how strange!
Atif Saddique
I am having the same problem.
idk
if you stick the wire of your adapter up in the air, the internet goes faster. even better if you can find an adapter to you laptop without a cable
Joseph
I have the same problem!!! at the moment i use my extension to connect my monitor the internet stop working. the problem is my through hub adapter.
rob
This might fix “user error” problems with wifi, but it doesn’t address the fact that apple has consistently put the weakest wifi adaptors in their macbook line of any computer currently on the market.
Why is it that my iPad and iPhone can connect to wifi units two blocks away when my macbook rolls on and times out connecting to routers in the same room as me?
I never thought I’d say this as a previous apple fanboy… but I’m switching to SOMETHING else next computer/phone/tablet I buy.
clint
EXACTLY!!!! Phone wifi speed 360mbs. MacBookpro latest and greatest… 150mbs. This f..king sucks donkey droinkers!!!