The Wi-Fi on your MacBook keeps dropping, the connection is slow, or the Mac cannot find a network at all. Other devices at home work fine. That is annoying, because without internet you can do almost nothing. This article explains step by step how to fix Wi-Fi problems on your MacBook, and when the hardware is to blame.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam, including when the Wi-Fi no longer works. Start with the steps below; often it is a setting.
Step 1: the Mac or the network?
Do your phone and other devices work on the same network? Does the Mac work on another network, such as your phone's hotspot? If the Mac works poorly everywhere, the Mac is to blame. If it only works poorly at home, the router or the location is more likely.
Step 2: Wi-Fi off and on, and restart the router
Turn Wi-Fi off and on via the Wi-Fi symbol in the menu bar. Restart your Mac. Restart the router too: unplug it, wait half a minute, plug it back in.
Step 3: forget the network and reconnect
Go to System Settings, Wi-Fi. Click the three dots or Details next to your network and choose Forget This Network. Then reconnect and enter the password. That solves many problems after a router change or a new password.
Step 4: private Wi-Fi address and VPN
- The network details include the private Wi-Fi address option. Some routers with a device filter then refuse the Mac. Try setting it to Off or Fixed.
- Temporarily turn off a VPN or security program and see whether it works then.
Step 5: Wireless Diagnostics
Hold Option and click the Wi-Fi symbol in the menu bar. You see extra information, such as signal strength and channel, and the option Open Wireless Diagnostics. It tests the connection for a while and gives tips. A weak signal often means: too far from the router or too many walls in between.
Step 6: DNS and network settings
If the Mac connects but websites do not load, read flushing the DNS cache on your Mac. If it works with a cable, Wi-Fi is the problem. See wired internet on your MacBook.
Wi-Fi only drops during sleep
If Wi-Fi drops when the Mac has been idle for a while, check System Settings, Battery, Options whether the network may stay awake. On a few macOS versions an update also helped.
Internet Recovery: when macOS no longer starts
If your Mac no longer starts and you want to reinstall macOS, you can do it over the internet. On an Intel Mac hold Option + Command + R at startup for Internet Recovery. On a Mac with an Apple chip this happens by itself when normal Recovery does not work. In both cases you first choose a Wi-Fi network. See opening Recovery mode.
When is it the hardware?
- The Mac finds no networks at all, or the Wi-Fi symbol shows an exclamation mark or "no hardware installed".
- The connection drops everywhere, on every network, even right next to the router.
- It started after a drop, water damage or an earlier repair.
Then the antenna, the antenna cable in the screen or the Wi-Fi chip on the logic board may be faulty.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the Wi-Fi on different networks, check the antennas and look at the logic board. You hear beforehand what is needed. More on our page about MacBook repair in Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Wi-Fi slow on the Mac but fast on my phone?
Often the Mac is further from the router or uses another channel. Option-click the Wi-Fi symbol to see the signal strength.
Does an SMC or NVRAM reset help?
On an Intel Mac sometimes. On a Mac with an Apple chip a restart is the equivalent.
Can I use a USB Wi-Fi adapter?
A few work with macOS, but the choice is small. A cable is often the better temporary solution.
