Fixing Wi-Fi Issues on Mac – A Brief Guide
Is your Mac refusing to connect to the Wi-Fi network? It can be highly frustrating when your system can’t connect to Wi-Fi, especially if you have deadlines to meet. Primarily, there are three reasons why you might be facing this issue:
- There’s an issue with the router
- The network of your broadband provider is down
- There’s a problem with your Wi-Fi network
In rare instances, the problem might be connected with the macOS version you are running. However, no matter the problem, here’s a Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide to fix the problem quickly.
Call your Broadband Provider
If the issue is from the provider’s end, you cannot do much. You can complain to your Internet provider and wait for them to sort it out from their end. All you can do is wait.
Reboot the Router
To find out if the problem is with the router, you need to switch it off and turn it back again. For example, if you want to power cycle your router, you have to disconnect it from power for about thirty seconds. Then, you need to plug it back in and switch it on.
Reboot your Computer
When your Mac cannot connect to Wi-Fi, one of the first things you should do is reboot your computer. If the problem persists, turn off the Wi-Fi and wait for a few seconds before turning it back on. Then, scan all the available networks.
Forget a Wi-Fi Network
It might be that the Wi-Fi network your Mac automatically connects to is having an issue. The solution will be to forget the Wi-Fi network so that your system doesn’t connect to it the moment you switch on your device. When the Wi-Fi is buggy, automatic connections might be a problem. If you wonder how to forget a network on Mac, click on the Wi-Fi icon and open Network Preferences. Then, click Advanced and scroll through all the networks until you find the one you don’t wish to auto-connect. Choose that network and click on the minus icon to forget that network.
Then, when you try to connect to the same network, you have to add the password when requested.
Turn off Bluetooth
If your Mac cannot connect to the Internet, you can try disconnecting Bluetooth. This fix has worked for some users. If you are running the latest macOS version, you’ll find the Bluetooth options in the Control Center. You can access it by clicking on the switch icon. Then, click on the Bluetooth icon and turn it off.
Run Apple’s Wireless Diagnostic
To get an idea if other devices are causing the signal to drop, you can use macOS’ built-in Wireless Diagnostics Utility. First, you have to open Wireless Diagnostics by searching for its name using Spotlight (Command + Spacebar). Alternatively, you can hold Option or Alt, click on the Wi-Fi icon, and open Wireless Diagnostics. Then, before you choose to continue generating a report, head to the Menu and click on Window > click Performance.
When you do this, three graphs will be generated, which will tell you about the signal quality, transmission rate, noise and signal levels, etc. When you monitor these closely for a few hours, you might be able to identify the problem.
The top graph will display the data rate of your Wi-Fi network in Mbps. This graph’s level will be dictated by your router and other equipment your system is connected to. The critical thing here is that the rate must be consistent. If there are dips in the data rate or a total drop-off, there’s a problem.
The middle graph shows the ratio of noise to signal. Typically, it must be a straight line with minimal spikes. If you notice frequent dips in the line, something is interfering with the signal.
The bottom graph displays the measured noise and the signal strength. These are shown as dBm or Decibel-milliwatts. It is a commonly used unit, and a reliable signal would have a signal strength of somewhere between -60 dBm and -10 dBm. The noise level should be -75 dBm. If the gap between the two lines in the graph is narrow, it would mean the signal is unreliable.
If there are sudden increases in noise, you need to try and identify why and when they occur. For example, if a particular appliance is interfering with the signal, you need to move your router away from that appliance to fix the problem. You can also try to vary the height of the router and keep it in a horizontal position to see its effect on the reception.
The Bottom Line
With this Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide, you should not face any more trouble connecting your Mac to your Wi-Fi network. But if the problem persists, contact a technician.