At large, there are numerous factors that can prevent your Mac from connecting to Wi-Fi: everything from a hardware issue with your router/modem to misconfigured Wi-Fi settings on your Mac, to channel interference, to a spotty internet connection at your ISP’s end. All of which makes it harder to determine the root cause of the problem on your Mac. So, if you are struggling to get your Mac to connect with your Wi-Fi, here are some fixes to help you fix the problem and restore connectivity on your Mac.
Fixing Wi-Fi Connection Problems on Mac
1. Carry Out Basic Troubleshooting
Before getting into technical fixes and changing different preferences on your Mac, let us first rule out any trivial causes that can cause your Mac to not connect to WiFi. Here are a few troubleshooting tips to do this.
2. Check for Channel Interference
A lot of the time, Wi-Fi issues arise due to interference, which could be either due to range or channel. One way to ensure that your network is not a victim of the same is to check your router/modem’s position to see if it is placed in an appropriate location without any obstructions blocking signal broadcasting. Similarly, network channels are another culprit that can cause interference with your Wi-Fi signals and render the connection unusable. And therefore, these should also be checked from time to time to stop any sort of interference on your network.
3. Forget the Wi-Fi Network
Generally speaking, when you change the SSID (or network name) or password for your Wi-Fi network, you may start experiencing network issues. And, not being able to connect to a network is one such issue. In such a situation, a safe bet is to forget your network so that your Mac does not remember its configurations anymore.
4. Check the Network IP Settings
IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier that plays a crucial role in connecting a device to the internet. It has two types: static and dynamic. But, in general, most users have a dynamic IP configured on their network. Dynamic IP relies on a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server to automatically assign an IP address to every host on the network. So, if your device is unable to establish a connection, it could be due to an underlying IP issue, in which case, you can renew the DHCP lease to renew your current IP address.
5. Update macOS to the Latest Version
Apple regularly releases new system updates for macOS, most of which are to address issues on the system. If you are experiencing a problem with Wi-Fi connectivity, and none of the methods mentioned so far resolve it, updating your Mac to the latest version is a safe bet.
Troubleshooting Your Way To Fix Wi-Fi on Mac
In most cases, Wi-Fi connection issues get resolved by resetting the Wi-Fi adapter settings or restarting/updating the Mac. But, in case these problems still linger around, the other troubleshooting fixes we have listed above should help you restore your Mac’s connectivity, and it should be able to connect to your Wi-Fi as it did earlier. That said, though, there are some instances when even these fixes cannot resolve the connectivity issues. At such times, you should check to see if other devices are able to connect to your Wi-Fi. If they do, then it is likely some hardware problem on your Mac. But, in case no other device can connect to your Wi-Fi, you should contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to get your router/modem changed.
