Ideally, it shouldn’t be difficult to connect your Mac to a WiFi network. All you have to do is click on the WiFi icon, choose the network that you want to join, and enter the password for the network (if any).
Simple, right? But, sometimes, you might face issues. It might be that you’ve been experiencing fast and easy streaming speeds over your WiFi network for months and suddenly, your device simply won’t connect.
You may even see a verification error with your Apple ID if there are issues with connectivity. And verification failed Apple ID issues are sometimes because of a poor WiFi connection and have nothing to do with the Apple ID.
The main reasons why your WiFi might not be working are –
- Router issues
- Your broadband provider’s network is giving trouble or the servers are down
- An issue with your own WiFi network
A less common reason for WiFi not working might be problems with your macOS software.
Below, you’ll find possible fixes when your WiFi stops working suddenly. Hopefully, these will quickly solve your problem.
How To Fix A Mac That Won’t Connect To WiFi?
1. Check And Confirm Proper Network Connection
Checking if your WiFi network is working properly is the first troubleshooting step. You can try connecting with other devices and if the other devices connect, you’ll know that there’s some problem with your Mac.
However, if other devices are also facing issues getting online, it means that your WiFi network has a problem.
If your WiFi network is not functioning properly, here how to troubleshoot your Internet connection –
- Reboot your WiFi router. Turn it off and wait for a few seconds. Then, switch it back on. In most cases, this should resolve the issue.
- Next, ensure that the cables of your router are properly connected. If they are, you can try using a different cable to connect the router as the current one might be faulty.
- If the aforementioned fixes don’t work, you need to contact your ISP (Internet service provider).
2. Reboot your Mac
It is also a good idea to switch off your Mac and turn it back on again. Then, scan for available networks. If it still doesn’t work, you can try turning off the WiFi, waiting for a minute or two, and then switching it back on again.
3. Forget the WiFi network
Sometimes, you might find that forgetting the network on your Mac might help. You can turn off the Airport and go to System Preferences > Network and then select WiFi on the left. Then, you have to click on “Advanced”. Choose the network that you wish to forget, hold and press “-” and agree to “Remove”.
After this, your Mac and also other devices are not going to connect to this WiFi network.
The next step is to try and connecting to the network again from scratch. If there’s a password, you will have to enter the password again.
4. Check interference and range
When you are connecting your Mac to the WiFi network, ensure that the router is not too far away. Also, you have to ensure that the router is kept at an appropriate location. Do not place the router behind thick walls and also keep it away from all sorts of obstructions.
Moreover, make sure that the router is free from interferences. It should not be placed near cordless phones, electric cables, microwaves, video cameras, or anything that may transmit an electrical signal.
Some Mac users have even reported that turning off Bluetooth has helped resolve connectivity issues. Since Bluetooth signals may interfere with your WiF network.
5. Upgrade your macOS
Whenever you face system issues, it is recommended that you check for macOS updates. If there’s a new version of the OS available and ready to install, you need to upgrade your system right away. This might solve your system issues including problems with connectivity.
6. Check the setting of your Mac’s TCP/IP
Your device’s TCP/IP settings define how your Mac is going to communicate with other devices. This is why it is worth checking if your device refuses to connect to WiFi.
Sometimes, your connection may start working again if you renew the lease of your dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP). The DHCP is responsible for assigning IP addresses to Macs.
You can follow these steps to renew it –
- Open System Preferences by clicking on the Apple logo on your screen’s top-left corner.
- Click on Network and then select the Advanced option
- Switch to the tab of TCP/IP
- Click on Renew DHCP Lease
7. Change the DNS settings
DNS or Domain Name System matches domain names of websites with IP addresses. Changing the DNS servers might help to resolve your connectivity issues and it can even speed up the Internet connection. This is how you can change the DNS settings –
- Open System Preferences
- Go to Network and click Advanced options
- Select the DNS tab
- Underneath the DNS Servers column, you’ll find a “+” sign. Click on that sign.
- Enter the IP address of the DNS server that you would want to use. For instance, 8.8.8.8 is the address of Google’s public DNS.
- Click on “OK” and select “Apply”
If these solutions don’t resolve your Internet issue, contact your network administrator or ISP.
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