Wi-Fi and internet on a Mac, fixed in plain English.
26 fixes for macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate.
Mac Wi-Fi keeps dropping out: how to stop itA weak signal, a crowded channel or a glitchy saved network can make the connection drop.Your Mac shows Wi-Fi connected but nothing loadsThe Mac joined the router but the router has no internet, or the DNS or IP settings are wrong.Clear your Mac's DNS cache so websites load freshThe Mac remembers an old DNS answer for a website.Your Mac says the Wi-Fi password is wrong, but it's rightThe saved password is outdated, or the router changed its security type.Find the password of a Wi-Fi network your Mac has savedmacOS stores Wi-Fi passwords for you but doesn't show them on the Wi-Fi pane.Connect your Mac to your iPhone's Personal HotspotThe iPhone's Personal Hotspot is off or not discoverable.Let an app find printers, speakers and devices on your networkmacOS asks apps for permission before they scan your local network, and it was denied.Get your Mac's Ethernet cable or adapter working againThe adapter isn't recognised, the cable is loose or the service has a bad IP setup.Connect your Mac to a Wi-Fi networkThe Mac joins Wi-Fi from the menu bar or Wi-Fi settings.Turn the firewall on or off on your MacThe built-in firewall is off by default and is switched in Network settings.Put your Mac in airplane mode by turning off Wi-Fi and BluetoothMacs don't have an Airplane Mode switch; you turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off yourself.Turn Wi-Fi back on on your MacThe Wi-Fi switch is off, so the Mac can't see any networks.Change your Mac's DNS serverThe router's default DNS server is slow or failing, so names don't resolve to addresses.Find your Mac's IP address and your router's addressYou need the Mac's local IP or the router's address.Quick Wi-Fi fix: turn Wi-Fi off and on againThe Wi-Fi connection got into a bad state; switching it off and on clears many glitches.Save data on a hotspot or metered Wi-Fi with Low Data ModeA hotspot or limited connection runs out when apps download in the background.Stop your Mac joining your iPhone hotspot when you're at homeThe Mac can join your Personal Hotspot automatically when Wi-Fi is weak.No Wi-Fi networks show up on your MacWi-Fi is off, the scan got stuck, or the router is out of range or on a hidden network.Change your Mac's name for AirDrop, Finder and the networkThe Mac's name is what other devices see in AirDrop, Finder and the network.Add a VPN to your Mac in Network settingsA VPN needs its server and login details saved in Network settings (or an app).Fix the Weak Security warning on your Mac's Wi-FiThe router uses old encryption (WEP or WPA/TKIP) that Apple flags as weak.Stop your Mac joining the wrong Wi-Fi networkSeveral saved networks are set to join automatically and the Mac picks the weaker one.Turn off Private Wi-Fi Address when a network won't let your Mac inPrivate Wi-Fi Address changes how your Mac identifies itself, which some work, school or router filters reject.iCloud Private Relay is blocking a website or network on your MacPrivate Relay hides your IP address and some networks or sites don't allow it.Stop the Wi-Fi join pop-ups on your MacAsk to join networks pops up whenever a nearby known-type network appears.An app asks to accept incoming network connections on your MacThe firewall is blocking incoming connections for that app.