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Why won’t my Mac connect to Wi-Fi? 5 ways to troubleshoot

Written by Jimmy Rustling

Having trouble connecting your Mac to Wi-Fi? There is no point in getting frustrated. There are various ways to get your Mac online by successfully getting connected with the Wi-Fi. Usually, it’s a very easy process in which you turn on your Wi-Fi device, and in the Mac computer, you click the Wi-Fi icon, and it will display a range of Wi-Fi connections available. Then, choose the network you want to connect to and enter the password for establishing a successful Wi-Fi connection. In this article, we will discuss mainly five different ways to troubleshoot your Wi-Fi not getting connected to your Mac computer.

Check the Wi-Fi Password on Mac

Even though it sounds simple, you should check whether the password for connecting to the Wi-Fi is correct or not. If you do not remember the password of your Mac, you can check the password in Mac’s built-in Keychain. Read the article to know more about how to check Wi-Fi password on Mac. If you still cannot find the router password of your Mac, then you will have to do a router reset which will reset the data and take the router settings back to factory default settings. After that, you will have to create a router password once again. Even though you will be initially connecting to the default password, remember to update the password to a strong and secure password.

Check whether Wi-Fi works properly

It is an important step you should do. Next, try connecting your Wi-Fi with other devices such as your phone or tablet computer. If your other device can successfully connect, you can be sure that the problem is with your Mac computer. On the other hand, if the Wi-Fi itself is not working appropriately for any other device; the problem is with your Wi-Fi router. It would help if you tried rebooting the Wi-Fi router. If still, it did not connect, check whether the cables of the Router are connected properly. You should also check to connect the Router with another cable to find out whether the cables have any issues or not. Still, if the issue is not resolved, you will have to contact the Internet Service Provider.

 Forget Wi-Fi and then Reconnect

It is one simple method you can try. Just remove the existing Wi-Fi connection in your Mac computer. You can select this by navigating to System Preferences and then choose the ‘Network’ category. From the panel, you will have to click the ‘Advanced’ option. Select the Wi-Fi network you want to forget and then click the sign denoted as ‘Minus’. Once done, select the option ‘OK’ and then click the option denoted as Apply. You can then reconnect to the existing Wi-Fi network once again as a new Wi-Fi network connection. Check whether the Wi-Fi not able to connect issue is resolved or not.

 Have a look at the Ethernet Cable

If your Mac is connected using an Ethernet cable, then any issues with the Ethernet cable might also be causing the Wi-Fi issue. First, you should check whether the cables are connected properly from the Mac computer to the Router. You can also try connecting to the Mac without an Ethernet cable to identify whether the Ethernet cable is causing the issue or not. You can also try connecting with a different Ethernet cable. But before that, ensure the cable is securely connected with your Mac and Router.

Is your Mac computer far away from the Router?

There could be scenarios in which a Wi-Fi may not properly connect if you place the Router far away from your Mac computer. Try to place it near your Mac computer and that there are no other obstructions such as microwave ovens, video cameras and electric cables etc. You can also try switching off the Bluetooth connection as even it could also interfere with the Wi-Fi connection of your Mac computer.

Conclusion

Before proceeding with the troubleshooting step for Wi-Fi, you should check some basic steps, such as whether the Wi-Fi is turned on or not. If Wi-Fi is turned off, you will have to turn the Wi-Fi on. Similarly, you should also check whether you have connected to your Wi-Fi network or a different network. You will not be able to connect if you have connected with another Wi-Fi network. If you were trying to connect to a different Wi-Fi network mistakenly, you should click the Wi-Fi icon from the menu bar and choose your Wi-Fi network from the drop-down menu.

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About the author

Jimmy Rustling

Born at an early age, Jimmy Rustling has found solace and comfort knowing that his humble actions have made this multiverse a better place for every man, woman and child ever known to exist. Dr. Jimmy Rustling has won many awards for excellence in writing including fourteen Peabody awards and a handful of Pulitzer Prizes. When Jimmies are not being Rustled the kind Dr. enjoys being an amazing husband to his beautiful, soulmate; Anastasia, a Russian mail order bride of almost 2 months. Dr. Rustling also spends 12-15 hours each day teaching their adopted 8-year-old Syrian refugee daughter how to read and write.