There could be multiple reasons for Mac not connecting to WiFi network. You will find below a number of methods to fix WiFi connectivity problems on Mac.
If you need to help someone connect to the same WiFi network that you’re connected to, you can use the Share WiFi password feature that was added in iOS 11. That really is the closest you’ll ever get to a stock WiFi sharing feature. Android phones used to have an option to view the WiFi password but as of Android 9, the option no longer exists.
Mac Not Connecting to WiFi
The problem of Mac Not Connecting to WiFi Network could be due to a variety of reasons, ranging from glitches in Modem/Router, over crowded DNS servers to other network connectivity issues.
In many cases, the problem of WiFi and Ethernet not working on Mac ends up being due to loose or disconnected cable connections.
Hence, rule out this issue by inspecting the cable connections, before proceeding with other methods to fix this problem.
1. Power Cycle Modem/Router
Before going ahead with more complex troubleshooting steps, try this simple troubleshooting fix.
1. Disconnect the Modem/Router from Power Supply. You can either pull out the power cable from the Wall Socket or use the ON/OFF switch (If available).
2. Wait for 60 seconds and connect the Modem/Router back to its power supply.
2. Reboot Your Mac
Simply, restart the MacBook and you might be surprised to see it connecting to WiFi Network.
1. Completely Shut Down your Mac
2. Wait for 60 seconds and restart your device.
3. After Mac Restarts, see if you are now able to connect to WiFi.
3. Forget WiFi Network
Making the Mac forget its WiFi Network and then rejoining the WiFi Network is known to fix this issue.
1. Click on the Apple Logo in top-menu bar and select System Preferences… in the drop-down menu.
2. On System Preferences screen, click on the Network option.
3. On the Network screen, select WiFi Network in left menu bar and click on the Advanced button.
4. On the next screen, select the WiFi Network that you want to forget and click on the minus (-) sign.
5. Click on OK to save this setting and close the Network screen.
6. Next, click on the WiFi Icon located at top right corner of your screen and select your WiFi Network in the drop-down menu.
7. When prompted, enter your WiFi Network Password.
WiFi should now be working on your Mac
4. Renew DHCP Lease
In case your Mac appears to be connected to WiFi Network, but you are unable to connect to Internet, you may need to Renew DHCP Lease.
1. Click on Apple Logo in the top menu-bar > select System Preferences… in the drop-down menu.
2. On System Preferences screen, click on the Network option.
3. On the Network screen, click on WiFi in the side-menu and click on the Advanced button.
4. On the next screen, click on TCP/IP tab and click on Renew DHCP Lease button.
5. Click on OK to save the revised settings.
5. Disconnect Bluetooth
Sometimes Bluetooth can interfere with WiFi Network and some users have reported being able to connect to WiFi Network after disabling Bluetooth on their Mac.
1. Click on the Bluetooth Icon located at top right corner of your screen and click on Turn Bluetooth OFF option in the Drop-down menu.
2. Restart Mac and see if you are now able to connect to WiFi.
6. Change DNS Servers
If you are frequently experiencing WiFi connectivity problems on your Mac, the issue might be related to DNS server of your Internet Service Provider (ISP) being crowded.
In such a case, switching to Google DNS or DNS Servers provided by Amazon or OpenDNS might help in fixing the issue.
Free DNS servers as provided by Google, Amazon and OpenDNS are reliable and likely to be much faster than DNS Servers used by your Internet Service Provider.
'I am in desparate need f some help from anyone. My macbook pro will not connect to the internet. All I get is a self assigned IP address. I have tried renewing the DHCP, restarting the computer, resetting the network, etc. Nothing seems to work.'
If your Mac cannot connect to WiFi, you will not be able to access any of the services on your Mac that utilize an Internet connection. If this is a sudden and unexpected issue, you may want to do something about it so that it gets fixed. That is actually your only way to be back on the Internet, unless, of course, you use a wired Ethernet Internet connection.
There are various things you can do when you cannot connect to WiFi on Mac. These small fixes help you establish a proper connection with your WiFi network so you can use the Internet on your Mac. Here we take a look at ten tips that will help you fix the Mac won t connect to WiFi issue on your machine. Let's check them all out one by one.
Fix 1. Check for Wi-Fi recommendations
When the WiFi stops working on your Mac, the first thing you will want to do is check the WiFi recommendations given by your machine. Whenever there is an issue with a WiFi network, your Mac provides you with tips as to what you should do.
The dialog box that opens upon clicking on the option will tell you what is wrong with your network. It will help you tremendously to then take appropriate actions.
Fix 2. Remove and Re-Add the WiFi Service
It could be the issue you are facing is due to an improper network configuration on your Mac. In that case, your best bet is to remove the current WiFi service and then re-add it again. Here is how to do it.
Step 1: Click on the WiFi icon in your menu bar and select Open Network Preferences.
Step 2: Select your WiFi service in the left pane on the following screen and then click on the - (minus) sign at the bottom to remove it.
Step 3: Click on the + (plus) sign to re-add the service. Make sure to choose Wi-Fi in the Interface dropdown menu.
The Mac not connecting to WiFi issue should now be resolved and you will be able to connect to WiFi successfully.
Fix 3. Use Wireless Diagnostics
The built-in Wireless Diagnostics tool on your Mac helps you figure out the wrong configuration of your WiFi network. It provides a lot of information for you to find out what is wrong with your connection. Here is how you fix your MacBook not connecting to WiFi using the tool:
Step 1: Hold down the Option key on your keyboard, click on the WiFi icon in the menu bar, and select Open Wireless Diagnostics.
Step 2: Let the tool scan your network and find issues, if any. It will then show a summary telling you what to do to fix your WiFi network.
Once you have applied the suggested fixes, you will be able to connect your Mac to your WiFi network without any issues.
Fix 4. Try Connecting Other Devices
You must also make sure that your other devices are able to connect to your WiFi network. It could be that your WiFi network has issues and not your Mac.
Fix 5. Reset the Router
Resetting the router also helps fix the issue when there is an improper configuration on the router itself. You will find the instructions on how to do this in your router's manual book.
Fix 6. Reset PRAM and SMC
Resetting PRAM and SMC also helps fix the Mac OS Mojave cannot connect to WiFi issue.
How to Reset PRAM:
Turn off your Mac.
Press the Power button and then press and hold down Command + Option + P + R buttons together.
Your Mac will reboot and it has reset PRAM.
How to Reset SMC:
Turn off your Mac.
Press the Power button and then press and hold down Shift + Option + Control.
Your Mac should reboot and it has reset SMC.
Fix 7. Delete the Internet Preference Files
Removing your preferences files also helps get rid of the issue. To do it, head to the /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ path and delete the following files:
com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
com.apple.network.identification.plist
com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist
networkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
Empty the trash after deleting the files.
Fix 8. Check Your TCP/IP Settings and Renew DHCP
While not always, renewing DHCP sometimes lets you fix your MacBook wont connect to WiFi issue.
Click on the WiFi icon in your menu bar and select Open Network Preferences. Select your WiFi network, click on Advanced, head into TCP/IP tab, and click on Renew DHCP Lease.
Fix 9. Change Your Domain Name System (DNS) Settings
DNS servers decide how web pages are loaded, and if these servers are down, you will have WiFi issues on your Mac.
Head into the network preferences menu and change the DNS servers to either OpenDNS or Google DNS.
Fix 10. Update macOS
Lastly, if nothing works, try updating your macOS version as the newer version might have the Mac self-assigned IP cannot connect to Internet WiFi extender issue fixed in it.
Click on the Apple logo, select About This Mac, and hit Software Update to do so.
Bonus Tips: The Best Mac Data Recovery Software 2019
If you suffer any data loss on your Mac due to WiFi or any other reasons, you will need to use a data recovery software to recover your precious data.
Tenorshare UltData - Mac Data Recovery makes the whole process of recovering data easier for you. It provides you with an easy to use interface to help you recover your photos, videos, documents, and various other file types on your Mac.
Step 1 Download and install the software on your Mac.
Step 2 Select your Mac drive and click on Scan.
Step 3 Preview the data, select the files to recover, and click on Recover.
Your files will be recovered.
Sum Up
If you cannot use a WiFi network, you will naturally wonder 'why my Mac cannot connect to WiFi'. The above tips will help you rectify the issue on your Mac.