Macbook pro (M1, 2020) is disconnecting from wifi

Quick update... the wifi issue was just getting worse and all of a sudden I started not only getting consistent dropouts but then I started getting the same at home.

I finally had enough and wiped the macbook air M1 and reverted back to the previous OS, Sonoma... I can gladly say today I've had no issues either at work or at home with wifi dropout...

Therefore I can summarise that the issue was purely down to bugs with the new OS. I will no longer be the first of many to update to the latest OS as it just doesn't work at present with my macbook air M1. Well, not for me anyway.

Talha_Khan11 Said:

“I have performed a wireless diagnostics a multiple times. The issue persists. Also, after disconnecting the wifi symbol has an exclamation in it. Previously it was rare and irregular but recently it has started to bother me and happens every minute.[…]”

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This is intermittent, as it is not occurrent to everyone.

Disable a VPN:

Do you have VPNs enabled? If so, disable it. Trash them, if not required cord work and/or school. Security Software just gets in the way, and this is a put example of how and why.

not sure if this is relevant for everyone, but I have an M4 MacBook Pro and have been dealing with wifi dropping, which was driving me mad. In the room where I am, my Windows work laptop and iPhone work fine with no wifi issues but my MacBook randomly has problems. The weird thing is it doesn’t happen all the time, suddenly, for no clear reason, the wifi starts dropping.

Today I noticed something: my battery was low so I plugged in my MacBook and the internet started dropping. When I unplugged it, the connection came back.

So in my case, it seems like some weird interference when the laptop is charging. It also seems to depend on how far I am from the wifi router so it might only happen under certain conditions when the laptop is charging

I hope it helps other people

I'm having the same issue on the same type of machine (2020 M1 MBP). I don't use my computer too often unless I'm using it for online college courses. I start up again in a week or so and have been having this wifi dropout thing a lot lately. I can't risk this during a test or something similar. I'm on Sequoia 15.3.1.

I saw the suggestion to run wireless diagnostics and it is currently monitoring my wifi. My router is a TP-Link Deco I just got a couple of months ago and have had zero issues with my work PC laptop, iPhone 14 and 16 pro, iPad 10, multiple Apple TVs and more. Just this darn computer. I'm not an IT person, I can get by on some things but when it comes to wifi and internet and networks it is over my head. What else can I do to remedy this problem? Or do I just wait for an OS update?

Why do I have difficulty with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices when USB 3 devices are attached to my computer?

Some USB 3 devices can generate radio frequency interference that can cause Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices operating in the 2.4GHz band to have issues communicating with your computer. Here are some tips to avoid this issue:

• If your USB device has a cable long enough that you can move the device, place it away from your Mac—and make sure not to place it behind your Mac, or near the hinge of its display. The antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are located there, and USB 3 devices placed there might interfere with your wireless connections.

• If you're using adapters or dongles on a Mac computer with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, plug them into the front port on the left side of your Mac, or into the ports on the right side (if your computer has them). These ports are the farthest away from the antennas, making interference less likely.

• To avoid interference on the 2.4GHz band using Wi-Fi, try using the 5GHz band instead. You can change this on your wireless base station. Bluetooth always uses 2.4GHz, so this alternative isn't available for Bluetooth.

from:

About USB on Mac computers - Apple Support

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference

Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference - Apple Support

Another way to "walk away" from all previous Wi-Fi settings is by creating a NEW named network 'Location'.

The trick is no create a NEW one, not based on current settings or default name.

Use network locations on Mac - Apple Support

To get the attention you deserve, PLEASE start a NEW discussion.

If you did not immediately find your solution by reading through the existing postings, you likely do not have "exactly the same problem" and need to explain from the beginning. This discussion is already way too crowded with different problems posted by different users with different hardware, different versions of MacOS, and different displays. 

Starting a new discussion will allow Readers to think hard about your exact situation and address the exact circumstances you are facing.

https://discussions.apple.com/post/question

My fix: bought a new M3 version. It works as it should.

I have the same issue. I used my MacBook Air at work with no issues on the WiFi, since downloading the latest OS, the computer is constantly dropping from the WiFi network.

The IT team at work just want to either give me a PC instead to resolve the issue or for me to revert back to a previous OS. I am not keen on either option as the MacBook Air has no issues at my home or at any other wifi location.

your option Wi-Fi parameters suggest you have connected on the very congested and interference-prone 2.4 GHz band. it is likely that is the best available where you are sitting, but that connection is horrible.

your raw signal is only at -67, where numbers around -40 is right next to the router, and -75 is unusably bad.

Your noise level of -83 suggests there are others transmitting on this or adjacent channels, interfering with your data

if you have modern wifi access points, inability to connect on the 5 GHZ band is baffling -- unless the signal level there are WORSE.

In your case, I suggest you download and test (or buy, its really cheap) the Mac utility named WiFi Explorer. it can read ALL the channels in use around you, and show whether signal are adequate on all bands at once.

is "spectrum" graphs look like this:

note that no one is this graph has a usable connection

in the 2.4 GHz band, there are only really THREE main channels, 1, 6, and 11. Each spills up and down the spectrum to engulf the two adjacent channel numbers up and down as well. You can see from the "spectrum" view I posted above that there may be far too many Routers already using these three channels.

Depending on your network neighborhood, and EXACTLY what nearby devices are using which channels, you may see high interference values, indicating others Routers are on or adjacent to your chosen channel.

In addition to the very inexpensive App WiFi Explorer, there is built-in SCAN function inside "Wi-Fi diagnostics", already on your Mac, that can be used to look to Routers using your channel or channels adjacent to yours. It's output looks like this:

(drag and drop on Ppreview to see larger.)

In my example, from the Mac I was using to collect this report, I can see a Router using channel 9, which actually spans from 7,8,9,10,11. The only reason that works is that the other Routers using 6 and 11 are physically distant from the router using 9, so their signals are low enough that this is not a collision in most areas.

When you get Your report, click on the channel number column to sort by channel number.

Unfortunately, SCAN does not have the smarts to tell you what channels overlap. There is a wikipedia article about wi-fi channel assignments that can be used to look that up, or you can ask readers here for help.

You could check for any software updates, signing out and then back in on your iCloud account, moving all information onto a hard drive and then doing a factory reset and if all else fails take it to an Apple Store so it can be looked at by a specialists.

Hope this helps

Two very common issues are 'too far from Router' or 'neighbor(s) talking on the same channel',

...and there are many more.

This and other problems in your 'network neighborhood' can be seen from analysis of the Option-Wi-FI snapshot, which is why I asked the original Author to post that information.

Also, the Option-Wi-Fi snapshot can suggest whether Hardware issues may be responsible for your woes.

what is RSSI parameter? (that is raw signal level.)

what is noise level (that sometimes helps identify interference.)

what Transmit rate?

what channel ? what PHy mode an MCS index?

There is a whole lot that can be learned from the option-Wi-Fi parameters.

please post yours for personalized analysis.

Hi ,

I had the same issue with my MacBook Pro M2, wifi disconnecting and would not reconnect even when placed next to the wifi router so exclamation mark on wifi signal at top of screen would display and only way to fix would be to cycle power. This would happen once a week but went to once a day. I did all the router resetting and cycling power but it would reoccur. Wifi diagnostics would be fine. When failing it had also cleared the ip address of the MAC or self assign with a number not on the network, router address was lost , or both at the same time.

I fixed this by backing up the device via time-machine, and resetting the MacBook Pro under the system settings General/Settings/Reset.

I used it for a week like this and the problem had gone away, so I Reset the MacBook Pro again, and on restart you have the option of transferring from Time Machine backup. Once this is accepted and you inform it where the Time Machine back up is it gives you three options -data-applications-settings. I picked all but the settings and transferred data from back up. Computer is now wifi glitch free and has been for the last 3 weeks.

Originally when I set this MacBook Pro up from new , I transferred from a Time Machine back up of my previous MacBook Pro. The WIFI fault was there from new, something like once a month it would occur. Not sure if an error occurred during original time-machine transfer, or maybe some incompatibility to introduce this fault.

Anyway wifi issue free now.

Dave J