Can my lost MacBook Air connect to Wi-Fi without bypassing my password?

Apple uses the Find My network for that: iCloud+ - Find My - Apple

That does not require login, or Wi-Fi.

”The Find My network is an encrypted, anonymous network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help you locate your device, even when it’s offline.”

Caution: You might receive a phone call from “police” or “Apple” reporting your Mac has been found. If the finder then requires you to prove ownership by providing your Apple Account and password, that’s the thief or an associate calling. Not the police, and not Apple. Do not provide your credentials.

I don’t know what happened related to the loss, or related to Find My or the attempt to lock the Mac, nor if the lock was or ever will be received by the Mac.

Here is what Apple recommends doing: If your Mac is lost or stolen - Apple Support

lorenza1975 wrote:

Hi,

I do not understand. How can it be that my Mac connected to the Internet without anybody actually connecting it to the wifi? Sorry but I do not know much about IT and computers. When I selected the lock feature, the message said that the Mac would be locked and appear as lost once connecting again to the internet...I am a bit puzzled...thanks a million for your help..

When I turn on any device, phone , computer, TV, etc. they connect to the network /WiFi. If they did not do so how would you be able to sign onto the network/WiFi?

lorenza1975 wrote:

….how can the Mac hook on a WiFi network unless someone physically signs in the Mac and digits the password to connect to a WiFi network? ..

To rephrase that, your concept of how Find My works requires someone to connect to (infrastructure) Wi-Fi, and that connection only after accessing your login. Find My does not require that. (Nor would that particular login and Wi-Fi connection configuration ever even reasonably arise, in practical terms.)

Find My works by relaying info through nearby Apple devices.

Find My communications commonly use short-range Bluetooth. That’s usually good for ten meters or so.

An AirTag, for instance, uses Bluetooth, and does not have cellular communications, and does not have Wi-Fi.

(I don’t know off-hand if Find My can also use ad-hoc Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth, but that usage is conceivable. Ad-hoc works differently than the infrastructure Wi-Fi network that most folks are familiar with, and ad-hoc does not involve connecting to and authenticating with a Wi-Fi router. Ad-hoc communicates directly client-to-client. As can Bluetooth.)

If you want more technical details: https://www.wired.com/story/apple-find-my-cryptography-bluetooth/

lorenza1975 wrote:

Hi, thanks, I will look into it. What are my options now? I was sent a notification with a location but most likely whoever has it will move on. I am in Italy, my Mac is in Paris. Now the Find My page has "Lost Mac" instead of "Lock....pending"...is the Mac still trackable in the locked mode..as I assume now it is locked. Thanks!

I’m here assuming “stolen”, though it could well be turned in at a lost-and-found kiosk somewhere.

Security is based on your password, until and unless the lock request arrives at the Mac.

The location will be available when within range of a relay, and when power is available.

The location information available to Find My will be shown, if any.

Expect to get a phishing call from the thief or associates.

What can you do? I’d probably be ordering another Mac, as the missing Mac could well be spare parts by now.

Find My is useful for finding lost stuff.

Find My is approximately useless for finding stolen stuff.

(Why useless? Thieves that don’t disable communications can have short criminal careers. Stolen stuff either never communicates back again, or it might communicate again from some far-off place.)

After a few days’ missing, I’d assume this Mac is either already in parts, or will be parts soon.

"Someone" did not connect to the Internet. Your device did. Your privacy/data is secure.