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2018 MacBook Pro Wifi Issues

gigapocket1

gigapocket1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 15, 2009
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I have a 2018 MacBook Pro that just randomly loses wifi connection. Well it doesn't lose it. it says that it connected, but all internet communication stops. Thought it was my wifi, but it happens anywhere I am. Have to turn wifi off and then back on for it to start working again. Any recommendations? Its pretty annoying
 
Happens anywhere?

Do you use external USB devices?
Have you tried 5GHz?
 
Was the problem resolved? My dad is having the exact same issues with his 2018 15".

Thought a past High Sierra update would've resolved the issue, but now on Mojave the problem still persists. Turning WiFi on and off again resolves the issue, just like you wrote, but after a while it returns (maybe few times a week).
 
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gigapocket1 said:
I have a 2018 MacBook Pro that just randomly loses wifi connection. Well it doesn't lose it. it says that it connected, but all internet communication stops. Thought it was my wifi, but it happens anywhere I am. Have to turn wifi off and then back on for it to start working again. Any recommendations? Its pretty annoying
Click to expand...

Post #2357 of the
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...bridge-os-error.2128976/page-95#post-26679910
thread describes in detail various WiFi connection problems with two 2018 MBPs. Other Solouki posts on page 95 of this thread detail several other, potentially related, issues, such as Bluetooth connection problems.

In summary, I found that the MBP's WiFi hardware still works, as some WiFi packets are still being sent even when there is no LAN or Internet connections...so this would suggest that it is a DNS problem, but it isn't DNS since the MBPs still had the correct DNS servers.

I found these WiFi connection issues to be rare, random, and intermittent (meaning they often resolve themselves, but not always). And these WiFi connection issues caused many other problems, including iTunes improperly deleting its own iTunes Library on a SMB-mounted over WiFi hard disk, Time Machine backup failures to a Time Capsule, Mac App Store failures to update software, rsync (clone directories over WiFi) errors, ssh (secure shell logins over WiFi) errors, Apple Watch not unlocking MBP, etc.

Don't believe the Network Pane or WiFi menu item results stating that WiFi is connected, as these are not often updated and so can be wrong.
 
solouki said:
Post #2357 of the
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...bridge-os-error.2128976/page-95#post-26679910
thread describes in detail various WiFi connection problems with two 2018 MBPs. Other Solouki posts on page 95 of this thread detail several other, potentially related, issues, such as Bluetooth connection problems.

In summary, I found that the MBP's WiFi hardware still works, as some WiFi packets are still being sent even when there is no LAN or Internet connections...so this would suggest that it is a DNS problem, but it isn't DNS since the MBPs still had the correct DNS servers.

I found these WiFi connection issues to be rare, random, and intermittent (meaning they often resolve themselves, but not always). And these WiFi connection issues caused many other problems, including iTunes improperly deleting its own iTunes Library on a SMB-mounted over WiFi hard disk, Time Machine backup failures to a Time Capsule, Mac App Store failures to update software, rsync (clone directories over WiFi) errors, ssh (secure shell logins over WiFi) errors, Apple Watch not unlocking MBP, etc.

Don't believe the Network Pane or WiFi menu item results stating that WiFi is connected, as these are not often updated and so can be wrong.
Click to expand...

so have you figured out a fix for this? I thought that Mojave may fix this issue.. But it still seems to do it
 
gigapocket1 said:
so have you figured out a fix for this? I thought that Mojave may fix this issue.. But it still seems to do it
Click to expand...

I tried numerous things attempting to track down the problem, all the way from examining the WiFi packets being sent by the MBP during the time it had lost WiFi connectivity to scratching though log files, and nothing I did located the cause of the WiFi problems -- I just wasn't smart enough to find the error. In any case, I still had WiFi connectivity issues on a clean install of macOS 10.14 on my second 2018 MBP. This MBP went back to Apple before 10.14.1 was released, however, so I haven't tested 10.14.1 yet, but will do so when my new replacement arrives. In my hands, these WiFi connectivity issues are rare, random, and often intermittent.
 
Did you guys ever found a solution?

I found this issue happens when I have external monitors plugged, and it doesn't manifest at home.

I have an LG UltraFine 5k connected and a LG UltraFine 4k, so it's one thunderbolt and one USB-C device.

I think it's hardware related, since my only bluetooth device (Magic Trackpad) also disconnects, same setup with a MBP 2016 did not had this problem
 
I had the same problem using long cables to my external hdd or ssd.
I plugged one by one my external devices until the Wifi error occurred.
For me it was a thunderbolt to usb mini b cable, used for an external hdd that caused the problem. Using this cable with a card reader didn’t cause an error. I bought another cable and works great now. Easily reproducible, so that caused the WiFi error in my MacBook Pro 2018. Never had the problem again.

Hopes it help
 
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My 2017 Macbook Pro 15 inch, serial number C...925 just started giving those WiFi errors. It's getting no information through the WiFi connection (I call it 'WiFi deaf'). I can tell because when I click the WiFi icon, it shows only my own, home router. When the WiFi is working, I see 5-10 other connections available. I have no router password on purpose -- anyone who detects my signal could use my internet connection, even me! Even though the Mac asserts there's a connection, there isn't. I can't contact anything on the internet, for instance google.com. I can't contact my HDHomerun over-the-air TV box which is plugged into the wireless router. It's done it about twice so far. Each time starting around 6 PM. Turning off then back on WiFi doesn't fix it. Just as despair sets in, miraculously WiFi starts working again. Typically after about 2 hours of panic. This condition exposes how dependent on the internet I've become.

So far, it's happened twice. Next time, I'm going to hook up a wired connection to my router, just to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the problem is my Mac's WiFi reception which has 'gone South', i.e. failed.

A colleague suggested I do an SMC reset. I haven't, because the problem is intermittent, so that would be ambiguous.

By the way, this very Mac has shown the left-front USB-C failure problem. That too is intermittent, so I can't get Apple to repair it. In that case, I have 3 other USB-C ports, so I'm not just hung out to dry. Intermittent WiFi is much worse, since that's akin to instantly being transported to a Desert Island, with nothing on the horizon.

Update 22 Feb. 2019 - I called Apple again, and they had me do an SMC reset, and my WiFi problems went away.
 
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I having this problem too on om my MBP 2018. This is my second new from the box.

I have a ticket open with apple. I also see problem as shown in the screenshot.


  • low speeds 54mb/s (but sometimes as high as 405mb/s although my routers permit 300mb/s)
  • NO model info on the network card (empty)
  • errors on the transmitting packets
  • NO receiving packets are reported !!

And now the MBP2018 starts losing connection with wifi. I got an replacement MBP2018 from apple new from the box... same issues.

I have also a MBP 2017 which has none of these problems on my network what so ever.
 

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marc0janssen said:
I having this problem too on om my MBP 2018. This is my second new from the box.

I have a ticket open with apple. I also see problem as shown in the screenshot.


  • low speeds 54mb/s (but sometimes as high as 405mb/s although my routers permit 300mb/s)
  • NO model info on the network card (empty)
  • errors on the transmitting packets
  • NO receiving packets are reported !!

And now the MBP2018 starts losing connection with wifi. I got an replacement MBP2018 from apple new from the box... same issues.

I have also a MBP 2017 which has none of these problems on my network what so ever.
Click to expand...


Which specific router are you using? (Manufacturer, model, version number).
 
I had this problem for the first time with no wifi signal at all and my phone working fine. I had a backup SD Drive plugged in at the top right USB when facing screen (I normally use LHS). I unplugged it and suddenly got full signal. repeated process with same results. I then plugged in bottom right and still got signal but reduced (24mb) - unplugged it - then signal jumped to 42.5mb (where it should be). Moved to top left 12mb with drive in - 43.8mb with it out. I dont know exactly when this started as I backup most important stuff to cloud nowadays and bit neglectful of the old time machine. Do know that until today plugged in hard drive never completely blocked signal.

Using Catalina, measurements by Ookla and for the above using USB a to USB A cable and USB A to C converter. These converters never given me any grief before. I then used a FreeGene converter bar which has various items you can plug in and plugs into two USB sockets together. When plugged in (LHS) and with two memory cards in their respective sockets download was 30.6mb. When added SD drive the download was similar (28.8mb). I then unplugged all items and download was 44mb.

Hurts that you pay more than double for a Mac and you get this sort of carelessness by Apple (sigh) things not what they used to be, you guessed my quote coming, Macs no longer 'just work'.
 
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