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🤬 I hate Apple! Why can't they fix the damn WiFi issues!! I was so hoping it'd be over with the new MBP!!! 😭

pavvel said:
I have literally never had a WiFi problem with any MacBook Pro's for years.
Click to expand...

I've had problems but they fall into the following categories:

- Not enough configured bandwidth
- Congestion from a lot of routers and a lot of use
- Distance to the modem
- Authentication servers down

I haven't had any problems that could be blamed on macOS hardware or software. And my first MacBook Pro was purchased in 2008.
 
sniffies said:
My MBP 2014 had WiFi issues. My MBP 2016 had WiFi issues. Just received my brand-new MBP 2019, and it has WiFi issues!!!!! Please tell me I'm not the only one, PLEASE!!!!

WiFi menu icon shows as connected, but when trying to go to any website, it never loads anything, nor does it show as disconnected. As soon as I turn WiFi off and back on, everything works fine again. I have to do this many times a day. I was never able to fix this issue on MBP 2014 or MBP 2016.

I'm so livid right now, I just wanna smash the damn thing against the wall. 🤬🤬🤬

😭😭😭
Click to expand...

I've never had wifi issues, none of my coworkers (all on Macs) have had wifi issues. Are you sure it's not something with your router? If it was wide spread one of us at work would have seen it.
 
As others have said, this sound like a DNS problem, maybe caused by router mis-configuration.

The way I investigate these kind of issues is:
1. Ping you own router in terminal: e.g. ping 192.168.0.1
2. Ping a server on the intranet by IP: e.g. ping 172.217.20.46
3. Ping the same server by URL: ping google.com

With a DNS problem, 1 and 2 works, 3 fails. If instead it is a routing problem 1 works and 2 and 3 fails.

Check DNS by using the command dig: dig google.com, you get something like this back:
; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> google.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 64822
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 4096
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;google.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
google.com. 5 IN A 172.217.20.46

;; Query time: 138 msec
;; SERVER: 10.0.1.10#53(10.0.1.10)
;; WHEN: Tue Nov 19 13:21:28 CET 2019
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 55

The SERVER line, says which DNS server responded, and the ANSWER SECTION gives the translation of the URL to the IP address you got from the server. In your case you are probably not getting a response, possibly because the name server is not correctly configured.

If you go to Settings > Network > Advanced > DNS you can see or change the DNS settings. The simplest solution can be to set it to 8.8.8.8 for the Google DNS server.

Otherwise the principle is that router sets it when you get a WiFi lease. The router can get the information from upstream, i.e. your ISP. But it can also be set explicitly in the router. Possible you have changed these setting at some point, to some server which is no longer working.

Some things to consider:
  • You can configure more than one name server, I generally use two
  • DNS entries are cached, possible leading to some (cached) websites working, others not
  • Beware of any change of network settings you do, as they persists, generally information should come from up stream, it is easy to forget that you have configured something locally
 
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Your Wi-Fi has issues. Even without Wi-Fi 6 this thing has great network connectivity 🥂
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matram said:
As others have said, this sound like a DNS problem, maybe caused by router mis-configuration.

The way I investigate these kind of issues is:
1. Ping you own router in terminal: e.g. ping 192.168.0.1
2. Ping a server on the intranet by IP: e.g. ping 172.217.20.46
3. Ping the same server by URL: ping google.com

With a DNS problem, 1 and 2 works, 3 fails. If instead it is a routing problem 1 works and 2 and 3 fails.

Check DNS by using the command dig: dig google.com, you get something like this back:
; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> google.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 64822
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 4096
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;google.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
google.com. 5 IN A 172.217.20.46

;; Query time: 138 msec
;; SERVER: 10.0.1.10#53(10.0.1.10)
;; WHEN: Tue Nov 19 13:21:28 CET 2019
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 55

The SERVER line, says which DNS server responded, and the ANSWER SECTION gives the translation of the URL to the IP address you got from the server. In your case you are probably not getting a response, possibly because the name server is not correctly configured.

If you go to Settings > Network > Advanced > DNS you can see or change the DNS settings. The simplest solution can be to set it to 8.8.8.8 for the Google DNS server.

Otherwise the principle is that router sets it when you get a WiFi lease. The router can get the information from upstream, i.e. your ISP. But it can also be set explicitly in the router. Possible you have changed these setting at some point, to some server which is no longer working.

Some things to consider:
  • You can configure more than one name server, I generally use two
  • DNS entries are cached, possible leading to some (cached) websites working, others not
  • Beware of any change of network settings you do, as they persists, generally information should come from up stream, it is easy to forget that you have configured something locally
Click to expand...
This guy gets it. There aren't widespread complaints of connectivity issues on the MacBook Pro
 
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To start with my wife and I have had collectively 9 MBP’s in the last 10 years in four different homes and currently living in Indonesia and despite different providers and modem/ router setups have never experienced WiFi issues like you have described.
I am wondering about your setup and software as well as if your three devices were restored from the preceding device. That is, when you get a new device are you transferring the data and preferences from a backup or are you doing a “clean” instal.
The other thing that I’m wondering about is security settings. Are you using a Firewall or a VPN?
Are you running any (heaven forbid) anti virus apps or extensions?
Does this happen with all live (online) apps and browsers or just one browser?
Lastly, this has already been suggested but it’s a good one. Have you tried creating a new “Location” in Network Preferences. This has been known to solve all sorts of odd problems. Just change it from the current location (it’s usually “Automatic”) and add a new location like Automatic #2 then let the Setup Wizard create a new wifi connection. It will of course be the same network name and password.
You have said that you get wifi, so the MBP is connecting to the router it’s the connection to the internet that is causing you grief. This points at a router or network issue rather than the functionality ofthe MBP.
 
It is usually interference from a connected or nearby device (can be wifi or bluetooth). Some years ago I suffered from it on my MacBook Pro 2014 and I had to disable Bluetooth on my MacBook (not ideal) to fix it.
 
Interference? I've heard of things like this being caused by a leaky old microwave oven, by baby monitors running outside their power and frequency specs, and by (non-cellular) cordless phones, among other things...

You don't happen to live anywhere near (within some small number of miles) a military base, do you? Lots of things painted green transmit bursts of energy that can interfere with WiFi - and they can transmit kilowatts, while your router's power is in the milliwatt range... Airports, too!

5 gHz is especially vulnerable to weird interference, because router power is so low and the signal is so finicky.
 
For that many problems, I'd tend to agree with everyone else-something outside of the MBP has to be the cause. That being said, I don't doubt there are Mac's with wifi issues, as my 12" MacBook has issues with wifi dropping out. I have to flick it on and off, and then it comes back. However, it's the only one of my Apple products that does it, so I suspect it's that particular product, and not my wifi/router. Good luck.
 
danwells said:
Interference? I've heard of things like this being caused by a leaky old microwave oven, by baby monitors running outside their power and frequency specs, and by (non-cellular) cordless phones, among other things...

You don't happen to live anywhere near (within some small number of miles) a military base, do you? Lots of things painted green transmit bursts of energy that can interfere with WiFi - and they can transmit kilowatts, while your router's power is in the milliwatt range... Airports, too!

5 gHz is especially vulnerable to weird interference, because router power is so low and the signal is so finicky.
Click to expand...

Actually 5GHz is less susceptible to interference and 5GHz channels less crowded. The things you mention effect the 2.4Ghz much more. It is range limited because of higher frequencies which don't penetrate walls as well. The solution is to install more 5Ghz access points.
 
I have had the same issue since Catalina on a MB Air. Drops 4 or 5 times a day. ATV will still work but no internet.Not sure if this is related but I have to re-enable media sharing several times a day.
 
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