Macbook pro forgets network while it's connected to it

[snaky69]

Early 2012 MBP, running OS X 10.15.7 Catalina.

I've started having issues with all my apple devices randomly forgetting my wifi passwords to all known networks.

I'm starting to think my MBP is to blame.

I am currently connected to my home network and I went and checked the known networks on it. My known network list is completely empty (again), out of the blue.

I turned off wifi and turned it back on. It didn't connect, I had to select my home wifi and enter credentials manually.

My googling turns up nothing. Any input on what could cause this?

 

[snaky69]

It just did it again.

My MBP was connected to my home WiFi yesterday, has not moved. It and my iPad had both forgotten my home WiFi by themselves randomly this morning.

Neither leave the house.

 

[svenmany]

Do you keep your keychain in iCloud? If so, I'd consider turning it off on all your devices and then back on again. One of your devices thinks there are no saved networks and is uploading that deletion - just a guess.

 

[kagharaht]

Early 2012 MBP, running OS X 10.15.7 Catalina.

I've started having issues with all my apple devices randomly forgetting my wifi passwords to all known networks.

I'm starting to think my MBP is to blame.

I am currently connected to my home network and I went and checked the known networks on it. My known network list is completely empty (again), out of the blue.

I turned off wifi and turned it back on. It didn't connect, I had to select my home wifi and enter credentials manually.

My googling turns up nothing. Any input on what could cause this?

Same on my iMac Late 2013. Just started happening. Good thing I have it on Ethernet as first choice, but whenever the iMac goes to sleep or turns off, I have to select the wifi network again and re-enter the password. So I left it to never sleep till I can figure out what suddenly caused this.

 

[svenmany]

Same on my iMac Late 2013. Just started happening. Good thing I have it on Ethernet as first choice, but whenever the iMac goes to sleep or turns off, I have to select the wifi network again and re-enter the password. So I left it to never sleep till I can figure out what suddenly caused this.

It's actually a good thing that you can consistently reproduce it. Apple can help; definitely give them a call.

 

[eyoungren]

It's actually a good thing that you can consistently reproduce it. Apple can help; definitely give them a call.

Is Apple still supporting 2012 MBPs?

 

[svenmany]

Is Apple still supporting 2012 MBPs?

Oops - I didn't consider the age of the machines when making my response.

If it's a hardware problem, they won't help. Software support is complimentary. For the OP, I have a nagging feeling it's iCloud related and that's a current product.

My 2013, running Big Sur, is still getting patches. I wouldn't hesitate to call them for that machine. The whole process of requesting support to talking to someone always takes me less than 5 minutes.

If I had an easily reproducible problem on my 2013, I would disconnect from iCloud and see if the problem goes away.

 

[eyoungren]

For the OP, I have a nagging feeling it's iCloud related and that's a current product.

As do I. Unfortunately, OP seems to have skipped over that part of your advice - or just hasn't reported back yet on that.

If OP does not have iCloud Keychain active though, I'd suspect something has gone corrupt with their local keychain.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Is Apple still supporting 2012 MBPs?

Probably not but you might get lucky with someone nice in an Apple Store - as happened to me with the Genius Bar staff member who explained that they couldn't help with my hardware problem as the computer had attained "vintage" status but instructed me on what I'd need to do to replace the component myself.

 

[paardenkapper]

I think there was a key combination to reset your wifi. Correct me if I'm wrong.

SHIFT + OPTION + Click on the wifi symbol. You should get an extended menu and can reset your wifi adapter.
Maybe that will work.

Aside from that I have experienced the same issue only with old iBooks/PowerBooks with an empty or dead PRAM battery.

 

[kagharaht]

It's actually a good thing that you can consistently reproduce it. Apple can help; definitely give them a call.

It's considers Obsolete with Apple now. Catalina and iMac Late 2013. No real support anymore. No updates and no fixes including the Music library search not working anymore. You can search the music store, but not your library.

 

[Slix]

This has been happening for a few weeks for me too, on both my MacBook Air running Mojave and my iPhone SE running 16.5. I think it has to be a keychain issue somewhere, because it randomly forgets networks it has remembered for years on both devices. Some days will be fine, and others I have to enter the password in again randomly. At home, my friends' homes, it doesn't matter, it just randomly forgets sometimes. I've tried disabling iCloud keychain on both and re-enabling them, but it still happens occasionally. I hope if it is an iCloud issue, they fix it soon.

 

[kagharaht]

So far it only happens on my Late 2013 iMac, Catalina. All there devices, iP14PM, 6th Gen iPad, MBA 2017 are not affected. Network stays on those devices. Just the iMac that started happening on its own. I guess we may to set it to never sleep from now on. Which seems like a big waste of power. Maybe I'll just deal with it and just leave wifi disconnected. At least ethernet is always connected.

 

[worldvirus]

This has started happening on my iphone and laptop.
I leave the house and come back and passwords for wifi have to be re-entered. Have tried deleting the wifi from the keychain and adding again. No joy so far

 

[B S Magnet]

SIDEBAR: As I read through these incidents, I’m realizing the following is probably not related to an keychain issue, and also not critical enough to open a whole separate thread.

Provisionally, the wifi card in my 2008 MBP (running a dosdude1-patched High Sierra) is, possibly, overheating and altogether halting functionality until an actual reboot occurs — with AirPort selection info (Opt-menu pulldown) showing the bare basics of the card’s specs whilst completely not detecting any signals or any ability to cycle off and on again (it’ll just stay “off”). This recurrence is a sidebar because it’s less a matter of “forgetting” passwords and more that the card inexplicably fails, in situ — which not even a logout/login cycle can refresh.

As the same Broadcom AirPort Extreme card handles Bluetooth, it also takes down Bluetooth until reboot. It’s as mysterious as what what all of you are describing with wifi “forgetfulness”. /end sidebar