Mac keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi: find the cause, then fix it

What you see#

Your Mac shows the Wi-Fi icon with no bars or an exclamation mark, pages stop loading for a few seconds, video calls freeze, or the Mac shows "No internet connection" and then comes back on its own. Sometimes it happens every few minutes, sometimes only after the Mac wakes from sleep.

Before you change anything, answer one question: does another device on the same network drop at the same time? That single check tells you which half of this guide you need.

Why it happens#

Step 1: read your signal before you guess#

Hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. You will see extra lines under your network: RSSI (signal), Noise, Channel and Tx Rate.

The same numbers are in Terminal:

system_profiler SPAirPortDataType | sed -n '/Current Network Information/,/Other Local/p'

On our test MacBook Pro the result was Signal / Noise: -52 dBm / -90 dBm on channel 48 (5 GHz, 40 MHz) with 802.11ax. That is a healthy link: the closer the signal is to 0, the better, and you want at least 20 dB between signal and noise.

• -30 to -60 dBm: strong. If the Mac still drops, the cause is not the signal.
• -60 to -70 dBm: fine for browsing, may stutter on video calls.
• Weaker than -70 dBm: expect drops. Move closer, remove obstacles, or use 2.4 GHz which reaches further.

A note for Terminal users: on macOS 26, networksetup -getairportnetwork en0 printed "You are not associated with an AirPort network" on our Mac while it was connected. The network name is hidden from Terminal unless the app has Location permission, so do not trust that line as proof that Wi-Fi is down. Use the command above instead.

Step 2: see why macOS says it disconnected#

macOS logs a reason code every time it leaves a network. This command lists them for the last 24 hours. It took about one minute on our Mac:

/usr/bin/log show --last 24h --style compact --predicate 'process == "airportd" AND eventMessage CONTAINS "disassocReason"'

Use the full path /usr/bin/log, because in zsh log is a different command. Each line ends with disassocReason:<number>. The numbers are standard Wi-Fi reason codes:

• 8: the Mac chose to leave, for example to sleep or move to a stronger access point. One or two a day is normal. Our test Mac logged exactly one in six hours.
• 2, 4 or 15: the router dropped the Mac (expired login, inactivity, or a failed handshake). Look at the router: firmware, security mode, idle timeout.
• Many lines close together: the Mac is roaming between two access points or bands that have different settings.

Step 3: fix it on the router (when every device drops)#

1. Unplug the router and modem for 30 seconds, then plug the modem in first.
2. Update the router firmware from its app or admin page.
3. Check the security mode. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal, or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional when older devices need to join. Every band and every mesh unit should use the same name, password and security mode.
4. If the router has a "band steering" or "smart connect" option and drops are frequent, try giving the 5 GHz band its own name for a day to test.

Step 4: fix it on the Mac (when only the Mac drops)#

Do these in order and test for a while after each one:

1. Forget and rejoin. System Settings > Wi-Fi > click … next to the network > Forget This Network, then join again with the password. Since macOS 15, forgetting a network also gives it a new private address.
2. Set Private Wi-Fi Address to Fixed. System Settings > Wi-Fi > Details next to your network > Private Wi-Fi Address > Fixed. Choose Off only for your home network if the router filters by MAC address. A rotating address can look like a new device to the router and be refused.
3. Quit VPN, firewall and "network protection" apps for a test. If the drops stop, update or replace that app.
4. Check service order. Run networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder. A disconnected USB or Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter above Wi-Fi can make the Mac try the wrong path first. Drag Wi-Fi up in System Settings > Network > … > Set Service Order.
5. Remove and re-add Wi-Fi. System Settings > Network > select Wi-Fi > … > Delete Service, restart, then add it back with +. This rebuilds the network settings for Wi-Fi only.
6. Run Wireless Diagnostics. Hold Option, click the Wi-Fi icon, choose Open Wireless Diagnostics and let it monitor the connection while the problem happens.

What does not help#

• Deleting files in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration is old advice from the Intel era. Removing and re-adding the Wi-Fi service does the same thing safely.
• Resetting NVRAM or SMC does nothing for Wi-Fi on Apple silicon Macs.
• "Wi-Fi booster" apps cannot make the radio stronger. Only distance, walls and channel choice change the signal.

If it is the Mac itself#

If every network drops (home, office, phone hotspot), the signal is strong, and the problem continues after a restart in Safe Mode, the Wi-Fi hardware may be at fault. Back up, then book a repair with Apple. If the Mac also runs hot or slow, see kernel_task high CPU or WindowServer high CPU. More guides: all Mac Help topics.