AWDL causing persistent WIFI Connectivity Issues

(MacBook M3 Pro - macOS Sequoia 15.2)


Hello! I’ve been experiencing constant WiFi connectivity issues with my MacBook M3 Pro for the past 6 months, and it’s driving me crazy. My MacBook is practically unusable.


Initially, I assumed it was my WiFi setup, but after some thought, I realized my work MacBook (M1) and personal iPhone have never had these problems with my home WiFi.

After researching online, I was shocked to see how many people are facing similar issues. Here’s the problem:

  • The WiFi connection is so slow that even basic websites won’t load.
  • Disabling and re-enabling WiFi temporarily fixes the issue for about 5 minutes, but the connection becomes unusable again. This makes it impractical to keep doing this repeatedly.


One solution I found on Reddit and other forums involves disabling the AWDL interface with the following command:


sudo ifconfig awdl0 down


I understand AWDL is used for features like AirDrop and Bluetooth, so it seems disabling it permanently using some bash script isn’t the best solution out there.


I’ve already updated macOS to the latest version 15.2 (previously on 14.x), but the issue persists.


Is there a permanent solution from Apple to fix this? My MacBook is unfortunately unusable in its current state, and I’m desperate for a fix.


Thanks!

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.2

Posted on Jan 4, 2025 08:28 AM

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15 replies

Jan 12, 2025 07:22 AM in response to ysnk27

launch daemons start at system launch and run in the background, forever.


if you are having communications issues, this very intrusive Utility is the last thing you want running in the background at all times:


[Loaded] org.wireshark.ChmodBPF.plist (Wireshark Foundation - installed 2025-01-11)

Executable: /Library/Application Support/Wireshark/ChmodBPF/ChmodBPF

Jan 12, 2025 06:14 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi again, thank you so much for your help!


As you suggested i ran EtreCheck this morning, and I’ve included the generated report below.

The report doesn’t show any network-related issues but it shows high CPU usage from some system processes i think, i’m not sure if that’s related to my WiFi issue.

Please let me know if you need any additional details.



Jan 4, 2025 09:05 AM in response to ysnk27

By far the easiest way to cause poor performance, instability, overheating and crashing is to install ANY third-party speeder-uppers, Cleaners, Optimizers, or Virus scanners, Bit Torrent, or a VPN that you installed yourself.


¿Are you running anything like that?


Hold down the Option key while you click on the Wi-Fi icon on the menubar to open up the tools for investigating and fixing Wi-Fi issues


First is "Open Wireless diagnostics", which opens the wireless diagnostics Assistant, but does not proceed.


There are about eight different things you can do from here, but the top-level is to choose Diagnostics off the Window menu, or simply click continue, to do a quick check for Gross misconfiguration or operating problems. Your Admin password will be required. If any recommendations are shown, you should consider then seriously.


Next is to hold down the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon as before. The screen that opens shows operating parameters of your network. Screenshot, transcribe, or photograph the results and post back in a reply on the forums. Looks like this older one.


...



Jan 6, 2025 06:55 AM in response to ysnk27

Consider downloading and running this little "discovery" utility, Etrecheck. It changes NOTHING. Etrecheck was developed by senior contributor here, and uses system calls to collect often-needed information.


it contains little tests for speeds of devices, CPU utilization, memory usage, energy usage and a digest of recent problems, in one easy to use package. it does not even need to be Installed. Because less can be learned when your Mac is running great, best time to run is when your problems are actually occurring, if possible.


if you follow the directions faithfully, its report (pre-laundered of all personally-identifiable information) can be "Shared" to the System ClipBoard, then Pasted into an ‘Additional Text’ window in a reply on the forums.


Use Etrecheck Pro for free:

http://Etrecheck.com


then start a reply on the forums, click the "additional text" icon, and PASTE


...

Jan 4, 2025 11:49 AM in response to ysnk27

you have very good raw signal at -44 dB, where around -40 is right at your Router, and -75 is unusably bad. Noise level of -92 is good.


you have made a connection using a very wide 802.11ax 160 Mhz channel on channel 11, and are are achieving amazingly good transmit rate of 1921 M bits/sec using two antennas and 256 patterns per signaling interval.


[in my opinion\ your problems are caused by your insistence on using a VPN. Completely un-install (not just switch off) the VPN, and I expect your problems will completely abate.



Jan 4, 2025 11:49 AM in response to ysnk27

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a private connection over the Internet from a device to a specific network.  VPN technology is widely used in corporate environments. If you need to be "present" on an institutional network, a VPN is a great tool for accomplishing this. it is generally issued and controlled by the institution.


Almost all other uses are a SCAM. There is generally no need for you to have a private connection to a VPN vendor's Network, except to make it easier for them to harvest your data to sell.


If VPN vendors just stopped there, it would be bad. But many of these packages also insist on scanning all your files, non-stop, -- nominally looking for viruses, but who knows for sure what data they are harvesting. Their non-stop file reading punishes your computer's performance in the process.


Some also break into your other secure connections so they can be FIRST to examine your data, often leaving your Mac MORE vulnerable to attack.


https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29


Jan 6, 2025 02:14 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hello, Thanks again for your help!


I completely understand what you mean, as I mentioned earlier i only used the VPN once for a personal reason and then disabled it. The WiFi issues started about 6 months after that.


Yesterday, I fully uninstalled the VPN from my Mac as you suggested, restarted my machine, but unfortunately, the issue persists even a day later.


I ran the diagnostic tool and it generated a lot of configuration files and reports in my /var/tmp directory. Since I’m a software engineer and networking isn’t exactly my strongest skill lol, i couldn’t make much sense of them, is there any tool or resource that could help me analyze these reports?

Also do you think adjusting the channel or frequency settings on my router could potentially fix this issue?


Thank you so much for your continued support!

Jan 12, 2025 07:08 AM in response to ysnk27

you have some unexpected issues.


Install and Un-Install

the fundamental principles:


• anything installed with drag-and-drop to the /Applications folder can be un-installed by Drag-and-drop to the Trash. After a restart, the Trash can be emptied.


• anything installed with a complex installer program requires the manufacturer's un-installer program. sometimes this is included as an "option" in the Installer package, but the software-maker's web site should specify how to un-install (if they don't, they get swamped with users clamoring for Un-install Instructions)


• anything claiming to be an 'uninstaller helper' is just JUNK. (worse than web site click-bait)


Like this, for exapmle:

AppCleaner SmartDelete (Julien Ramseier - installed 2025-01-11)

Modern Login Item

~/Downloads/AppCleaner.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/AppCleaner SmartDelete.app

Jan 12, 2025 07:54 AM in response to ysnk27

Although google Chrome provides some additional services users like, Chrome does so at tremendous cost in terms of computer resources it uses up, and at the cost of your Privacy. it was never optimized for Mac.


If you can possibly switch to almost ANY other Browser, you would be far better off.


I use Safari, but have substituted Duck Duck Go search engine, and the search and other pages have far fewer ads and other distractions.


FireFox is another one that users like, and is also faster than Chrome and uses fewer resources.


Third-party file Sync-ers such as DropBox, BackBlaze, OneDrive, or GoogleDrive can ruin performance, but are not inherently dangerous.


They were Quickly ported from that other Operating System, and were never re-written to take advantage of the MacOS ‘File System Event Store’.  The typical brute-force search they use takes all afternoon for one pass. That relentless searching is a completely un-necessary waste of resources.


Synch and Backup programs like iCloud Drive and Time Machine that DO use the MacOS File System Event Store can find changes really quickly and be done with their work and suspend themselves. Time machine can run backups Hourly, while all those others are still beating on the file system for the first pass, four hours later. By the time those others have finished one pass, they need to start again.

Feb 4, 2025 04:48 PM in response to ysnk27

Grant, this is not a surface level user-error issue that can be approached with generic advice.

This has been a prominent flaw in Apple Silicon's network stack, do any amount of google searching for "awdl ping spikes," "awdl issues," etc will show a swath of posts on multiple forums with the same problem. Most people don't notice because it only becomes apparent in low-latency situations such as local game streaming through Moonlight/Sunshine.

The awdl network interface frequently switches to a specific wifi channel when connecting to other Apple devices for handoff, airplay, etc. This can be mitigated by changing your WiFi's channel to one that matches awdl's preferred channel (depends on frequency and region.) This can not be fixed until Apple figures out a way to do awdl tasks without constantly switching WiFi channels. But it has been years, and I doubt there is any way to fix this if it has been this long

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AWDL causing persistent WIFI Connectivity Issues

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