My older MacBook Pro keeps loosing connection to the Wi-Fi server

Hi AppleTeam,

I have a 2015 MBP running Sierra. We are using Ziply Fiber Optics and they just updated us with a new WiFi 7 router. Ever since then I've experienced problems with staying connected. I'm using Firefox 115.25 since Chrome is no longer supported. Every few minutes I loose connection. I have to literally turn off WiFI, turn it back on, then refresh to connect again! I'm working in my office where I also have a MB Air sitting next to the MBP. Doesn't happen on the AIR, so it's a MBP issue. Also, not sure if this is related but, the MBP locked up and rebooted itself while I was doing the WiFi on/off dance. I'm currently doing a full Time Machine Backup just in case I have to set fire to the MBP and/or erase and reinstall the OS...


Suggestions?

Thanks

g



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.6

Posted on Jul 15, 2025 07:29 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 16, 2025 10:11 AM

You are connecting using 802.11ac rules, and have established an 80 MHz wide connection on channel 48 (which includes every channel from 36 through 48).


Your RSSI signal strength at -51 is good, (-40 is about the best, and -65 is marginal).

Noise at -92 suggests there MIGHT be other Routers on your channel.


Transmit speed of 780 is the highest for TWO antennas at MCS Index 9. Doesn't that Router have FOUR antennas?


My 15 in MacBook Pro achieves 1170 with similar RSSI and noise numbers, implying there are THREE antennas. It is possible you have a disconnected antenna.


--------

Because it is possible you may have another Router on your channel, you should investigate what router is on what channel around you.


usually, we just arm-wave the issue by

setting the Router to "automatic" channel selection. Then when the Router powers up, it listens momentarily to what is already on the air, and adjusts to the least-busy channel.


it is not an accident that every debugging procedure starts with "cycle the power to your Router."


The next level we can use is to use the SCAN tool in Wireless Diagnostics to look around at what is visible over the air around the Mac. This has the advantage of showing what is seen at the Mac, which may be slightly different than what is seen at the Router(s). Click on the channel heading to sort by channel.


this is what it looks like:

(drag and drop on Preview to see larger, or make your own)


There are also low-cost third-party tools available for easier debugging

15 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 16, 2025 10:11 AM in response to George Mauro

You are connecting using 802.11ac rules, and have established an 80 MHz wide connection on channel 48 (which includes every channel from 36 through 48).


Your RSSI signal strength at -51 is good, (-40 is about the best, and -65 is marginal).

Noise at -92 suggests there MIGHT be other Routers on your channel.


Transmit speed of 780 is the highest for TWO antennas at MCS Index 9. Doesn't that Router have FOUR antennas?


My 15 in MacBook Pro achieves 1170 with similar RSSI and noise numbers, implying there are THREE antennas. It is possible you have a disconnected antenna.


--------

Because it is possible you may have another Router on your channel, you should investigate what router is on what channel around you.


usually, we just arm-wave the issue by

setting the Router to "automatic" channel selection. Then when the Router powers up, it listens momentarily to what is already on the air, and adjusts to the least-busy channel.


it is not an accident that every debugging procedure starts with "cycle the power to your Router."


The next level we can use is to use the SCAN tool in Wireless Diagnostics to look around at what is visible over the air around the Mac. This has the advantage of showing what is seen at the Mac, which may be slightly different than what is seen at the Router(s). Click on the channel heading to sort by channel.


this is what it looks like:

(drag and drop on Preview to see larger, or make your own)


There are also low-cost third-party tools available for easier debugging

Jul 22, 2025 10:18 AM in response to George Mauro

Parece que o problema é no seu MacBook Pro 2015, que pode não estar funcionando bem com o roteador WiFi 7 novo. O Sierra é uma versão antiga do macOS e pode ter dificuldade com roteadores modernos.


Tenta esquecer a rede no MacBook Pro e conectar de novo pra limpar as configurações. Se der, atualiza o sistema pra versão mais nova que ele suporta.


Testa também usar cabo com adaptador pra ver se o problema some. Veja se o roteador tem atualização de firmware.


Como o MacBook Air não tem problema, o MBP pode estar com algum conflito de hardware ou software.


Faz backup e, se nada melhorar, pensa em levar pra assistência ou usar um adaptador Wi-Fi USB.

Jul 22, 2025 10:31 AM in response to rtdro

auto translate fro Portuguese(Brazil) :


It seems that the problem is with your MacBook Pro 2015, which may not be working well with the new WiFi 7 router. Sierra is an old version of macOS and can have problems with modern routers.


Try forgetting the network on your MacBook Pro and connecting again to clear the settings. If possible, update the system to the latest compatible version. Also try using the cable with adapter to see if the problem goes away.


See if your router has a firmware update. Since MacBook Air has no issues, MBP may have some hardware or software conflict.


Back it up, and if nothing improves, think about taking it for help or using a USB Wi-Fi adapter.



Jul 21, 2025 08:10 AM in response to George Mauro

Your posted report says you were connected to an access point named TP-Link_3130 at the time of the report.


Using Wireless Diagnostics is a little complicated.

Hold Option while you click on the Wi-FI Icon on the Menubar. You get a screen like this one:

DO NOT (Continue)

Instead, from the Window menu, choose one of the functions available -- in this case SCAN:



Your Mac scans the entire Wi-Fi spectrum it can access, and shows a display like this one:

if you click on the 'Channel' column, it will sort by channel number.


Please post your screenshot.

Jul 15, 2025 08:34 AM in response to George Mauro

Wi-Fi Radio Signals from your Router fall off as the cube of the distance. Provided you are close to your Router and have clear line of sight and no competition from neighbors' Routers or known interference producers like microwave ovens.


All others need to do a more careful analysis to find out what is happening.


Wireless diagnostics:


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 Wi-Fi network. Screenshot, transcribe, or photograph the results and post back in a reply on the forums. Looks like this older one.



Jul 22, 2025 09:35 AM in response to George Mauro

At 80 MHz channel width, EVERY access point from channel 36 through channel 48 is using the same portion of the spectrum, and yours, previously reported with -51 RSSI is not remarkably stronger than some others. Manto at signal strength -75 definitely will interfere with yours, as will some others.


The usual way we do this with ONE Router and No boosters is to set the Router to "automatic" channel selection. Then when the Router powers up, it listens momentarily to what is already on the air, and adjusts to the least-busy channel.


it is not an accident that every debugging procedure starts with "cycle the power to your Router."


The next level we can use is to use the SCAN tool in Wireless Diagnostics to look around at what is visible over the air around the Mac. This has the advantage of showing what is seen at the Mac, which may be slightly different than what is seen at the Router(s).

Jul 20, 2025 12:31 PM in response to George Mauro

Did you check the SCAN to see if other Routers are using channels that overlap yours?


Did you check for a disconnected antenna?


--------

You have NEVER been able to reliably copy MacOS and have it work correctly. In general, neither the copy nor the copy of the copy will work correctly.


For macOS after from 10.15 Catalina onward, you are precluded from using any but fundamental sources (direct downloads or downloaded Installers from Apple) to create the crypto-locked Virtual System Volume.


Best Practice when you are having trouble is to do a Clean Install with sources from Apple, not copies.


Your Mac has Internet Recovery in its ROM, but if your Wi-FI is shaky, you might want to create a bootable installer in addition:


Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support






Jul 20, 2025 11:45 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I've exhausted all the options suggested by this and redit groups about the WiFi issue.

I'm about to do something drastic unless y'all think it's a bad idea!


Copy OS 10.12.6 to a thumb drive, factory reset the 2015 intel MBP (after doing a TimeMachine backup, of course) then reinstall the OS and restore Time Machine...

This might clean up the clutter that might be causing this WiFi 7 issue. Even Ziply isn't sure why this is happening, they suggested that the 2015MBP might not be able to hanle WiFi7 and/or 5GHz?!?


I have other computers I can use the internet for... it's just frustrating I can't use it on the one computer I do most of my work on... ah...technology... :-)


Thanks

g

Jul 20, 2025 08:43 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi Grant,

There are no antenna on this router. This is an HB610 Aginet router. It’s like a big white Alexa device! There’s a mesh unit in my office which is paired to it.

As far as the SCAN to see overlapping channels… I have NO idea what this means.

I was able to do a diagnostic report and got a .zip file that opened up a ton of other .zip files but I have no clue what/where/who to look for that information.


I’ll do more research on that subject when I have more time. Thank you.

g

Jul 22, 2025 10:14 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

In my network part of the sys pref I do believe I have it set to Automatic..see image below.. there is also something called WiFi 7... ?? Should I be on that?? I don't know.. ha! :-)

I looked at the other functions on the WiFI Diagnostics; Sniffer, Log, Performance, etc... none of it makes sense to me, but it sure was fun! If I'm getting interference from Manto; whoever that is, is there a filter or something ... or should I go and put aluminum foil around my windows!!?? :-)

Thanks.


[Edited by Moderator]

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My older MacBook Pro keeps loosing connection to the Wi-Fi server

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