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WiFi connectivity issue (5GHz, MacBook Pro)

OK, this is going to sound weird, but I'll try to explain my issue.

My internet connection is constantly "dropping", whenever I type an address or click on a link safari will just "freeze" on a blank screen (and a progression bar that doesn't move on the search field) as if I was trying to connect using a very VERY slow internet...

UNTIL I hover my mouse over to the top of the screen to reveal the Menu bar and I click on the little WiFi logo! Then everything works and the page I was trying to load actually loads. Just as if my connection was re-established by that click. (WEIRD, I KNOW) And it sometimes works for up to 3 minutes until I'm stuck again.

Some data I gathered through some experiments:

  • This only happens while I'm using my 5 GHz connection (2.4 GHz works flawlessly as usual)
  • Tried control+click on the WiFi logo and things seem OK (although I'm not an expert, clearly)
  • Security is set for WPA2
  • I've tried turning everything off and on (router, MacBook, WiFi settings etc), but the problem persists
  • I've tried "forgetting" the 5GHz network and reconnecting to it, yet nothing changed
  • My iPhone works perfectly on that same 5GHz network in the exact same place as my MacBook (i.e. same room, distance to router etc)


I'm using a late 2017 13" MacBook Pro (w/ Touch Bar), with the latest version of Mojave (10.14.6).

Any help would be greatly appreciated especially since I'm going crazy with this and I don't want to take my computer to any support.


Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Aug 29, 2019 7:25 PM

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6 replies

Aug 30, 2019 9:51 AM in response to MattArma

You have a really strong, excellent signal strength at -53 dB. You must be right on top of your Router. (I use "better [closer to zero] than -50" as a talking number to describe what you should get right next to your Router.)


You appear (derived from a chart on Wikipedia) to be using three antennas, but only attaining MCS index 2 out of a possible 9 using that method and attaining a Transmit rate of 264 where 1170 is possible using that setup.


I immediately attribute the difference to your neighbors. If your Router is not already set to "Automatic" channels selection, it should be. Then when the Router powers up, it will select the channel with the best reception (least busy and best throughput). It is not an accident that every debugging procedure starts with" cycle the power to your Router."


You can look at what channels are in use by your neighbors using the tools in Wi-Fi diagnostics (also invokable from the Option-Wi-Fi menu). Choose Scan for a look at what channels are in use and how strong these signals are:


(drag and drop on Preview to see larger)


DON"T select Diagnostic Report, it is a waste of time. It should be named "Diagnostic DUMP" and his no summarized report at all.


Note that Scan shows only the nominal channel, not the "spread" up and down. To see the full spectrum in use an inexpensive third-party utility like Wi-Fi Explorer (available with 3 -day trial) can be very useful:



(drag and drop on Preview to see larger)


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Aug 30, 2019 2:14 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I followed the steps and looked at the summary (but not the spread on the third-party), and everything looks OK indeed.

The summary says that 153 would be the best channel yet it's still using 36 (no idea why)

The Router config. is set to automatically choose the channel.


Still, the problem persists... should I set a manual channel?

This has been puzzling me like no other issue I ever had...

Sep 4, 2019 11:47 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hey, sorry for the late response.

I did cycle the power and realised it was insisting on the same channel, even on Automatic. I tried connecting a different (personal) router to it as a bridge, only to create another 5GHz wireless network and that solved the issue, which got me relieved since it's not a problem with my MacBook.

I can't "fix" the old router since it belongs to the ISP, but I'm requesting a substitution...


Thanks for all the help, I would have never guessed it was a problem with the choice of WiFi channel.

WiFi connectivity issue (5GHz, MacBook Pro)

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