Hi,
Since the upgrade to Catalina the Wifi status indicator keeps active in the top right screen. It looks like it's constantly connecting to a network. But I'm connected to the internet via cable. It's anoying to see it constantly scanning and it seems unnecessary?
Does anybody know how to fix this or is it a bug?
Best regards,
Merijn
MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15
Your Wi-Fi menu extras icon will appear active until you click on it, and select Turn Wi-Fi Off, or in System Preferences : Network panel, you click on your Wi-Fi item in the left column of services, and then click the button Turn Wi-Fi Off.
As has been pointed out, if location services are important to you, then you may want Ethernet, and Wi-Fi enabled. While enabled, it is normal for the Wi-Fi chip to automatically scan for new networks about every 5 seconds.
Your Wi-Fi menu extras icon will appear active until you click on it, and select Turn Wi-Fi Off, or in System Preferences : Network panel, you click on your Wi-Fi item in the left column of services, and then click the button Turn Wi-Fi Off.
As has been pointed out, if location services are important to you, then you may want Ethernet, and Wi-Fi enabled. While enabled, it is normal for the Wi-Fi chip to automatically scan for new networks about every 5 seconds.
Open System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi and uncheck "Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar".
If the Wi-Fi icon indicates it's always scanning try rebooting your router.
Wi-Fi and Ethernet are separate entities. You can have one or the other enabled, or both. You need both enabled for example if you want to use Location Services.
FWIW, this is the icon when WiiFi is enabled…
This is the icon when Wi-Fi is disabled…
The icon should never animate unless Wi-Fi is enabled and it can't find a Wi-Fi network.
Yes but that's not what I want. Why is it active when I have a cable connection? I'd like to see the wifi status but I don't like it to be scanning constantly while I'm already connected.
But has this changed in Catalina? I never noticed the constant animating wifi icon (it never stops when not connected!)
Ok, thanks for answering.
Yes that's correct. I have a cable connection and there's no wifi network to connect too. It then constantly animates unless I turn it off.
That's what it's supposed to do if you have no router or access to Wi-Fi. Has nothing to do with Catalina.
It is a function of the Broadcom wireless chip design that it continues to search for available networks. Been that way in OS X and macOS for years.
wifi status indicator
