Using a Thunderbolt hub stops wifi working

You have posted your question in the support forum for the Apple routers.....the AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule.......products that you see below.

How would your question involve one of these products?

There is a well known issue where USB3 signal causes interference issues with 2.4ghz wifi. That has caused problems on various Macs as well as every other brand as well as routers with USB3 ports since it came out.

Thunderbolt should be immune to it but the hub could have USB3 port in it as well.

Foil covering the cables helps shield the two signals. But you might just need a better thunderbolt hub if you want 2.4ghz wifi to work.

However it does not usually affect 5ghz. Is your wifi router too far away for 5ghz connection.. try working up close to it.

And use the highest channels 149 and above.

Which band is your computer connecting to?

Do you have the router close enough to the computer so 5ghz signal is up above -60dBm?

Does the hub have ethernet port? If so use it ... forget wifi.

Unfortunately control over search engine algorithms is way beyond my pay grade.

Our wifi only has 2.4 GHz, sadly

OK that explains it. A wireless router configured as Wireless Access Point (WAP) can be purchased for loose change.. lots of routers are available second hand that may not be great as a router but work perfectly well as WAP. Anything made in the last 5 years will be AC wireless at least and have 5ghz and it will solve the problem.

I am in Australia and not sure where you are or what equipment you have available.. but I do lots of router testing and it is amazing how good the wifi is in some ISP routers that go on the second market for literally $1. Nobody wants them because they think they are useless.. but actually have plenty of usage left in them as WAP.

If you have a question about Thunderbolt on a MacBook Air, you would want to post it in the support forum for the MacBook Air. The link to that support forum is just below:

MacBook Air