How can I connect my MacBook to wifi but leave iPhone unconnected?

TLDNR: How can I connect just my laptop to wifi while leaving my phone disconnected (with keychain turned on)? Thanks.


The wifi network at my office is hit and miss. When my MacBook is connected, it functions fine. When my iPhone is connected, it's slow as molasses. However, because of how keychain is set up, I cannot just connect one device. If I sign in to the wifi network on the MacBook, the iPhone automatically connects. If I disconnect the iPhone, the MacBook will disconnect itself. I've tried to just use my phone as a hotspot, but I find that feature needs a lot of work as the MacBook disconnects itself from the hotspot over and over while in use.



Posted on Feb 9, 2023 11:20 AM

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Feb 11, 2023 6:05 PM in response to chasetherooster

Hello chasetherooster,


Let's use the steps below to make sure that both your iPhone and MacBook are up to date:


Update your iPhone or iPad wirelessly
1. Back up your device using iCloud or your computer.
2. Plug your device into power and connect to the internet with Wi-Fi.
3. Go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update.
4. If you see more than one software update option available, choose the one that you want to install.
5. Tap Install Now. If you see Download and Install instead, tap it to download the update, enter your passcode, then tap Install Now. If you don't know your passcode, learn what to do.


Update macOS on Mac
Before following these steps, it's a good idea to back up your Mac.
1. From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose System Settings or System Preferences.
• If you chose System Settings, click General on the left side of the window. Then click Software Update on the right.
• If you chose System Preferences, click Software Update in the window.
2. Software Update then checks for new software. 
• If Software Update finds new software, click the button to install it. The button might be named Update Now, Upgrade Now, Install Now, or Restart Now, for example. You might then be asked to enter your administrator password.
• If Software Update says that your Mac is up to date, then no new software is currently available for your Mac model. Software Update shows only software that is compatible with your Mac.


You can also find those steps in the resources below. Updating can sometimes help address odd behaviors:


Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


Update macOS on Mac - Apple Support


Should that behavior still persist, does this also happen with other Wi-Fi networks?


If you temporarily disable Wi-Fi in Settings on your iPhone, does your MacBook also disconnect from Wi-Fi afterwards?


Let us know, and we'll take further steps from there based on those details.

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How can I connect my MacBook to wifi but leave iPhone unconnected?

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