You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

[Solved] Slow Wifi after Ventura upgrade

This has been really annoying. I'm an expert Mac user, been using Macs for 25 years and am an IT guy, but I could not find a fix for this.


Every day or two, or sometimes multiple times in a day, my Mac would slow down greatly on my wifi, or sometimes stop accessing the Internet. Yet my iPad Pro, iPhone, etc. everything else was still running 360Mbps download speed, while the Mac was limited to maybe 40Mbps on the same network, same location. Nothing would help except a reboot, which is very inconvenient.


Hardware: 2020 M1 MacBook Pro 13", 2021 M1 iPad Pro 12.9", iPhone 13 Pro Max.


I suspected Network filters and disabled those. Cleared DNS cache. And many other things, too many to list. All the usual suspects, short of wiping and reinstalling from scratch.


Then I ran across this:


Recent Apple updates leading to WiFi issues & an interim solution

https://www.meter.com/mac-osx-awdl-psa


an excerpt:


"Macbooks use a WiFi interface called AWDL (Apple Wireless Direct Link) for features like AirDrop and AirPlay. Having AWDL on may cause your WiFi connection to periodically reset. Although these issues can manifest in various ways, the underlying issue is the same: throughput and speeds drop, devices get disconnected randomly, and fail to rejoin the network."


I implemented the scripts on this page and my speed immediately went from 40Mbps download (when it had worked at all before) back up to 360Mbps.


It adds it to launch control so it starts when your Mac starts, and then runs in the background to keep the AWDL interface off.


The only downside? This *may* disable Airplay and Airdrop.


I don't use Airdrop on my Mac.


I was able to use Airplay, but I suspect it brings the AWDL interface online to do this, but I'm not sure. Again, I don't really need Airplay on the Mac.


ANYWAY, this fixed it for me!


When Apple addresses this, I'll disable the script but in the meantime, I'm back to full speed 😎


Fred

MacBook Pro (M1, 2020)

Posted on May 18, 2023 5:41 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 22, 2023 11:32 AM

OK, still having lots of Internet issues when I turn the script off.


The trouble is, I can't use Universal Control with the script on (where Internet works properly), so I keep switching the script off and on. With ADWL disabled, some Internet functions work, some don't. Some websites work, some don't. Speedtest will work, and then it won't - while the script is off and AWDL is enabled like "normal". I've rebooted multiple times, switched wifi networks (which work on my other Apple devices just fine) and it is very frustrating.


So no, the issue was not solved with macOS 13.4.

Similar questions

21 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 22, 2023 11:32 AM in response to Fred Laxton

OK, still having lots of Internet issues when I turn the script off.


The trouble is, I can't use Universal Control with the script on (where Internet works properly), so I keep switching the script off and on. With ADWL disabled, some Internet functions work, some don't. Some websites work, some don't. Speedtest will work, and then it won't - while the script is off and AWDL is enabled like "normal". I've rebooted multiple times, switched wifi networks (which work on my other Apple devices just fine) and it is very frustrating.


So no, the issue was not solved with macOS 13.4.

Mar 12, 2024 3:32 AM in response to Fred Laxton

Issue reproed on Mac Mini M1 running macOS Ventura 13.4, the issue is still there after upgrading to Sonoma 14.4 :

  • disabling AirDrop did not fix the issue ;
  • running "sudo ifconfig awdl0 down" did not fix the issue.


Did not test the script as it just also running "sudo ifconfig awdl0 down" in the background.


Note : I have a 2nd Mac Mini M1 running macOS Bigsur 11.6 and the issue is not reproed there.


@+

rv.

May 19, 2023 7:11 AM in response to Randall_2023

OK, installed 13.4 and while it seems better, the download is about 10% slower - 330Mbps vs 370Mbps with the script fix (not a big deal), but uploads are 1/2 to 1/4 the speed. 2-4Mbps on 13.4, vs 6-11Mbps upload with the script fix. That is an issue, as I sometimes upload large files to my servers.


So I'm going to keep the script fix for now.

Jun 18, 2023 5:18 AM in response to Fred Laxton

My M2 Mac mini running Ventura 13.4 has been exhibiting the same wifi slowdown for the past few weeks. Turning wifi off/on usually gets it back up to speed for a few hours. I came across the AWDL solution on another thread and that solved it for me, but I don't like the idea of hacking around with scripts to periodically disable the interface. The post I read suggested disabling AirDrop discovery (Finder > AirDrop > Allow me to be discovered by: No One) and this seems to be holding up for now.


Aug 5, 2023 2:17 PM in response to AnimusArtificia

Still having Internet slowdowns and then the Internet quits working after a few days, this is with Airdrop set to "No One". So I have to reboot again and then all is well...for a few more days.


I've quit using my iPad Pro as a second screen, so I've set the awdl disable script in launch control to keep running all the time. Maybe that will help. I'm still not sure what else it impacts besides Airdrop and Universal Control.


I guess I'll keep this up until Sonoma comes out and then I'll check again.

Aug 21, 2023 6:30 AM in response to Fred Laxton

Fred, thanks for providing the link to the article with the script. It has fixed my internet issue but I will have to enable AWDL on and off when AirDrop is needed.


Btw I'm currently using Ventura 13.4.1 on a MacBook Pro 2.9 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7.

I had this issue also with Monterey and I updated to Ventura in the hope that it could be resolved... but the issue was persisting.

Sep 13, 2023 8:10 AM in response to Roberto_A

Had the same problem. Tried unplug power, smc reset and called apple support nothing works. I was just about the haul it into the store, then I remember some old trick went I work as a network admin.

first delete the Ethernet on the network tab

unplug the cable. Then restart the computer. Setup the Ethernet on the network tab. Plug the cable back in. At first it was turning on/off then I know it could be the cable. Once the cable is replaced I am up and running. This might be due the 100 base-Tx with the cable.

Oct 8, 2023 2:44 PM in response to Fred Laxton

I have encountered this after upgrading to Sonoma last week. I have around 800mbps and I was only getting 10 - 20 mbps worse is 5mbps on a 5ghz Wifi connection. Was calling my provider but as I try to Isolate the issue found this thread.


I tried the fix mentioned above and my speed is back to normal. So Apple does not have a fix even on the new OS Sonoma 14.0 thats so frustrating...


Tested on MB Pro M2.


Apr 6, 2024 10:15 PM in response to Fred Laxton

I have the same issue after updating to Ventura 13.6.6. Hours on the phone. Took to Apple store and it worked fine. Tech said they found that COMPLETELY UN-PLUGGING for a few minutes makes the computer basically clean itself and allow it to supercharge startup.

It has happened since then and I unplugged my iMac and it worked again.

So if Apple knows it has the issue why don't the concentrate and fix the **** issue. Maybe they are trying to get people to upgrade to the new Silicone chip models?

I'm going to put a switch in line to shut computer off easier!

What do you think?

[Solved] Slow Wifi after Ventura upgrade

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.