Mac mini 5ghz data rate issue - will not maintain data rate with full signal

Apple support is not here,and like the product teams, they have their hands full with existing workload and don't visit here. Just fellow users and the Apple community specialists working with the hosting team.

That 2021 MacBook Pro is running Ventura 13.5 too. The Synology RT6600ax was a $360 USD router, so no cheap solution thrown at the Wi-Fi problem.

We just had a three-day power outage here and I am leaning toward a Netgear Nighhawk M6 Pro 6550 5Ghz hotspot for battery powered Wi-Fi 6/6E signal. Be intesting to see if the Macs sustain better signal stability from this solution.

The Mac mini's antenna is built into bottom cover, which greatly reduces Wi-Fi and Bluetooth reception.

To make matters worse, high speed USB cables and display cables can also cause interference.

see > Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference - Apple Support

A couple of other options to try,

Moving the Mac mini closer to the Wi-Fi router.

Placing the Mac mini in a side stand with the bottom facing the router.

I have a Wi-Fi 6 Synology RT6600ax router (current firmware) about 20 feet (same floor) from my M2 Mac mini Pro. There is drywall between them. I have one SSID that offers 5Ghz 802.11n/ac/ax and another SSID that is configured to deliver 5Ghz 802.11ac/ax only. Both SSID are configured to deliver 80Mhz bandwidth.

I have Cat7 cable between the 2.5 Ghz ready Motorola MB8611 DOCSIS 3.1 modem and the router, and speedof.me shows a consistent 260 Mbps cable feed from Comcast.

Even though I have turned the M2 mini Pro on its side with the bottom facing the router, the Wi-Fi signal fluctuates all day long between 96 Mbps and 1200 Mbps. Watching the Wi-Fi signal using the option key on the Ventura 13.5 Wi-Fi menu extras icon shows it randomly changing the Wi-Fi speed. I have turned off my iPhone 14 Pro Max and that made no difference in signal performance. I switched to the 802.11ac/ax SSID and though it offers a channel 144, its signal bounces around too. I have a 2020 Core i7 iMac sitting about a foot from the Synology router and it usually shows a solid 1300 Mbps 802.11ac signal.

In the corner of the living room, I have a wired Apple TV 4K which is streaming SiriusXM music on a 55-inch TV, and there are no other signal propagation sources in the house during this signal fluctuation. The neighborhood has about 20 SSID, but this should not matter 20 feet from the router.

My 2021 16-in Mac Book Pro M1 Pro which is about a yard from the M2 mini exhibits the same fluctuating Wi-Fi signal using either SSID, even with the M2 Mini powered off. I also have a Obihai 2182 IP Phone (Google Voice) using 5Ghz 802.11n signal on the same desk as the Mac mini. Unplugging it made no difference in the fluctuating Wi-Fi signal either.

If there were an ethernet jack in this corner of the house, I would already have been using it.

Maddening stuff.

I bought a Mac mini a year ago and had issues with the my home network. I had to shut off the wifi connection and turn it on for things to open. Recently, I changed out my router for a Motorola Cable Modem Plus AC1900 Router or MG7550. It provides both 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz networks. Every device in my house including a 12 year old MacBook Pro connected to the 5 ghz. My Mac mini would not, no matter what I did. I went to the Apple Store and purchased a new Mac mini thinking my current device was faulty. Well, to my frustration the brand new Mac mini will not connect to the 5 ghz. It appears I'm not the only one with this issue.

Any thoughts? I think I just blew a $1000 on nothing!

Try swapping/replacing the router.

BodhisattvaSagara wrote:

but I do have it next to the router, and this is NOT a signal issue.

How close? Try moving the Mac mini to somewhere between 10' and 40' from the router.

Router make & model? If you’re unwilling to troubleshoot the router, there’s not much else that can be done…other than…wishing you luck!

Return it while it’s still eligible for money-back. There is no other option. All the best 😁

That close, I would use a CAT 6 Ethernet cable.