Why is my MacBook Pro M3 Max experiencing slow internet despite fast Wifi?

I have this same issue. It can be as bad as 60% packet loss, pinging the router gateway (i.e. between the Mac and the router). It is the only device on this network that has this kind of problem.

The Macbook is connecting to a tri-band router (2.4GHz, 5GHz-1, 5GHz-2). The router is configured to present a common SSID across all bands.

The packet loss is highly variable. It will successfully ping 50 or 100 pings in a row, then start dropping the next 10 or 15 pings. Other times, every other ping will drop. Again, other devices on the network at the same time running pings see 0 dropped pings at the same time the Macbook is dropping pings.

I also see the same behavior if I connect to a network configured on only 1 of the 5GHz channels (i.e. unique SSID name for the single 5GHz channel). The only workaround I have is switching to an older legacy network on the same router that is WPA2 Personal (not WPA3 Personal) and 2.4GHz only.

It is very clearly a problem with the Macbook, and not with other devices or the router. Here's the obligatory screenshot of the detailed WiFi menu.

This ended up going away with (another) router reboot. I forced the router to use channel 140 (144 wasn't an option), but that didn't make a difference. I confirmed the Mac was using 140 and still saw significant packet loss to the router. Then I switched it back to Auto (went back to channel 157) and restarted the router. It came up on channel 149, but the packet loss was gone. I confirmed the other devices on my network also saw no packet loss.

Given that the packet loss between the Mac and the router was consistently significant (minimum 8%, usually between 20% and 50% loss -- over a ten minute period) and no other device connected to the same 5GHz channel ever experienced issues, then only thing I can think is that something within the router gets conflicted or out of sync, and the router reboot resets things (something apparently a Macbook reboot does not). Since I have had this problem multiple times with this Macbook Pro on multiple networks, I suspect it will return. I'll dig in more if it does.

Potential fix: I had the same issue on my M3 MacBook Pro and it was so bad that 5GHz WiFi wouldn’t even connect at home when every other device was great. I ended up logging into my modem and finding a firmware update that has fixed my issues. I think might had to do with MAC Authentication. Hope this helps!

I have two macbooks too ! Macbook 16” PRO with M1 processor that works like a charm. Also had a MACBOOKAIR with an M1 processor and no internet problems which I traded in for a 2024 Macbook air M3 processor and 24 gbs of ram ! Nothing but problems connecting to home wi fi with this 2024 new model ! My 2 imacs, 2 ipads,1 iphone and 2021 Macbook pro M1 processor had NO PROBLEMS ! Tech support told me to return it to the Apple store which I did and they gave me a new one ! I did get a new laptop and paid a little more for an upgrade to a macbook pro 14 “ with a M3 pro processor ! Guess what ??? The same problem !!!! I called tech support and put the 2024 Macbook M3 pro processor on and they saw by using my iphone camera that there was no internet connection ! I then showed apple tech support the older 2021 16” Macbook Pro with the M1 processor which had NO INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ISSUES using THE SANE MODEUM AND WI FI !!!! The apple tech then transferred me to Post SALES REFUND DEPT and 1 drove and 1 1/2 hour to Lehigh Valley, Pa. apple store and 1 1/2 hour back home but thank God I got a full refund !!! BOTTOM LINE: The MacbookAir M3 and later the MacbookPro M3 PRO processors had internet connection problems, but NOT my MacbookPro 16” with the M1 processor nor my 2 new IMACS (M2) or 2 IPADS and 1 iphone all using the same home XFINITY WI FI !!!!! ! CONCLUSION: After 23 years of Apple devices with NO PROBLEMS these M3 processors are JUNK !!! Amen 🙏

Juliercreative wrote:

I was having the exact same issue. And apparently it’s an issue with the 5ghz connections. I has a mesh wifi system in my house and I was getting horrible signal on my 15” MacBook Air m3. Until I reverted back to the original router from my internet provider and problem was solved. It’s still something Apple should fix for sure, but that solved it for me at least for the time being. I don’t know. I don’t understand the whole ghz things so I’m not one to ask, but I guess the mesh system I was using (tenda nova) was the issue here. I was purchased back in 2021 so maybe that didn’t help. Anyway just wanted to let you know that was my fix.

Wi-Fi unfortunately doesn't always show an LED fault indicator 🚨 when something is wrong. Seldom, if ever.

As for the three Wi-Fi bands in use in most places, 5 GHz works by not penetrating walls as well, and 6 GHz by penetrating yet less, among other benefits to Wi-Fi networks using those bands.

2.4 GHz penetrates structures somewhat better, but US Wi-Fi typically has three channels with the other channels in 2.4 GHz all overlapping those three.

Lower penetration from the higher-frequency bands and from networks running at lower power to avoid contention or extend battery life can mean more access points or mesh networks are needed for coverage.

Lower penetration also means reduced interference from nearby networks, when in signal-dense environments.

Early mesh networking was a trash fire. Recent mesh gear and recent firmware versions do rather better.

And some Wi-Fi gear is just bad. Either when purchased, or as it ages, or due to environmental issues including heat , power surges, and lightning. More than a few older routers and older access points can and do fail, and one of the ways they can fail is by signal strength reductions. Or routers can fail by by dropping out for five or ten seconds at random, or longer. Or permanently. This as the Apple AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule devices in the networks I was dealing with, and with no errors associated with five to fifteen second dropouts.

And some walls are just radio-opaque, such as plaster with metal lathe backing, or reenforced masonry.

This is why we ask about signal strength and noise and such, and about the general local network environment.

I have 2 MacBooks pro's. One is the M3 which works horribly with the 5G network and an older MacBook pro which works fine. I can't change anything on the WiFi router since it's not controlled by me, but it has both 2.4ghz and 5G. they both have the same SID except the 5G shows up as theSID-5G. Connecting to the 2.4ghz works fine. Connecting to the 5G results in intermittent periods of lag and connection loss. Both computers are next to each other and the area is wide open with nothing to block the signal.

First, Restart in Safe Mode and see if the problem is the same. Safe Mode keeps most third-party add-ons from loading.

'works in safe mode', 'fails in regular mode', implies" it's something you added".

<<. It is very clearly a problem with the Macbook, and not with other devices or the router. Here's the obligatory screenshot of the detailed WiFi menu. >>

That does not appear to be a MacBook Pro Hardware problem. Your two antennas are picking up a very strong signal (-34 dB, right next to your Router) out of noise at a low -94 dB. You are recognizing 256 pattern per signaling interval, the highest possible with that modulation technique.

None of the Router information you supplied appears to makes a difference, except that the two radios tuned to channels in the 5 GHz range use up more of the many channels available it that band. You are not seeing interference (typically increase in Noise) from neighbors using the same channel, so the issue may be from badly-shielded peripherals and cables near the back of the McBook Pro, near there antennas in the hinge area.

The other possibility is in intrusive software is running inside your Mac.

There is no "intrusive software" running on the Mac. No cleaners, optimizers, virus scanners, etc. The laptop basically has VS Code and a web browser installed. Like I said, the only way to get a stable WiFi connection is to connect to 2.4GHz-only SSID. Any connection to a 5GHz network (even an SSID only attached to just one of the 5GHz radios) yields packet loss in the 20-50% range.

Like, it may not be a hardware problem, but it's clearly a problem with the Macbook Pro and 5GHz networks.

The only 'congestion' should be caused by other routers on the same channel. But there ARE some!

You appear to be using liminal channel 157 in your previous option-Wi-Fi screenshot. An 80 MHz connection there spreads upward and downward to span from 149 to 161.

However, the Router(s) listed as using 149, one named JKLC and two with hidden network-names overlap your channel, and clash with your data. Serious clashes only occur when your neighbor actively transmiting or receiving data, so actual disruption will be very sporadic if their use as very sporadic.

Best practice would be to change your Router to do "Automatic" channel assignment, and then when you "cycle the power to your router" (as every debugging procedure suggests) your Router listens to what is available before choosing the "least busy" channel.

Another approach would be to use the recommended "best channel" in the scan view, channel 144 (which at 80 Mhz wide spans from 144 down to channel 132. (This works only until your neighbors change their channels).

I was having the exact same issue. And apparently it’s an issue with the 5ghz connections. I has a mesh wifi system in my house and I was getting horrible signal on my 15” MacBook Air m3. Until I reverted back to the original router from my internet provider and problem was solved. It’s still something Apple should fix for sure, but that solved it for me at least for the time being. I don’t know. I don’t understand the whole ghz things so I’m not one to ask, but I guess the mesh system I was using (tenda nova) was the issue here. I was purchased back in 2021 so maybe that didn’t help. Anyway just wanted to let you know that was my fix.

next, hold down the Option key while you click on the WiFi Icon in the menubar. The values you see there are you current operating parameters. Screenshot, photograph, or transcribe those values and post back to the forums for Readers to analyze. Looks like this older one:

gosh that sounds like a problem. You should post your Option Wifi snapshot for analysis.

or run wirelss diagnostics

Once the wireless daignositcs window is open, these c-hoices are available on its Utilities menu:

you could use the Monitor function, to see what is happening when its drops

or the Performance widow to see if your. performance is stable or wobbly

I’ve started experiencing this issue as well with an M3 Max MacBook that I purchased brand new not two months ago. I’m six feet from the router, but the MacBook fails to find an internet connection even though wifi shows itself connected to the router. My M2 work MacBook has no problems.

Resetting the router, restarting the laptop, forgetting the network, reconnecting to the network - none of it works. The MacBook might come back online only for the internet to stop working a few minutes later, or it might not come back online at all. Worse I can’t seem to connect to my phone’s personal hotspot either.

It is a problem with the computer. Either some piece of the WiFi hardware is failing two months after purchase or the OS has a serious WiFi bug in it.

next hold the Option key which you click on the WiFi icon on the menubar.

Select "Open Wireless diagnostics"

press (Continue) and it will do a quick check for GROSS problems and mis-configuration.

Don't let it create a report, the report is not human readable, and it HUGE.