Macbook Air M2 8Gb
What I've tried:
Still wifi is dropping connection (about 1 minute wifi per connection)
My iPad also updated today to iPadOS 26.3. Here wifi is stable. So it is not the router
What else can I try to get WIFI working again?
MacBook Air (M2, 2023)
bilca68 wrote:
• Macbook Air M2 8Gb
What I've tried:
Removed the network setting and restart
• Set airdrop to off, no one, Airplay receiver to off and restart
• Deleted all known WIFI networks from setting and reconnected and restart
Still wifi is dropping connection (about 1 minute wifi per connection)
My iPad also updated today to iPadOS 26.3. Here wifi is stable. So it is not the router
What else can I try to get WIFI working again?
How many times has the computer been restarted since Tahoe 26.3 was installed ?
Restart the computer in Safe Mode
Do the issues persist ?
If not - there could be something in the main User Account playing up.
To further isolate this - Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac.
Then log out of the Main User account and log into the dummy account and test again if the issue persists.
If the issue is present in the dummy account - then, this appears to be a System Wide issue on the computer.
Part 2 of 2
To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of 20 question
Download the Application Etrecheck ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.
The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet " and is only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer
This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer
The application is free or paid from added features.
The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information.
Post back the Full Report - Share Report >> Copy , then paste >>>> using the Additional Text Icon <<<<
bilca68 wrote:
• Macbook Air M2 8Gb
What I've tried:
Removed the network setting and restart
• Set airdrop to off, no one, Airplay receiver to off and restart
• Deleted all known WIFI networks from setting and reconnected and restart
Still wifi is dropping connection (about 1 minute wifi per connection)
My iPad also updated today to iPadOS 26.3. Here wifi is stable. So it is not the router
What else can I try to get WIFI working again?
How many times has the computer been restarted since Tahoe 26.3 was installed ?
Restart the computer in Safe Mode
Do the issues persist ?
If not - there could be something in the main User Account playing up.
To further isolate this - Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac.
Then log out of the Main User account and log into the dummy account and test again if the issue persists.
If the issue is present in the dummy account - then, this appears to be a System Wide issue on the computer.
Part 2 of 2
To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of 20 question
Download the Application Etrecheck ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.
The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet " and is only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer
This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer
The application is free or paid from added features.
The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information.
Post back the Full Report - Share Report >> Copy , then paste >>>> using the Additional Text Icon <<<<
bilca68 wrote:
The problem was in the router. It has a WIFI amplifier connected by cable.
Restarting the router without turning the WIFI amplifier off results in problematic WIFI connections.
Updating computers and restarting a router at the same time is not handy for problem tracing.
" Still wifi is dropping connection (about 1 minute wifi per connection)
My iPad also updated today to iPadOS 26.3. Here wifi is stable. So it is not the router "
Interesting and you are welcome
The problem was in the router. It has a WIFI amplifier connected by cable.
Restarting the router without turning the WIFI amplifier off results in problematic WIFI connections.
Updating computers and restarting a router at the same time is not handy for problem tracing.
For me this issue was resolved by deleting the VPN software (Surfshark) and restarting my MacBook Air. I didn't try to reinstall Surfshark yet.
BandenX wrote:
I'm on Macbook Pro M3 Pro. I confirmed this issue until I realized I have the same problem connecting to 2 wifi routers. I don't think this is wifi issue. I believe this is OS issue. I don't have this problem in 26.1.
To track down the cause, one needs to look at anything that could stand in the way between the internet provider and the computer.
This could include:
It's not that all of these are bad things, but some are indeed not recommended and any of them that involve elements that are incompatible with, or need to be updated for, Tahoe could be the cause.
And VPN as well as third-party security, antivirus or other unusual things can conflict with MacOS, which has robust built in tools for many of those same functions.
If it were an innate OS issue it would affect all of the millions of Macs on Tahoe and all those Macs sitting on WiFi inside Apple Stores.
I have a similar issue, I started to notice since the installation of Tahoe 26.3 on my MacBook Pro M4 Max
I have a strange pattern: connection issues occur when the laptop is tilted and are expressed in the form of a complete loss of connection or ping lasting 1000-2000 ms. The connection works only when the laptop is in a horizontal position, but the ping is unstable (10-500 ms). If the laptop is placed on an angled dock (approximately 45 degrees), the connection begins to disappear. If the angle of the bottom cover is 90 degrees from horizontal, the connection is completely cut on both 2.4/5GHz bands
I have made unsuccessful attempts to reset the router and use a different Wi-Fi network. I have also tried to reset the network plist, dns cache, reboot in safe mode/new user, disable Handoff and Airdrop, etc. Support has not provided any additional information beyond the methods mentioned above.
Today I've updated to 26.3.1, hopes that the issue will go away, but it didn't. I'm currently using an Ethernet adapter, and everything is stable :)
It seems that the problem is somehow related to the accelerometer. Has anyone noticed this behavior?
I'm on Macbook Pro M3 Pro. I confirmed this issue until I realized I have the same problem connecting to 2 wifi routers. I don't think this is wifi issue. I believe this is OS issue. I don't have this problem in 26.1.
BandenX wrote:
I'm on Macbook Pro M3 Pro. I confirmed this issue until I realized I have the same problem connecting to 2 wifi routers. I don't think this is wifi issue. I believe this is OS issue. I don't have this problem in 26.1.
Interesting assertion
Using 1 M4 Desktop, 1 M4 Laptop and 1 M2 Desktop
Each machine were installed with the Original Release of Tahoe macOS 26.0 ( 25A354 )
They have each been upgraded through each and every version including Tahoe macOS 26.3 ( 25D125 )
Connecing via 6E Wifi to an Fiber Optic Router with 1.5 by 1.5 speeds
No issues from the Get Go
I tried tilting my laptop all around and over and still get 9 ms pings and full speed (hundreds of Mbps) downloads and uploads.
BUT ... (this might be important), the laptop I am using right now is a 2019 MacBook Pro 16" Intel, not the same as your model by any means.
MacBook Air M2 Wi-Fi unstable after Tahoe 26.3 update
