HT201974: Manage the Wi-Fi connection on your Mac

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Katherine Powers
Level 1 (8 points)
Wireless

Q: wi-fi menu icon keeps flashing

The wi-fi menu icon keeps showing a search when the wi-fi network is strong on every device and the internet is speedy on all.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), time capsule with an airport expres

Posted on Jun 20, 2016 10:10 AM

by Katherine Powers,Solvedanswer
Katherine Powers Katherine Powers
Level 1 (8 points)
Wireless
A:

Problem solved: System Preferences, Network, at the very top of the window is a "Location" field. I toggled it from Automatic to Airport. The icon stopped waving, although the message on the page falsely claimed I was no longer connected to the internet. Took it back to Automatic, and all was well. It seems like some of those little bits and bytes do get confused sometimes and just need a little nudge to get back on track.

Posted on Jun 22, 2016 8:22 AM

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Katherine Powers

Q: wi-fi menu icon keeps flashing

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jun 20, 2016 10:13 AM in response to Katherine Powers
    Level 9 (54,085 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 10:13 AM in response to Katherine Powers

    Actually, it is normal for the Searching network... to be displayed periodically in the Wi-Fi icon menu.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jun 20, 2016 10:25 AM in response to Katherine Powers
    Level 10 (105,018 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 10:25 AM in response to Katherine Powers

    "WiFi: Looking for Networks" will appear about every 3 seconds if things are operating normally.  A less confusing message might be....."Confirming network connection", since that is what is occurring.

  • by Katherine Powers,

    Katherine Powers Katherine Powers Jun 20, 2016 11:16 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 11:16 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    This is a new development. it happens continuously at the same time that our network is fully established and working perfectly. The icon does not behave this way on the other laptop in the house or one either of the 2 iPhones. This occurred after my home network, for no apparent reason, disappeared. It never returned, so I reset the TC, which serves as the initial router and recreated the network. All is well except for that one "searching" icon.


    I have turned the wi-fi off and on, rebooted the computer and ran disk utility. I know this is not a serious problem, but is certainly a very annoying one.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jun 20, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Katherine Powers
    Level 10 (105,018 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Katherine Powers

    Sorry, not sure what you are describing here. Can you post a screenshot of this?

  • by Katherine Powers,

    Katherine Powers Katherine Powers Jun 20, 2016 11:35 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 11:35 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    I would have to make an video for you. The icon "waves" up & down as it is designed to to do when "looking for networks". Normally it appears with a soidi set of airwaves once you select a fully reachable network.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jun 20, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Katherine Powers
    Level 10 (105,018 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 20, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Katherine Powers

    The video is not needed, but I have not ever seen this type of behavior, so someone else is going to have to chime in here.

  • by Katherine Powers,Solvedanswer

    Katherine Powers Katherine Powers Jun 22, 2016 8:22 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 22, 2016 8:22 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    Problem solved: System Preferences, Network, at the very top of the window is a "Location" field. I toggled it from Automatic to Airport. The icon stopped waving, although the message on the page falsely claimed I was no longer connected to the internet. Took it back to Automatic, and all was well. It seems like some of those little bits and bytes do get confused sometimes and just need a little nudge to get back on track.