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.

Network password request

Every time I want to connect my computer to my network, I get asked "The Wifi network requires a WPA2 password."

I have an Airport and Airport Express base station. So, I enter the password and check the "remember this network" box. Yet, I get asked for a password every time. Annoying after a while. How do I fix this?

Thanks


mp

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), FCPX 10.3

Posted on Jul 22, 2017 5:32 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 24, 2017 11:06 AM

Open system preferences > Click on network and open the padlock ( if it is an admin account ) by entering admin name and password , delete all the settings select network and click on minus sign ( uncheck ask to join new networks , click on advanced , select the network name and click on minus sign and uncheck the box of remember networks this computer has joined .

Go to DNS settings , select them and click on minus sign to get deleted , click on ok , come to first window and click on apply .

All network settings are deleted and the computer is not joined to the network .


Start from beginning

Click on first window and click on plus sign .

User uploaded file

Click on drop down arrows choose wifi in both fields , in the second field that is service name it will show wifi2 press delete key to delete number 2 and keep as only wifi .


User uploaded file

Click on create .


User uploaded file

Enter your network name , you can choose the desired name , click on drop down arrow of security .


User uploaded file

Fill up the credentials and choose WPA2 Personal



User uploaded file

Click on ok , then go to DNS server page add the DNS servers by clicking on plus sign ,click on ok , come to first window and click on apply to save the settings , make sure proxies settings are unchecked .

Google DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

12 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2017 11:06 AM in response to Marco_Polo

Open system preferences > Click on network and open the padlock ( if it is an admin account ) by entering admin name and password , delete all the settings select network and click on minus sign ( uncheck ask to join new networks , click on advanced , select the network name and click on minus sign and uncheck the box of remember networks this computer has joined .

Go to DNS settings , select them and click on minus sign to get deleted , click on ok , come to first window and click on apply .

All network settings are deleted and the computer is not joined to the network .


Start from beginning

Click on first window and click on plus sign .

User uploaded file

Click on drop down arrows choose wifi in both fields , in the second field that is service name it will show wifi2 press delete key to delete number 2 and keep as only wifi .


User uploaded file

Click on create .


User uploaded file

Enter your network name , you can choose the desired name , click on drop down arrow of security .


User uploaded file

Fill up the credentials and choose WPA2 Personal



User uploaded file

Click on ok , then go to DNS server page add the DNS servers by clicking on plus sign ,click on ok , come to first window and click on apply to save the settings , make sure proxies settings are unchecked .

Google DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

Jul 23, 2017 11:20 AM in response to Marco_Polo

This is not an AirPort router problem....this is a problem with your Mac's operating system, so you may have better results posting in the Sierra support forum.


The first troubleshooting step to perform.....if you have not already done this.....would be to clean out the history of networks that your Mac has joined in the past, so you can start from a clean slate. To do that....


Open System Preferences (gear icon on the dock)

Open Network

Click on WiFi on the left panel to highlight it

Click the Advanced button at the lower right of the window


Here you will see a listing of all of the networks that the Mac has joined in the past.


Click on the name of a network to highlight it

Click the - (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the network listing.

Do the same for all other networks that appear until the list is blank.

Make sure that a check mark in entered in the box that reads "Remember networks this computer has joined".

Click OK

Click Apply in the next window.....(this is an easy step to miss)

Close the windows

Restart your Mac


Connect to the wireless network again from your Mac. You will be asked for the password, but if things are not corrupted in the KeyChain settings, your Mac will remember the password in the future.


If still no luck, the settings for the network in your KeyChain are likely corrupted. Rather than look for an obscure setting and try to make changes....which can be dangerous.....my recommendation would be to rename the wireless network and password on your AirPort routers and try things with those new settings.


If the Mac still cannot remember the network and other devices can.....you will likely need to reinstall the Sierra operating system on the Mac. As mentioned previously, you have a Mac / Sierra issue, so you will likely get a faster and more informed answer if you post in the Sierra support forum which is linked just below. Good luck.


macOS Sierra

Jul 23, 2017 8:38 PM in response to Marco_Polo

I don't see why Sierra would be the issue since the same problem was there with the previous OS.

The point that I was trying to make was simply that your problem is the result of an operating system issue.......not an AirPort router issue. It is a Sierra issue because that is the operating system that is currently installed on your Mac. If you were running El Capitan, it would be an El Capitan issue.


That being the case, it might make sense for you to consider posting a question about an operating system issue in the support forum for the Sierra operating system.....where the Sierra gurus hang out.


macOS Sierra


It might take 5 minutes for you to test and see if the Mac will connect and remember the name of another network using another password. You never know, it might work and ultimately save you hours of additional troubleshooting. Worst case, you lose 5 minutes.


Hopefully, Tesserax will have more ideas. Good luck.

Jul 23, 2017 11:33 AM in response to Marco_Polo

In addition to Bob Timmons' comments:


Try the following on your Mac in order, until (hopefully) resolved:


Create a New User Account

  • System Preferences > Accounts

    Click "+" to add a new account.

    Log off, and then, log back on with the new user account.

    Try connecting to a Wi-Fi network with your Mac's AirPort.

    If this resolves the problem, there may be something amiss with your current profile and will require further troubleshooting.

    If this does not resolve the problem, go ahead and log back into your normal account and go on to the next step.

  1. Delete AirPort Keychain Entries

    Launch the "Keychain Access" application located in Applications/Utilities.

    In the windows on the left side: Select login for Keychains and "Passwords" for Category.

    Click on the "Kind" filter at the top, and look for any "AirPort network password" entries...and delete them.

    Close Keychain Access.

  2. Delete & Add Back Preferred Network(s)

    System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced > Wi-Fi tab

    Delete all entries under "Preferred Networks."

    Click on OK.

    System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced > Wi-Fi tab

    Add the preferred network(s) using the "+" button.

    Click on OK.

    Restart or log out, and then, back in.

    • If it works, then you are done.
  3. If not, go on to the next step.
  4. Move System Configuration Files

    Quit any applications that are currently using Wi-Fi.

    Turn off Wi-Fi from the Wi-Fi icon on the macOS / OS X menu bar.

    Open Finder > Go > Go To Folder > Enter "/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/" into the Go to the folder window > Click on Go

    Locate and select the following files:
    Note: Files are macOS / OS X version specific, not all the following files are used in each version.

    • com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
  5. com.apple.network.eapolclient.configuration.plist
  6. com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist
  7. NetworkInterfaces.plist
    • preferences.plist

    • Move any matching files to the macOS / OS X Desktop. You can place them all in a folder as a backup. The "missing" files will be rebuilt after restarting the Mac.

    Reboot the Mac.

    Re-enable Wi-Fi from the Wi-Fi icon on the macOS / OS X menu bar.

Network password request

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