Can my Mac be saved, or do I just need to buy a new one?
January 31, 2019 5:54 AM Subscribe
Simple question, I hope, for people who know more than me (and hopefully saving me a fruitless afternoon/day/week/year at the Genius Bar): The WiFi on my 2015 MacBook Pro is almost completely unreliable. Can it be fixed?
I know it's not my actual WiFi connection as my work Mac connects to the network just fine, as does my phone, kindle, etc. So my assumption is that the WiFi adapter on the old Mac is dying (or at this point, is dead). Can this be fixed for a reasonable amount of money, or should I just resign myself to getting a new laptop for my personal use?
Note: it will still tether to my phone just fine, but obviously I can't just use my data to browse the web and work from home and the other stuff one does with a laptop.
I know it's not my actual WiFi connection as my work Mac connects to the network just fine, as does my phone, kindle, etc. So my assumption is that the WiFi adapter on the old Mac is dying (or at this point, is dead). Can this be fixed for a reasonable amount of money, or should I just resign myself to getting a new laptop for my personal use?
Note: it will still tether to my phone just fine, but obviously I can't just use my data to browse the web and work from home and the other stuff one does with a laptop.
I like this usb wifi adapter because it barely sticks out. The first one I linked above doesn't specifically say it works on the Mac, but it probably does. This one does say it, so if you want to be safe, get this one.
If I were to speculate on why your MacBook wifi is unreliable, I'd guess the antenna connection is iffy. It is on the screen side of the hinge, and it's not that hard to stress it in ways that make it flaky. This would not be a cheap fix.
posted by advicepig at 6:11 AM on January 31, 2019
If I were to speculate on why your MacBook wifi is unreliable, I'd guess the antenna connection is iffy. It is on the screen side of the hinge, and it's not that hard to stress it in ways that make it flaky. This would not be a cheap fix.
posted by advicepig at 6:11 AM on January 31, 2019
You should try test your Macbook Pro on other wifi networks to find out if the problem is with all wifi networks, or some issue with your home network (as you said it tethers to your phone ok).
My wife sometimes has issues with wifi when particular dongles are plugged in, so that is also something to try (does it work better when plugged in or with/without any accessories plugged in).
There is also a Wifi diagnostics tool which might be useful. Hold the Option key down and click on your wifi icon, then choose "Open Wireless Diagnostics". Instead of starting the test, click on Window -> Scan. This should show the relative signal strengths of networks around you.
If the problem is a faulty wireless adapter, then yes, perhaps a USB wifi adapter can help.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 6:56 AM on January 31, 2019
My wife sometimes has issues with wifi when particular dongles are plugged in, so that is also something to try (does it work better when plugged in or with/without any accessories plugged in).
There is also a Wifi diagnostics tool which might be useful. Hold the Option key down and click on your wifi icon, then choose "Open Wireless Diagnostics". Instead of starting the test, click on Window -> Scan. This should show the relative signal strengths of networks around you.
If the problem is a faulty wireless adapter, then yes, perhaps a USB wifi adapter can help.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 6:56 AM on January 31, 2019
Response by poster: I will take the old Mac to work today and see if it plays nice on the work network - if it does not then I am willing to spend $10 to try to fix it with a USB solution.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
What is the work Mac you mention that uses this same wireless network without problems -- is it the same model & OS release, or different?
Is there any chance you can use a cable to connect your MacBook to your network, even temporarily for testing?
posted by wenestvedt at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2019
Is there any chance you can use a cable to connect your MacBook to your network, even temporarily for testing?
posted by wenestvedt at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2019
Response by poster: The work mac is newer - 2017 - so it hasn't had a chance to deteriorate yet. Not threadsitting!
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:21 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:21 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
This should show the relative signal strengths of networks around you.
The "RSSI" number -- Received Signal Strength Indicator -- is a useful metric here to distinguish among what various networks offer to a given computer. Then again, lots of nearby, noisy wireless networks are just going to interfere with each other.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:22 AM on January 31, 2019
The "RSSI" number -- Received Signal Strength Indicator -- is a useful metric here to distinguish among what various networks offer to a given computer. Then again, lots of nearby, noisy wireless networks are just going to interfere with each other.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:22 AM on January 31, 2019
Is there a chance your router has 2.4 and 5Ghz bands, but that they are share the same SSID? I work in ISP support and frequently the issue you described occurs when a customer's device connects to the 5Ghz -- which does not penetrate walls and other solid surfaces well -- and they are not in the same room as the router. You can try separating them by giving one a different name. Worth a try!
Visual explainer for wifi that I find useful.
posted by terrapin at 7:50 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
Visual explainer for wifi that I find useful.
posted by terrapin at 7:50 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you have time, repair it yourself! Here’s how to replace the WiFi/Bluetooth board inside your 2015 MacBook Pro: 13-inch version / 15-inch version. iFixit sells the part you need.
posted by EmperorOozy at 9:51 AM on January 31, 2019
posted by EmperorOozy at 9:51 AM on January 31, 2019
Conversely, I have network issues whenever my devices connect to 2.4 GHz band due to heavy traffic on that band in my condo complex. My 2014 MacBook pros have no problem connecting to the 5 GHz network, so the hardware is capable of going to both bands. See if you can switch bands before getting the USB dongle.
posted by crazycanuck at 9:52 AM on January 31, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by crazycanuck at 9:52 AM on January 31, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I finally got to work today and the old laptop connected to my work network right away. So there is something up with the setup I have going on at home, which is . . .better than needing to fix my MBP but still a moderate mystery.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:24 AM on January 31, 2019
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:24 AM on January 31, 2019
Can you hold Option while clicking on the WiFi symbol on the top bar? You'll get a bunch of diagnostic information about your network including channel and transmission strength/rate. That might help track down what is going on.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:33 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:33 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
Datapoint, I was having WiFi stability issues and this fixed it.
posted by starman at 11:13 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by starman at 11:13 AM on January 31, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yeah, 2.4 GHz is almost unusable in my immediate area, but 5 GHz is just fine. Every once in a while my MBP will randomly switch over to the 2.4 band and I can instantly tell because the connectivity goes to hell.
posted by praemunire at 11:47 AM on February 1, 2019
posted by praemunire at 11:47 AM on February 1, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by advicepig at 6:02 AM on January 31, 2019