Electronics

[Lilysmom]

@Yahooey , Thanks.  I did this already but I plan to try again this afternoon when I have another session of trying to figure out what the issue is.  I think it is something stupid.  I haven’t had trouble until just recently.  LM

[Lilysmom]

@tervuren , interesting.  Let me know what they find.

@Mz iMac , I can’t believe this computer doesn’t come with an Ethernet adaptor but...wait...it’s Apple, you have to pay extra for that.  I have never used one before.  On my shopping list today🙄.  LM

[Yahooey]

@Lilysmom 

u say u can a short connection and then it dies 

do you not see the wifi conected? or is it still searching?

sometimes I connect to 2G and then it switches to 5G -

the wifi looks connected and NOT searching but my pages, browerser, anythig doesn't load up

is that wifi wvy thing all lit up?

I'm not a techie but have many issues with my cable service etc

I do own a macbook pro and 4 plug thiingies without a direct plug to anything except power

I did buy 1 small accessory to plug my backup HD

good luck

[gardenman]

As a general rule rebooting everything, router, computer, extenders, etc. tends to restore connections. Sometimes it's the router, sometimes the end device, sometimes you don't know which, but rebooting everything from a hard shutdown typically restores connectivity. Routers have become insanely complicated little devices with their own internal software that's not always all that stable.

My Linksys cable modem/router tends to drop connections a couple of times a week in a seemingly random fashion. Everything else in the house will connect, but not the device I'm trying to use. It even does this with my desktop which is connected by an ethernet cable. In fact, it did it yesterday. The Wi-Fi was fine but my desktop couldn't connect. I'd read the reviews in advance so I knew this was possible, but the cost difference made me willing to live with the occasional annoyance of a dropped connection. Firmware upgrades for the router can only come from my cable company, so it's something you just have to live with.

The good news is simply rebooting everything generally gets everything back up and running right. Shut down the computer, don't just use sleep mode, but shut it down completely. This will make it load a fresh version of it's network interface connection firmware. Pull the plug on the router and extenders and leave them unplugged for thirty seconds or so. This will force them to load a fresh copy of their firmware. Then plug everything back in, and power up the computer and you're generally good to go. 

Software tends to get corrupted over time, so loading a fresh copy from the ROM/BIOS generally gets things back to how they should be. There's lots of stuff going on inside modern routers and the software doing the work internally has become enormously complicated. As software gets more complicated, more opportunities for trouble arises. As a general rule shutting everything down and rebooting fixes the problems.

[Lilysmom]

@Yahooey , my wifi connection shows as strong signal.  I did what @Mz iMac  suggested and dragged my preferred connection to the top of the list.  I unchecked the wifi extender link.  I have done the reboot as @gardenman suugested both with computer and modem.

I checked my OS version and it is not completely up to date.  I need internet to do that so I will buy the Ethernet adaptor this morning and get that done. It is not a major update, I have Mohave and will update the latest version of that.  

I have never had a wifi connection issue with the MacBook Pro.  I don’t think the issue is with my ISP.  I couldn’t get online at an outside provider either.

Will advise success after I get the adaptor.

Thanks again everyone.  Much appreciated.  LM

[glb613]

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@Lilysmom wrote:

For some reason, I can’t connect to the internet by wifi with my MacBook Pro.  No problem with my iPhone or iPad Pro.

I have unplugged the modem, turned it on and off, all the easy troubleshooting with no success.  As usual, my ISP is no help.  Any thoughts?  I am working on a large community project and I need the computer for documents, files, etc.

Any ideas would be apprciated.  TIA.  LM

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Have you done a speed test?  Since the MBP isn't connecting, do one from your phone or iPad.  How old is your router?  Do you have more than one person using the wireless signal in your house at the same time?  Have you taken your computer to a public free wifi and tried to connect?  It's a long shot but, maybe your computer's wifi hardware has failed.  I'd go to the local library and try to connect to their network.  If it won't connect, you can use the ifnromatioin for troubleshooting. 

I was having problems with my MBP connecting to my wifi.  If any other device was downloading or streaming, it wouldn't connect.  I bought a new more powerful router and the problems stopped.  Good luck. 

[Yahooey]

@Lilysmom 

of course buying that connector would be best

see if can get a signal at a free wifi hot spot - 

then it is your signal and not your laptop

I know it must be frustrating - help is on the way

[gardenman]

Routers these days have an insanely heavy workload. They have to constantly monitor that you're still eligible to receive Internet from your provider. Then they have to know which devices are allowed to connect and which ones aren't. Then they have to sort out which bands to let various devices use. I have two Wyze cameras that only use 2.4 Ghz while other stuff uses the 5 Ghz band. Then they have to shuffle the Internet to the various connected devices without depriving any of what they need. All the while making sure that every device connected is connected properly, has the right encryption/security key and belongs.

My poor old router supports two Wyze cams, a Fire Stick, a Fire TV, my Roku, my smartphone, my tablet, two video game consoles, a smart DVD player, an Echo, an Echo Dot, my printer, eight smart plugs, and my computer. Yikes! No wonder the poor thing gets confused sometimes. (There may even be more stuff I've forgotten that are connected to it.)

Juggling all of that data and making sure what's supposed to go to the computer goes to the computer while what needs to go elsewhere goes elsewhere, is a massive task. Modern routers pretty much have the computing capability of a desktop from ten years ago just to sort everything out and make sure it gets where it's supposed to. And of course, there are always other devices nearby poking their nose in to ask if they can use the Internet which the router has to see if they're part of the approved family or not. 

Routers have a very hard life. They have to do tons of stuff and generally do it all without a hiccup, which is frankly pretty darn amazing. 

[Lilysmom]

@glb613 , thanks for the feedback.  I just spent the morning finding a thunderbolt to Ethernet adaptor.  The only store that had one was Apple.  Staples tried to sell me an open one....um, no.

i have no problem connecting any other device at home ... iPad Pro, iPad, phone, android streamers.  I had my ci outer at the Community Center yesterday and could not connect there.

I am doing a software update right now.  I had Mojave in but not completely up to date so I am I will take care of that.  

The Apple Store told me to call Apple support so that is my next step.

I will keep everyone posted.  Amazing how these issues can stop you in your steps.  LM

[Lilysmom]

@Yahooey , 💕🙄!  LM