Why is my Mac’s Wi-Fi so slow? How to find out

Is it my Wi-Fi signal or my internet?

They’re two different things. The signal is how well your Mac hears the router. The internet speed is how fast data moves between the router and the rest of the world. A strong signal can sit in front of a slow line, and a fast line can sit behind a weak signal.

To see the signal:

1. Hold down the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.
2. Look at the details under the network you’re connected to. macOS shows the IP address, the router’s address, the security, the channel and band, and the signal strength (RSSI) in dBm.
3. Note the RSSI and the channel. What’s a good Wi-Fi signal? dBm explained shows how to read the number.

To measure the internet speed:

1. Close apps that are downloading or backing up, so they don’t share the line during the test.
2. Open Terminal. It’s in Applications > Utilities, or search for it with Spotlight.
3. Type networkQuality and press Return.
4. Compare Downlink capacity, your download speed in megabits per second (Mbps), with the speed your internet plan promises.

studio@MacBook-Pro ~ % networkQuality==== SUMMARY ====Uplink capacity: 117.604 MbpsDownlink capacity: 935.312 MbpsResponsiveness: High (1290 RPM)Idle Latency: 11.208 millisecondsstudio@MacBook-Pro ~ % 

The test uses data, more on a faster line. How to test internet speed on a Mac explains every number it reports.

Put the two results together:

How do I get a better Wi-Fi signal on a Mac?

Apple’s advice for a cleaner, stronger signal:

• Move closer to the router. Walls and floors weaken the signal. Metal blocks it the most, then plaster and concrete, then brick and water. Wood and glass block very little.
• Keep away from interference. Microwave ovens, cordless phones, wireless video cameras, fluorescent lights and power cables can all interfere.
• Use the 5 GHz band if your router has one. Bluetooth and many Wi-Fi devices share the 2.4 GHz band, so 5 GHz is often less crowded.
• Mind USB 3 and Thunderbolt 3 devices. Don’t put drives or hubs on top of your Mac, use good shielded cables, and turn off USB 3 devices you aren’t using.
• Check the router’s settings, in its own app or webpage. Apple recommends Channel set to Auto, the same network name for every band, a 20 MHz channel width on 2.4 GHz, and the latest firmware.
• Restart the router. Most routers also look for the least crowded channel when they start up.

Why is Wi-Fi slow on my Mac but not on other devices?

If your phone is fast in the same spot on the same network, the network is working, so look at the Mac:

1. Restart your Mac, and install any macOS update.
2. Check VPN and security software. VPN, firewall, antivirus and content-blocking apps can affect your connection. Turn off the app’s features, then test again. In System Settings, search for VPN, profile, firewall and filter to find related settings.
3. Forget the network and join it again. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Wi-Fi, click Details next to the network, click Forget This Network, then click Remove. Join it again from the Wi-Fi menu with its password.
4. Turn on Location Services for networking. Apple says this helps a Mac perform well on Wi-Fi, because each country allows different channels and signal strengths. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, click Details next to System Services, and turn on “Networking and wireless”.
5. Let macOS check. Click the Wi-Fi icon and look for Wi-Fi Recommendations: it appears when your Mac has detected an issue. For a full check, Option-click the Wi-Fi icon and choose Open Wireless Diagnostics, then follow the instructions. It doesn’t change your settings.

Is another app using my connection?

A backup, a cloud sync or a big download shares the line with everything else. Activity Monitor shows which apps are moving data:

1. Open Activity Monitor and click Network.
2. Click a column heading to sort the list, for example by the data each process has received.
3. At the bottom, Data received/sec and Data sent/sec show how much is moving right now.

Activity Monitor counts in bytes and speed tests in bits, and one byte is eight bits. So 4.8 MB a second is about 38 Mbps. If an app is using a large share of your speed, pause it or let it finish, then test again. How much data does my Mac use? How to check shows how much each app has used.

Questions people also ask

Does a VPN slow down Wi-Fi on a Mac?

It can. Apple lists VPN and security software among the things that can affect a Mac’s connection. Turn its features off, run networkQuality again and compare.

Is 5 GHz faster than 2.4 GHz?

Often, yes. Apple notes that Bluetooth and many Wi-Fi devices share the 2.4 GHz band, and that interference is less of a concern on the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands.

How do I reset network settings on a Mac?

Apple suggests switching to a new network location in Network settings. Try the simpler steps above first.

Why does my Mac’s Wi-Fi keep dropping, not just slowing?

That’s a different problem with its own checks. See Mac Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting? How to find the cause