MacBookWi-Fi is slowOther / not sure
How to fix “Wi-Fi is slow” on your MacBook
Pages load slowly or videos buffer? These tweaks usually bring speeds back. Written for your MacBook, with your current router in mind.
These steps are written for a MacBook running a recent macOS. The router-side fixes apply to every device on your network.
Slow Wi-Fi usually comes down to distance, interference, or one device hogging all the bandwidth. A few simple tweaks fix most cases.
Run a quick speed test before and after each change so you can see what actually helped.
On your router
Check the sticker on the bottom or back for the admin address and default password, and use the status lights as a guide: power solid, Wi-Fi solid, internet solid means the router side is healthy.
Your step-by-step fix
1On your MacBook, hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar to see detailed connection info.
2Move closer to the router and test again. If speeds jump, the problem is range — see the weak-signal steps.
3Pause large downloads, uploads, streaming on other devices, and backups, then retest.
4Restart your router: unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait for it to reconnect.
5Place your router somewhere central, up high, and out in the open — not on the floor or inside a cabinet.
6If slow speeds only happen in one room, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system for even coverage.
Speed tests are most accurate when run near the router and repeated a couple of times.
Older devices can drag a whole network down — check whether the slowness follows one device.
Your provider’s plan sets the ceiling: if a wired test is also slow, the limit isn’t your Wi-Fi.
In System Settings → Wi-Fi → your network → Details → TCP/IP, “Renew DHCP Lease” clears a bad address that blocks the internet.
If the network keeps misbehaving on this Mac only, remove it under Details → Forget This Network, then rejoin.
This wasn't quite it?Build a different fix for another device or issue, or read the general speed up a slow wi-fi connection guide.