Fix Mac OS 13 Wi-Fi Disconnecting Frequently

Frequent Wi-Fi drops on macOS 13 (Ventura) are commonly caused by corrupt network preferences, conflicting system settings, IP address conflicts, or router band instability. This guide outlines step-by-step troubleshooting methods to resolve these connection drops, ranging from quick setting adjustments to resetting macOS network configuration files.

1. Forget and Reconnect to the Network

Removing the saved profile clears out old connection credentials and addresses configuration mismatches.

  1. Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
  2. Click Wi-Fi in the sidebar.
  3. Scroll down and click Advanced.
  4. Find your network under Known Networks, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove From List.
  5. Restart your Mac, select your network from the Wi-Fi menu, and re-enter your password.

2. Turn Off Wi-Fi Location Services

A known bug in macOS causes the Wi-Fi module to briefly drop connection when scanning location data.

  1. Open System Settings and select Privacy & Security.
  2. Click Location Services, then scroll to the bottom and select Details next to System Services.
  3. Toggle off Network and Wireless.
  4. Click Done and restart your Mac.

3. Change DNS Servers

Default ISP DNS servers can sometimes cause latency and dropped requests. Switching to public DNS servers can stabilize your connection.

  1. Go to System Settings > Wi-Fi.
  2. Click Details next to your active network.
  3. Select the DNS tab on the left.
  4. Under the DNS Servers list, click the + (plus) icon to add:
    • 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google DNS), or
    • 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare DNS)
  5. Click OK to apply the changes.

4. Renew the DHCP Lease

Renewing the DHCP lease refreshes your Mac’s local IP address and clears routing conflicts with your router.

  1. Go to System Settings > Wi-Fi.
  2. Click Details next to your active network.
  3. Select the TCP/IP tab.
  4. Click Renew DHCP Lease, then select Apply.

5. Separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Bands on Your Router

If your router broadcasts both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies under the same network name (SSID), macOS 13 may continually jump between the two, causing frequent disconnections. Access your router's admin panel and give each band a distinct name (e.g., "HomeNetwork_5G" and "HomeNetwork_2.4G"). Connect your Mac primarily to the 5 GHz band for high-speed tasks close to the router, or the 2.4 GHz band for greater range.

6. Delete Corrupted Network Preferences

Deleting corrupted network configuration files forces macOS to rebuild fresh system defaults.

  1. Turn off Wi-Fi from the menu bar.
  2. Open Finder, click Go in the top menu bar, and select Go to Folder...
  3. Enter the following path: /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/
  4. Locate and move the following files to the Trash (some may not be present):
    • com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
    • com.apple.network.identification.plist
    • com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist
    • NetworkInterfaces.plist
    • preferences.plist
  5. Restart your Mac, turn Wi-Fi back on, and reconnect to your network.

7. Update macOS Ventura

Several early builds of macOS 13 contained Wi-Fi stability bugs that Apple resolved in later point updates. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates to ensure your operating system has the latest wireless driver patches.