At one time, a typical Mac user would no more have connected a couple of computers to the Internet via a local network than they would have extracted their own kidney. If you just mentioned the word networking (outside the context of calling former business associates to seek a better job), those around you shook with fear.

1. Mac Manual Wifi Configuration Guide
2. Mac Manual Wifi Configuration Manual

Blessedly, those days are almost entirely over. Now, just about anyone can configure and join a network. Let’s see how it’s done.

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A little background

I’m going to assume that you already have some variety of Internet service—along with a broadband modem (the box that brings broadband Internet service into your home or office) that includes or is connected to a router (a device that distributes network addresses to computers and mobile devices connected to it). When you signed up for that service, either someone installed it for you or you were sent the gear you needed and you followed the instructions necessary to connect to the Internet. Ridgid manual oiler.

In most cases, the modem/router relationship works this way: Your Internet service provider assigns something called an IP address to your Internet account. This address is selected from a range of addresses that the ISP owns, and it can change depending on the kind of account you’ve signed up for. (If you have a static account, you’ll always have the same IP address; if you have a dynamic account—which is most common—your IP address can change.) This IP address is your main thoroughfare to the Internet.

The router, as its name implies, routes devices connected to it (either with a wire or via Wi-Fi) so that they can access your Internet connection. The router creates a number of internal IP addresses—private addresses used only within your local network. When you log on to your network with your Mac or an iOS device, it’s assigned one of these addresses. An easy way to think of a local IP address is as the device’s network name—like Shane, Courtney, Anastasia, or Gub-Gub—only in this case, the name is represented by a string of numbers separated by periods (192.168.0.22 or 10.0.1.29, for instance).

I don’t want to burden you with a load of technical terms, so perhaps an analogy will help you understand how they all fit together. Imagine that the IP address assigned by your ISP is a road in front of your house. The modem is your home’s driveway. The router is the home itself. And the router’s IP addresses are the many doors you use to enter and exit your home.

Configuring the Network preference

Now that the theory portion of the lesson is over, let’s move to its practical application by choosing System Preferences from the Apple menu and selecting the Network preference.

Along the left side of the Network window, you’ll see any network avenues available to you. Exactly what you see here depends on the Mac you’re using. A Mac that sports an ethernet port and carries Wi-Fi circuitry will, at the very least, display ethernet and Wi-Fi entries. A green dot next to any entry indicates that the connection is active and available to use. A yellow dot means that the connection could be active, but it’s not yet configured. And a red dot tells you that there is no connection (a FireWire entry will show the red dot if there’s no FireWire cable attached to your Mac, and the Wi-Fi item will have its own red dot if you’ve turned Wi-Fi off). You may also see listings for Thunderbolt Ethernet, USB Ethernet, FireWire, Thunderbolt FireWire, and Bluetooth PAN. We’ll concern ourselves with ethernet and Wi-Fi, as they’re the most commonly used connections.

Select one of these active connections (again, one with a green dot). If you’ve selected Wi-Fi, you’ll see a Status entry to the right, which should read Connected. To its right is a Turn Wi-Fi Off button. To disable Wi-Fi, just click this button. Below the button you’ll see the name of the network you’re connected to as well as the IP address assigned to your Mac.

If you choose an active ethernet connection, you’ll spy the same Connected entry with an IP address below. (Note that if you have both an ethernet and a Wi-Fi connection active, this IP address will be different than the Wi-Fi address because each connection gets its own internal IP address). In most cases, you should then see Using DHCP in the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu, along with your Mac’s IP address, subnet mask, router, DNS server, and search-domain information. You can ignore the bulk of this information.

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Troubleshooting your network

There are, however, two items I want to draw your attention to. The first is the Advanced button. Click it and a sheet appears that is sure to set the new Mac user’s teeth on edge (so many numbers and acronyms!). Don’t panic—we’re going to look at one entry only.

If you find that you’re unable to make an Internet connection and that the dot next to your normally active connection has turned yellow, it may be because your Mac has become confused about its IP address. In such cases it can help to renew that address. To do this, in the Advanced sheet, click the TCP/IP tab and click the Renew DHCP Lease button. This sends your router a “We need to reestablish our normally cozy relationship—could you make sure we’re on the same page?” message. With a little luck, renewing that lease will restore your connection. When you’re finished, click OK.

This method is hardly a cure-all, however, and that’s why I direct you next to the Assist Me button at the bottom of the window. Click it and a sheet appears. Within this sheet, click Diagnostics. This launches the Network Diagnostics application that helps you determine the health of your network.

The left side of the window displays a series of entries. For an ethernet connection, you'll see Ethernet, Network Settings, ISP, Internet, and Server. For a Wi-Fi connection, you'll see Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Settings, Network Settings, ISP, Internet, and Server. When you have a solid Internet connection, a green dot will appear next to each item. If something’s wrong, you’ll see red dots. If Ethernet, Network Settings, and ISP bear the green dot, but the Internet entry has a red dot next to it, the problem is on your IPS’s end and not yours. Wait it out or contact your ISP to find out when the issue will be fixed. If the red dots appear next to Ethernet and Network Settings, there’s something wrong with your network configuration.

If the problem appears to be on your end, you may be able to fix it by simply choosing the kind of connection you’re using and clicking through a series of Continue buttons. Network Diagnostics can repair a handful of local network issues, so click Continue a few times to see what it can do.

This article is for network administrators and others who manage their own network. If you're trying to join a Wi-Fi network, one of these articles should help:

• Mac: Connect to the Internet and check for Wi-Fi issues
• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Join a Wi-Fi network and resolve Wi-Fi issues

Follow these steps first

Before you change your settings, follow these steps:

• Make sure that your Wi–Fi router's firmware is up to date. For AirPort Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, or AirPort Express Base Station, check for the latest firmware using AirPort Utility.
• Make sure that your Wi-Fi devices support the settings this article recommends.
• If possible, back up your Wi–Fi router's settings.
• Forget or remove the Wi-Fi settings for your network from any devices that connect to your Wi-Fi router. This will prevent the devices from attempting to connect to your network with the old configuration. You'll need to reconnect these devices to your network when you're done applying the new settings.
• Configure all Wi–Fi routers on the same network with the same settings. Otherwise, devices could have difficulty connecting to your network, or your network could become unreliable.
• If you're using a dual-band Wi–Fi router, configure both bands to have the same settings, unless otherwise noted below.

SSID or Wi-Fi network name

The SSID (service set identifier), or network name, identifies your Wi-Fi network to users and other Wi-Fi devices. It is case sensitive.

Set to: Any unique name

Choose a name that's unique to your network and isn't shared by other nearby networks or networks you're likely to encounter. If your router came with a default SSID, it's especially important that you change it to a different, unique name. Some common default SSID names to avoid are linksys, netgear, dlink, wireless, 2wire, and default.

If your SSID isn't unique, Wi-Fi devices will have trouble identifying your network. This could cause them to fail to automatically connect to your network, or to connect to other networks that share the same SSID. It might also prevent Wi-Fi devices from using all routers in your network, or prevent them from using all available bands of a router.

Hidden network

Hidden networks don't broadcast their SSID over Wi-Fi. This option might be incorrectly referred to as a closed network, and the corresponding nonhidden state might be referred to as broadcast.

Set to: Disabled

Because hidden networks don't broadcast their SSID, devices might need more time to find them and connect to them. Hiding a network doesn't secure your Wi-Fi network, because the SSID can still be discovered in other ways. You should always enable security on your Wi-Fi router.

MAC address authentication or filtering

Restricts access to a Wi-Fi router to devices with specific MAC (Media Access Control) addresses.

Set to: Disabled

When enabled, this feature allows a user to configure a list of MAC addresses for the Wi-Fi router, and restrict access to devices with addresses that are on the list. Devices with MAC addresses not on the list will fail to associate with the Wi-Fi network. MAC addresses can be changed easily, so don't rely on them to prevent unauthorized access to the network.

iOS 8 and later uses a randomized MAC address when running Wi-Fi scans. The scans are conducted when a device isn't associated with a Wi-Fi network and its processor is asleep. A device’s processor goes to sleep shortly after the screen is turned off. Wi-Fi scans are run to determine if a user can connect to a preferred Wi-Fi network. Enhanced Wi-Fi scans are run when a device uses Location Services for apps that use geofencing, such as location-based reminders, that determine if the device is near a specific location.

Security

The security setting controls the type of authentication and encryption used by your Wi-Fi router, which allows you to control access to the network and specify the level of privacy for data you send over the air.

Set to: WPA2 Personal (AES)

WPA2 Personal (AES) is currently the strongest form of security offered by Wi-Fi products, and is recommended for all uses. When enabling WPA2, be sure to select a strong password that can't be guessed by third parties.

If you have older Wi-Fi devices that don't support WPA2 Personal (AES), a good second choice is WPA/WPA2 Mode, also known as WPA Mixed Mode. This mode allows newer devices to use the stronger WPA2 AES encryption, while still allowing older devices to connect with older WPA TKIP-level encryption. If your Wi-Fi router doesn't support WPA/WPA2 Mode, WPA Personal (TKIP) mode is the next best choice.

For compatibility, reliability, performance, and security reasons, WEP is not recommended. WEP is insecure and functionally obsolete. If you must choose between WEP and TKIP, choose TKIP.

Due to serious security weaknesses, the WEP and WPA TKIP encryption methods are deprecated and strongly discouraged. Use these modes only if necessary to support legacy Wi-Fi devices that don't support WPA2 AES and can't be upgraded to support WPA2 AES. Devices using these deprecated encryption methods can't take full advantage of the performance and other features of 802.11n and 802.11ac. As a result, the Wi-Fi Alliance has directed the Wi-Fi industry to phase out WEP and WPA TKIP.

If your security is set to None or unsecured mode, you're using no authentication or encryption. Anyone can join your Wi-Fi network, use your Internet connection, access any shared resource on your network, and read any traffic you send over the network. Using an unsecured network is not recommended.

2.4GHz radio mode

This setting controls which versions of the 802.11n/ac standard the network uses for wireless communication on the 2.4GHz band.

Set to: Auto or 802.11n/ac

Routers that support 802.11 should be configured for 802.11n/ac for maximum speed and compatibility. Different Wi-Fi routers support different radio modes, so the setting varies depending on the router. In general, enable support for all modes. Devices can then automatically select the fastest commonly supported mode to communicate. Choosing a subset of the available modes prevents some devices from connecting. For example, 802.11ac devices can't connect to a Wi-Fi router in 802.11n-only mode. Also, choosing a subset of the available modes might cause interference with nearby legacy networks, and nearby legacy devices might interfere with your network.

5GHz radio mode

This setting controls which versions of the 802.11a/b/g/n standard the network uses for wireless communication on the 5GHz band. Newer standards support faster transfer rates, and older standards provide compatibility with older devices and additional range.

Set to: Auto or 802.11n/ac

Routers that support 802.11n should be configured for 802.11n/ac mode for maximum speed and compatibility. Different Wi-Fi routers support different radio modes, so the setting varies depending on the router. In general, enable support for all modes. Devices can then automatically select the fastest commonly supported mode to communicate. Choosing a subset of the available modes prevents older devices from connecting. For example, 802.11ac devices can't connect to a Wi-Fi router in 802.11n-only mode. Also, choosing a subset of the available modes might cause interference with nearby legacy networks, and nearby legacy devices might interfere with your network.

Channel

This setting controls which channel your Wi-Fi router uses to communicate.

Set to: Auto

For best performance, choose 'Auto' mode and let the Wi-Fi router select the best channel. If this mode isn't supported by your Wi-Fi router, choose a channel that's free from other Wi-Fi routers and other sources of interference. Read about possible sources of interference.

2.4GHz channel width

Channel width controls how large of a 'pipe' 'is available to transfer data. However, larger channels are more subject to interference and more likely to interfere with other devices. A 40MHz channel is sometimes called a wide channel, and a 20MHz channel is a narrow channel.

Set to: 20MHz

Use 20MHz channels in the 2.4GHz band. Using 40MHz channels in the 2.4GHz band can cause performance and reliability issues with your network, especially in the presence of other Wi-Fi networks and other 2.4GHz devices. A 40MHz channel might also cause interference and issues with other devices that use this band, such as Bluetooth devices, cordless phones, and neighboring Wi-Fi networks. Routers that don't support 40MHz channels in the 2.4GHz band do support 20MHz channels.

5GHz channel width

Channel width controls how large of a 'pipe' is available to transfer data. Larger channels are more susceptible to interference, and more likely to interfere with other devices. Interference is less of an issue in the 5GHz band than in the 2.4GHz band. A 40MHz channel is sometimes called a wide channel, and a 20MHz channel is a narrow channel.

Set to:
For 802.11n access points, set the 5GHz band to 20MHz and 40MHz.
For 802.11ac access points, set the 5GHz band to 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz.

For best performance and reliability, enable support for all channel widths. This allows devices to use the largest width they support, which results in optimal performance and compatibility. Not all client devices support 40MHz channels, so don't enable 40MHz-only mode. Devices that support only 20MHz channels can't connect to a Wi-Fi router in 40MHz-only mode. Similarly, don't enable 80MHz-only mode, or only clients capable of 802.11ac will be able to connect. Routers that don't support 40MHz or 80MHz channels do support 20MHz channels.

DHCP

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) assigns addresses that identify devices on your network. Once assigned, devices use these addresses to communicate with each other and with computers on the Internet. The functionality of a DHCP server can be thought of as similar to a phone company handing out phone numbers, which customers then use to call other people.

Set to: Enabled, if it's the only DHCP server on your network

There should be only one DHCP server on your network. This DHCP server might be built in to your cable modem, DSL modem, or router. If more than one device has DHCP enabled, you will likely see address conflicts and have issues accessing the Internet or other resources on your network.

NAT

Network address translation (NAT) translates between addresses on the Internet and those on a local network. The functionality of a NAT provider is like that of a worker in an office mail room who takes a business address and an employee name on incoming letters and replaces them with the destination office number in a building. This allows people outside the business to send information to a specific person in the building.

Set to: Enabled, if it's the only router providing NAT services on your network

Mac Manual Wifi Configuration Guide

Generally, enable NAT only on the device that acts as a router for your network. This is usually your cable modem, your DSL modem, or your standalone router, which might also act as your Wi-Fi router. Using NAT on more than one device is called double NAT, and that can cause issues with accessing Internet services, such as games, Voice Over IP (VoIP), Virtual Private Network (VPN), and communicating across the different levels of NAT on the local network.

WMM

WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) prioritizes network traffic according to four access categories: voice, video, best effort, and background.

Set to: Enabled

All 802.11n and 802.11ac access points should have WMM enabled in their default configuration. Disabling WMM can cause issues for the entire network, not just Apple products on the network.

Location Services

Some countries or regions have regulations that affect wireless signal strength and the use of Wi-Fi channels. When you travel to other countries or regions, make sure that your devices have Location Services turned on so that you can connect to Wi-Fi networks in that country or region.

On your Mac:

Mac Manual Wifi Configuration Manual

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Security & Privacy.
2. Click in the corner of the window, then enter your password.
3. In the Privacy tab, select Location Services, then select Enable Location Services.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the list of apps and services, then click the Details button next to System Services.
5. In the Details dialog, select Wi-Fi Networking.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy, then turn on Location Services.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the list, tap System Services, then turn on Wi-Fi Networking.
   

Wireless carrier Wi-Fi networks

Wireless carrier Wi-Fi networks are networks configured by your carrier and their partners. Your iPhone treats them as known networks and automatically connects to them. If you see 'Privacy Warning' under the name of your carrier's network in Wi-Fi Settings, your cellular identity might be exposed if a malicious hotspot impersonates your carrier's Wi-Fi network.

To prevent automatically joining your carrier’s Wi-Fi networks, tap Settings > Wi-Fi. Tap next to the network name and then turn off Auto-Join.