How to Fix Mac Mini M2 Wi-Fi Issues

Are you experiencing Wi-Fi issues with your Mac Mini M2?

Mac Mini M2 users have been complaining about the unstable Wi-Fi connection on their computers. 

If you’re trying to get work done, you’ll be slowed down if your internet connection keeps dropping. 

This issue was not present with the previous version of Mac Mini with an M1 chip, leaving many owners wondering where Apple went wrong. 

Today, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get your Mac Mini M2’s Wi-Fi running smoothly. 

Let’s get started!

1. Restart Your Mac. 

If your Wi-Fi connection keeps dropping, we suggest restarting your Mac.

Restarting your Mac should clear unused data from your memory, resolving temporary errors that may have caused the issue. 

See the steps below to restart your Mac: 

1. Open the Apple Menu by clicking the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. Now, click on Restart in the drop-down menu. 
3. When the confirmation window appears, click Restart again. 

Reconnect to your network and check if the Wi-Fi on your Mac Mini works. 

2. Restart Your Router. 

The issue could be with the network router and not your Mac Mini. Try restarting your router to clear out errors that may have caused the problem. 

Restarting your router should reset its software, allowing it to reconnect with devices and establish a better signal. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Unplug the power cable of your router to turn it off. 
2. Wait for 5 to 10 seconds. This should ensure that residual power from your router is fully flushed out. 
3. Reconnect the power cable and wait for your router to initialize. 

Connect your Mac Mini to your network to check if the problem is solved. 

3. Update Your Mac Mini. 

Software updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements. Apple may already be aware of the Wi-Fi issue with your Mac Mini M2 and released a fix. 

Keeping your Mac up to date is important to maintain its stability and performance. 

Here’s how you can update your software: 

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. After that, click on System Preferences. 

3. Open the Software Update tab. 

4. Click on Update Now or Upgrade Now if there’s an available update. 

After updating your Mac, reconnect it to your Wi-Fi to check if the issue is resolved. 

4. Check for Interference. 

Interference can occur when other devices or wireless networks are using the same frequency band of your Wi-Fi.

This can cause signal degradation, explaining why your Mac Mini’s connection keeps dropping. 

Checking for signal interference can help identify and eliminate issues and improve your Wi-Fi performance. 

You can use a Wi-Fi analyzer to identify the frequency of nearby wireless networks. Some popular tools are NetSpot and Wi-Fi Explorer. 

Related: How to Fix WiFi Issues on macOS Monterey

5. Re-Add Your Wi-Fi Network. 

Forgetting and reconnecting your Wi-Fi on your Mac Mini can also resolve this issue. 

This essentially resets your Mac Mini’s network settings, ensuring there are no corrupted or incorrect configurations. 

Follow the steps below to re-add your network on your Mac: 

1. Click on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. Go to System Settings. 

3. Access the Wi-Fi tab in the sidebar.
4. Find your Wi-Fi and click the Details button beside it. 

5. Choose Forget This Network and click Remove to confirm. 
6. After a few seconds, reconnect your Mac Mini to your Wi-Fi. 

Try using your Mac as you normally would and check if the problem is solved. 

6. Connect to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. 

As confirmed by other users, there’s an issue with how Mac Mini M2 handles 5G networks and Wi-Fi 6 routers. 

While this isn’t a permanent fix, you can temporarily use the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi on your network. 

If you have a router that combines 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands under one service set identifier (SSID), you can refer to its manual and see if separating the signals is possible. 

You can also ask your network admin to do this for you if you don’t know how to configure your router and network. 

On the other hand, you can wait for Apple to release a fix for the 5G issue. 

7. Disable Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL). 

If you don’t want to use a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection, you can also disable AWDL on your Mac Mini. 

Apple Wireless Direct Link is a low latency/high-speed Wi-Fi for peer-to-peer connection. This is used for data transfers to other Apple devices through AirDrop. 

As confirmed by another user, disabling AWDL on your Mac should temporarily resolve the 5G Wi-Fi issue. 

Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, press Command + Space on your keyboard to open Spotlight. 
2. Look for Terminal and open it. 

3. Inside the Terminal, copy the command below and hit Enter. 

• Disable AWDL: sudo ifconfig awdl0 down
• Enable AWDL: sudo ifconfig awdl0 up

Try connecting to your 5G Wi-Fi afterward to check if the problem is solved. 

8. Delete Network Preferences. 

Corrupted or outdated network preferences can cause Wi-Fi issues on your Mac Mini M2. Network preferences are settings that your Mac uses to connect to Wi-Fi networks. 

Deleting old network preferences on your Mac should force your Mac to establish a new network preference. 

This should ensure that your Mac uses the correct settings and protocols to connect to your Wi-Fi. 

See the steps below to delete your network preferences: 

1. Click anywhere on your Mac’s desktop. 
2. Now, click on Go in the upper left corner of your display. 
3. Select Go to Folder from the drop-down menu. 
4. Enter the following path in the text box: 

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/

5. Find the following files and delete them: 

• com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
• com.apple.network.identification.plist 
• com.apple.Wi-Fi.message-tracer.plist
• NetworkInterfaces.plist.

6. Restart your Mac Mini M2 afterward. 

Once done, reconnect to your wireless network and check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix iMessage Not Sending Pictures on Mac

9. Reset SMC. 

SMC or System Management Controller is a chip on your Mac that is responsible for power management and other hardware functions. 

Resetting the SMC can resolve hardware issues, including unstable Wi-Fi connections and network controllers. 

If you’re using a Mac with an M1 chip, here’s what you need to do: 

1. Make sure that your Mac is plugged into power. 
2. Now, click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
3. Choose Shut Down and follow the prompts. 

4. After a few minutes, press the Power button to turn on your Mac.

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For Macs with a T2 chip, follow the steps below to reset the SMC: 

1. Make sure that your Mac is turned off. 
2. On your built-in keyboard, press the Control (left) + Option (left) + Shift (right) keys for seven seconds. 
3. Now, press and hold the Power button while continuously holding the other keys. 
4. Keep holding all four keys for another seven seconds and release them. 
5. After a few more seconds, press the Power button to turn on your Mac. 

Connect to your Wi-Fi network afterward and see if you’ll still encounter connection drops. 

10. Have Your Mac Mini Checked. 

If none of the solutions above worked, it’s time to have your Mac Mini M2 checked by an Apple-certified technician. 

Your Mac Mini might have a bad network card or there’s something wrong with its firmware or operating system. 

Bring your Mac Mini to the nearest Apple Store to have it checked. You can also check if your device is still covered by warranty so you know your options. 

If you had your Mac Mini for less than 14 days, you can still ask for a refund or replacement. 

That wraps up our guide on how to fix Wi-Fi issues on your Mac Mini M2. If you have questions, please drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to respond. 

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