Connectivity problems

Solve some typical connection conundrums

11 Mail cannot send/ receive emails

There are a number of reasons why Mail my not be able to send or receive messages. If this happens, try to check your email on another device and sign in to your email provider’s webmail service to verify everything is OK at that end. Next, open Mail and click Window > Connection Doctor. This tool shows whether Mail can connect to the internet and your mail server(s). Check your provider’s published settings match yours in Mail > Preferences > Accounts > Server Settings.

12 Internet connection is slow

If browsing has slowed to a crawl, make sure that your Mac isn’t just generally slow (see below). Try accessing the internet from another device to determine whether it’s an isolated issue. If the other device is equally slow, you may be experiencing wireless interference. Look through your router’s documentation to find out how to check its channel setting. If only the Mac is slow, start up in macOS Recovery (see apple.co/2tuI5o6) and choose Get Help Online to test your connection in the browser there, then contact Apple Support.

13 Stop your Mac connecting to the wrong Wi-Fi network

If your Mac is near open Wi-Fi networks, it may connect to these rather than the one in your home/office. To prevent this, go to > System Preferences > Network. 

14 Certain applications won’t connect

If specific applications on your Mac are having trouble connecting to the internet, or others are having trouble connecting to you, you may need to modify your firewall settings. Your Mac’s firewall is switched off by default, allowing all incoming connections. Turn it on in System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall. Click Firewall Options and ensure the uncommunicative app isn’t set to be blocked. Click Wi-Fi in the left-hand pane, then Advanced. Move your preferred wireless networks to the top of the list. Highlight any unwanted network and click the ‘–‘ button to remove it.

15 Your Mac doesn’t recognise its Magic Keyboard/Mouse

If your Mac isn’t connecting to its Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 or Magic Trackpad 2, connect the device to your Mac via a Lightning cable. Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth where you can check the device is charged and that it’s automatically paired. For an older input device, hold its power button until the

LED starts to blink. It should appear in System Preferences > Bluetooth. Select it and click Pair. If the LED is steady the device has been paired.

16 Troubleshoot internet connections

If you cannot connect to the internet at all, first check to see if other devices on the network are having the same issue. If you connect directly to your router using an Ethernet cable, try reseating it. For Wi-Fi, click the corresponding menu bar icon at the top right to make sure it’s enabled and that there’s a tick next to your preferred Wi-Fi network. If you are connected to your own Wi-Fi

17 Your ISP is blocking a website

If a website is unreachable using your ISP, you may be able to bypass this by using a different DNS (Domain Name System) server to that offered by your Internet Service Provider. Go to System Preferences > Network and click on your connection. Choose Advanced and go to the DNS tab. Click the ‘+’ button to add new DNS servers such as Google’s (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). Click on the old DNS servers and press the ‘–‘ button. network, run Wireless Diagnostics for further help (apple.co/2rOmQNq).

19 Cannot connect to hidden Wi-Fi network

If your router/base station uses a hidden Wi-Fi network, you may see an error when trying to join, even if you’re using the correct password. This is usually because the other network settings have been entered incorrectly. Double check both the SSID (network name) and the password security type – WPA/ WPA2 Personal, for example. If you’re unsure about these, contact your network administrator. Both capitalisation and spaces matter, so be sure to enter these exactly.

20 AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV is slow and stutters

If you find that Airplay Mirroring to an Apple TV is slow, make sure your router matches Apple’s recommended settings (apple.co/2rLeK8V). Go to the Mac App Store’s Updates tab to ensure macOS is up to date, then do the same on your Apple TV in Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software. If possible, try to connect your Mac and Apple TV to your router using Ethernet to see if that helps.