Last Updated on July 15, 2022 by srinivas
With few exceptions, every Mac sold since the mid-2000s has included a Wi-Fi card, module, or chip that is part of the motherboard. So it’s surprising to any Mac user who boots up or is using their Mac when they see a message that says “Wi-Fi: No Hardware Installed” in the Wi-Fi system menu; equally annoying is “Wi-Fi: not configured” if you haven’t made any changes and are just using it. In either case, a hardware issue could be the cause. But you have to go through other troubleshooting first.
Fix Wi-Fi: Not Configured
Wi-Fi disabled in System Preferences shows as Inactive.
It is possible that the network settings have been disrupted or corrupted, causing Wi-Fi access to be disabled in a way that can be easily remedied from the Network Preferences panel. Follow these steps to find out if that’s the case:
- Go to System Preferences > Network.
- Select the Wi-Fi adapter from the list on the left. It will be grayed out and labeled Inactive underneath.
- Select from the gear menu Activate service.
- Click Apply.
An exclamation mark in the Wi-Fi fan disappears and your computer scans for networks or connects to a known network.
Check for hardware errors
If hardware is the problem, the Wi-Fi drop-down menu may inaccurately read “Wi-Fi: No Hardware Installed”, although readers have also seen “not configured” and other errors. There may be a low-level configuration problem or a hardware problem, and you need to troubleshoot the configuration issues first.
Try these troubleshooting steps in order:
- Restart your Mac: This clears the state in many cases.
- Start in safe mode: Safe mode starts a limited number of services in macOS and may reveal a conflict. Check out Apple’s steps to boot in safe mode.
- Create a new user in macOS: Sometimes the problem lies with a user account. Try creating a new user in macOS, rebooting and logging into that new user account. Does Wi-Fi work now? Then something is corrupted in the other user’s low-level settings that requires macOS to be reinstalled. (You can find the instructions to create a new user in this column.)
- Remove and restore the Wi-Fi network entry: The column “Fix a missing Wi-Fi item in macOS” lists the steps.
- Clear Hardware Status (Intel Macs): On Intel Macs, you can reset the System Management Controller (SMC). That solves the problem for some users. (Apple Silicon M-series Macs don’t have an SMC to reset.)
- Reinstall macOS: Create a Time Machine or other full backup of your Mac, reboot into macOS recovery, and reinstall macOS. This is a non-destructive installation, but you will need a backup in case something goes wrong.
If none of the above solves the problems, it is time to go to the repair shop. If your Mac is still under warranty, have the details of your tests ready and call for a repair. If it’s out of warranty, the repair can be expensive, as most Macs released in the past 10 to 15 years may require a full motherboard replacement. You may be able to get by with a hardware solution, described below.
Opt for a hardware WiFi replacement
If your Mac is running macOS 10.15 Catalina or earlier, you can buy an inexpensive third-party Wi-Fi USB dongle like the Edimax AC1200, which comes with maker drivers for OS X and macOS over Sierra, or the faster 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) TP-Link Archer T3U (until 10.14) or T3U Plus (until 10.15).
For those using a more recent version of macOS or wanting driver-free access to 802.11ac or 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 5 or 6), a USB-C adapter, mini-dock, or full-size dock with gigabit ethernet can pair with a wireless bridge. This is less convenient for a laptop, but a reasonable option for a desktop Mac that doesn’t connect directly via Ethernet. Many inexpensive, high-performance wireless bridges can connect to a network as if the bridge were a regular Wi-Fi adapter.
Ask Mac 911
We’ve put together a list of the most frequently asked questions, along with answers and links to columns: read our super frequently asked questions to see if your question is there. If not, we are always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@AppSixty.com, including screenshots where appropriate and if you’d like to use your full name. Not every question is answered, we don’t answer email and we can’t provide direct advice to solve problems.