Repeated WiFi drops on Mac, especially with a strong signal showing, are rarely a hardware problem. Work through these before assuming you need new hardware.
1. Turn off "Ask to join networks"
Go to System Settings > WiFi > Advanced (or click the network's info icon) and check this setting. When enabled, your Mac can occasionally try to evaluate nearby networks, which has been known to cause brief drops on some macOS versions.
2. Forget and re-add the network
Go to System Settings > WiFi, click the info icon next to your network, and choose Forget This Network. Reconnect and re-enter the password. This clears out a stale or corrupted network profile, which is a common cause of intermittent drops that don't have an obvious trigger.
3. Reset the SMC and NVRAM
On Apple Silicon Macs, simply shutting down completely and restarting resets relevant system settings (there's no separate SMC reset like older Intel Macs). On Intel Macs, you can reset NVRAM by restarting and holding Option + Cmd + P + R until you hear the startup sound twice. This clears low-level settings that can affect WiFi behavior.
Tip: if drops happen specifically when your Mac wakes from sleep, this is a known, common pattern — check System Settings > Battery > Options and ensure "Wake for network access" is configured the way you expect.
4. Check for interference
If you're on a 2.4GHz network, other devices (microwaves, baby monitors, neighboring routers) can cause intermittent drops that 5GHz networks are far less susceptible to. If your router supports it, try switching to or prioritizing the 5GHz band.
5. Update macOS
WiFi stability issues tied to specific macOS versions aren't uncommon, and Apple has shipped fixes for known WiFi bugs in point updates before. Check System Settings > General > Software Update.
6. Check router firmware
If multiple devices on the same network are stable but only your Mac drops, the issue is more likely Mac-side. If all devices experience drops, check whether your router has a pending firmware update — outdated router firmware is a common, overlooked cause.
7. Reset network settings as a last resort
Go to System Settings > WiFi, remove the network adapter via the gear/settings icon, then re-add it. This is a more thorough reset than simply forgetting one network and is worth trying if nothing else resolves it.
The bottom line
Persistent WiFi drops on Mac are usually a stale network profile or a specific macOS setting, not failing hardware. Forgetting and re-adding the network resolves the majority of cases before you need to go further.