( Solved ) Wi-Fi won’t connect self-assigned IP address
Despite being one of the best and reliable operating systems, macOS runs into issues too. When in a new place and you attempt to connect your MacBook to Wi-Fi, you might not be able to access the internet. This is despite your friends or colleagues using a MacBook too can access it.
Wi-Fi won’t connect a self-assigned IP address because most times your MacBook has a self-assigned IP address issued to it that causes the internet not to work on it. You can resolve this issue by deleting some files on your PC & restarting your MacBook, renewing the DHCP lease, or create a new network location.
The first thing to check is your Wi-Fi icon on the menu bar. If you notice an exclamation mark (!) on the Wi-Fi icon, then click on the Wi-Fi icon and you should see ‘Alert: No Internet Connection’ meaning your MacBook is experiencing this issue. Go to the Network Preferences page and here the Wi-Fi will also display the self-assigned IP Address instead of ‘connected’.
Table of Contents
Check your network preferences
Click on the Apple menu and then select System Preferences. Next, click on Networks and ensure that Location is set to ‘Automatic’ and then click on ‘Advanced’ to proceed. On the new window, click the ‘TCP/IP’ tab and check both the IPv4 and router configurations. If the IPv4 configuration is set to DHCP and the router is not set to any IP, then proceed with the steps below.
How to Fix
Not having an internet connection when your Mac is connected to Wi-Fi is very annoying and frustrating. It’s even worse when others around you also using a Mac are able to connect. The good news is that this is a fixable issue and can be resolved in a few steps.
Delete files and restart PC
On your Mac,open Finder and click on Macintosh HD. Click on the ‘System Configuration’ folder and move the com.apple.airport.preferences.plist, NetworkInterfaces.plist and com.apple.network.identification.plist files to the trash. If you can’t see all the highlighted files, then delete only the ones available. Lastly, restart your Mac by clicking on the Apple menu and then select ‘Restart’.
If you can’t see Macintosh HD in the Finder sidebar, then click on the Finder menu and select Preferences. Click on the Sidebar tab and click on ‘hard disks’ under ‘Show these items in the sidebar’. Scroll down and click on the Library folder and select Preferences. Once the PC has finished restarting, check and see if the issue has been resolved. This method works on most Macs.
Renew the DHCP lease
Another way to solve this issue is by resetting your MacBook’s IP address. This is ideal if the above method doesn’t work for you. Open ‘System Preferences’ on your Mac and click on the Network icon. Ensure that Wi-Fi is selected on the sidebar and then click on ‘Advanced’.
On the top navigation bar, click on the ‘TCP/IP’ tab and then clickon the ‘Renew DHCP Lease’ button. To save and exit, click OK and then turn off the Wi-Fi by clicking the Wi-Fi button on the top menu. Wait for a few seconds and then turn the Wi-Fi on your Mac back on. Check and see if the issue has been resolved. If not, then move to the next solution.
Create a new network location
You can create a New Network Location on your Mac and then renew the lease. To do so, click on the Apple menu and select ‘System Preferences’. Locate and click on ‘Network’ settings and then click on the drop-down menu next to ‘Location’. Click on ‘Edit Locations’ and add a New Location by clicking on the (+) icon. Next, type a name for the New Network Location and then click on ‘Done’ to proceed. If the Wi-Fi isn’t automatically selected, select it and then click on the ‘Advanced’ button to proceed. Navigate to the ‘TCP/IP’ tab and locate the ‘Renew DHCP Lease’ button next to the IPv4 Address. Once the lease has been renewed, check and see if your Mac can now access the internet.
Issue |
Causes |
How to Fix |
Wi-Fi won’t connect a self-assigned IP address |
The Mac has assigned itself an IP address |
Delete some system configuration files and restart your PC
Renew your Mac’s DCHP lease Create a new network location on your PC |
FAQs
Why does my PC assign itself an IP address?
Your PC assigns itself an IP address to allow a network interface if neededand creates a prior network without the presence of an established network.
What does Macintosh HD mean?
Macintosh HD, also known as Macintosh Hard Drive is the default name given to the hard drive on most Mac models.
