--- title: "Mac can't see 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7: what to check · Kilobat Guides" url: "https://kilobat.app/guides/mac-cant-see-6ghz-wifi" description: "Your Mac never uses 6 GHz, or can't find the 6 GHz network. Check Mac support, Wi-Fi 6E mode, WPA3 and the router's 6 GHz settings." --- # Mac can't see or join a 6 GHz Wi-Fi network 6 GHz needs a Mac and a router that both support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7, and WPA3 security. A Mac also finds 6 GHz networks in a different way from 2.4 and 5 GHz networks. **Fix this with your agent**Copies a prompt for Claude Code, Codex or any agent that can use Terminal. My Mac has this problem: Mac can't see or join a 6 GHz Wi-Fi network. Read https://kilobat.app/guides/mac-cant-see-6ghz-wifi.md and work through it with me. Install the Kilobat CLI if it’s missing: brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat. Run the guide’s Terminal and kilobat checks yourself and tell me what you find. List the steps only I can do. Ask before you change any setting. Applies to: macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Mac models and settings are from Apple's support pages, checked on 7 November 2026. · Checked: 7 November 2026 ## Symptoms - The 6 GHz network does not show in the Wi-Fi menu. - The Mac always uses 5 GHz, also next to the router. - The Mac says that the network has limited compatibility. - The 6 GHz network rejects the password that works on 5 GHz. ## Likely causes - **The Mac does not support 6 GHz.** Apple lists Wi-Fi 6E or later for MacBook Pro from 2023 and MacBook Air with M3 or later. It also lists MacBook Neo, and iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro from 2023. - **Wi-Fi 6E mode is off.** Apple says that this setting turns off 6 GHz for one network only. - **Security is not WPA3.** Apple says that 6 GHz needs WPA3. A router can use WPA3 on 6 GHz and WPA2/WPA3 on the other bands. - **Different names for each band.** Apple says that the Mac then reports limited compatibility and can offer to join the 5 GHz network instead. - **A 6 GHz-only network or a non-PSC channel.** Ubiquiti says that 6 GHz-only networks can be hard to find. NETGEAR says that some clients do not find the router on a non-PSC channel. - **6 GHz is off on the router, or not allowed in the region.** Verizon says that Wi-Fi 6E is not on by default on its router. Apple says that Wi-Fi 6E is not available in mainland China. ## How to check 1. Open Terminal. Show the channels that the Mac supports. ``` system_profiler SPAirPortDataType ``` Output If `Supported Channels` lists channels marked `6GHz`, the Mac supports 6 GHz. 2. In the same output, find `Current Network Information`. The `Channel` line shows the band. 3. Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Wi-Fi. Click Details next to the network. 4. Look at Wi-Fi 6E mode. It must be Automatic. 5. Sign in to the router. Make sure that 6 GHz is on and that it uses WPA3. 6. Make sure that the 6 GHz band has the same name and password as the other bands. ## How to fix it 1. Set Wi-Fi 6E mode to Automatic. Choose System Settings > Wi-Fi, then click Details next to the network. 2. Give all bands one name and one password on the router. Then forget the network on the Mac and join again. 3. If the router has a WPA3 setting for 2.4 and 5 GHz, turn it on. Google says that this helps 6 GHz devices move between bands. 4. Keep 2.4 and 5 GHz on the same network as 6 GHz. Do not make a 6 GHz-only network. 5. If you set the 6 GHz channel by hand, use a channel marked PSC. 6. Move closer to the router for a test. 7. Do old devices fail after you turn on WPA3? See [Mac won't connect to a WPA3 or Wi-Fi 7 router](https://kilobat.app/guides/mac-wpa3-wifi7-router-wont-connect). The exact menus for your router, from FRITZ!Box and Xfinity to eero and Livebox: [router guides](https://kilobat.app/routers). ## With Kilobat 1. Show the band, channel, signal and link rate of the current connection. ``` kilobat wifi ``` Output The `band` field shows `6 GHz` when the Mac uses 6 GHz. 2. List the nearby networks with their channels and channel widths. ``` kilobat scan ``` 3. On a mesh, list the nodes and the bands each one offers. ``` kilobat wifi nodes ``` ## Questions **Which Macs support Wi-Fi 7?** Apple lists Wi-Fi 7 for MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max, and MacBook Air with M5. Their N1 chip also supports Multi-Link Operation. **Why does my Mac pick 5 GHz when 6 GHz is available?** macOS scores networks by channel use, client count and signal. A strong 5 GHz signal can score higher than a weak 6 GHz signal. **Can I make the Mac use only 6 GHz?** macOS has no band setting. Wi-Fi 6E mode can only turn 6 GHz off for one network. **Does eero steer Macs to 6 GHz?** On eero Pro 6E, Pro 7, Max 7 and PoE 7, Client steering can favour 6 GHz. But the company says that it cannot guarantee the band that a device picks. ## Sources - [Apple Support: Use Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 networks with Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102285) - [Apple Platform Deployment: Wi-Fi and Ethernet specifications for Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/deployment/dep268652e6c/1/web/1.0) - [Apple Platform Deployment: Optimize your Wi-Fi networks for Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/optimize-your-wi-fi-networks-dep2af1caf35/web) - [Apple Platform Deployment: Wi-Fi roaming support in Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/wi-fi-roaming-support-dep98f116c0f/web) - [Ubiquiti Help Center: UniFi WiFi SSID and AP Settings Overview](https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/32065480092951-UniFi-WiFi-SSID-and-AP-Settings-Overview) - [NETGEAR: Nighthawk WiFi 7 RS300, RS280, BE9300 User Manual (PDF)](https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RS300/RS300_RS280_UM_EN.pdf) - [Google Nest Help: How Nest Wifi, Nest Wifi Pro and Google Wifi 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands work](https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/6293481) - [eero Support: What are the Advanced networking settings?](https://eero.com/support/articles/what-are-the-advanced-networking-settings) - [Verizon Support: Verizon Router FAQs](https://www.verizon.com/support/residential/internet/equipment/routers/verizon-router) - system_profiler(8), man page installed with macOS 27.2 Checked on 7 November 2026. ## Related guides - [2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz Wi-Fi on a Mac](https://kilobat.app/guides/wifi-bands-2-4-5-6-ghz): Wi-Fi uses three bands. - [Mac won't connect to a WPA3 or Wi-Fi 7 router](https://kilobat.app/guides/mac-wpa3-wifi7-router-wont-connect): A new router, or a firmware update, can switch the network to WPA3, require protected management frames or turn on Wi-Fi 7 features. - [Mac drops Wi-Fi or sticks to a far node on mesh Wi-Fi](https://kilobat.app/guides/mac-mesh-wifi-roaming): A Mac decides itself when to move to another mesh node. - [Wi-Fi is slow on the Mac but fast on the phone](https://kilobat.app/guides/slow-wifi-mac-fast-phone): When the phone is fast on the same network, the internet connection is not the problem.