Connect in macOS

Join a Wi-Fi network by choosing it from the Wi-Fi menu on the system menu bar. Macs continuously look for networks, and a list of any yours has currently found appears in this menu when the Wi-Fi adapter is on (Figure 29). (If it’s off, click the Wi-Fi menu and then choose Turn Wi-Fi On.)

To join a network when the network broadcasts its name—as most do—choose the network name from the Wi-Fi menu. Enter the network’s password if it’s protected.

To connect to a closed (hidden) network, choose Join Other Network and then enter its name exactly. You also have to select the Security method yourself.

After the connection is completed, the Wi-Fi menu’s icon switches from gray to black, with the number of black waves indicating signal strength by their quantity. It switches to two overlapping chain links if you’ve connected to a personal hotspot.

Although you should now be able to access the internet normally, if the network is an unencrypted hotspot, you may see a floating window that shows a hotspot login screen. After agreeing to the hotspot’s terms or entering login details, if the window doesn’t close by itself, click Done. This window can be dismissed by clicking Cancel.

The next time you’re in range of that network, if you’ve checked “Remember this network” (as noted in the sidebar above), your Mac will automatically reconnect. You can change that via these steps:

1. Go to Apple  > System Preferences > Network.

2. Click the Wi-Fi adapter’s entry in the list at left.

3. Click the Advanced button at right.

4. In the Wi-Fi tab, scroll to the network name in the Preferred Network list.

5. Uncheck the Auto-Join box to its right.

6. Click OK and then click Apply.

You can instead click the minus sign button in step 5 to remove the network, but then you lose its stored password. You’re immediately disconnected. If you delete the entry and use iCloud Keychain, the Wi-Fi network entry is removed from all connected devices.

While still in range, you may disconnect from a network in a couple of ways:

• Hold down the Option key and open the Wi-Fi menu. The menu item Disconnect from Current Network Name appears. This menu item also appears without the Option key if the Mac is connected to a Personal Hotspot. Choose it, and the Mac is disconnected from the network and will not re-join it unless you select it again or the device leaves the range of the network and returns.

• Choose Turn Wi-Fi Off from the Wi-Fi menu. This disables the device’s network connection entirely.

Connect in iOS and iPadOS

iOS and iPadOS let you join any Wi-Fi network with a few taps. If the Ask to Join Networks option is on in Settings > Wi-Fi, then whenever you’re in range of any open Wi-Fi network and not already connected to one, the operating system pops up a dialog asking if you want to join. Tap the network you want, and enter a password if prompted.

You can also join a network by tapping its name in a list:

1. In the Settings app, tap Wi-Fi to open the Wi-Fi view (Figure 30).

   

2. Select the network from the Choose a Network list by tapping it. (If the network you’re trying to find doesn’t appear, tap Other—you may have to slide down to find Other.)

3. Enter a password if prompted.

You’re now connected. Tap the blue info icon next to the connected network for TCP/IP details, such as the assigned IP address.

There’s another way to select a network, too. Swipe to reveal the Control Center, hold on the network card, then hold on Wi-Fi. A list of networks appears and you can tap one to join.

Connect in Windows 10

To connect to a network in Windows 10 or later, follow these steps:

1. Click the Wi-Fi menu in the System Tray.

2. A Networks pane appears, showing available Wi-Fi networks (Figure 31).

   

3. Click the network to which you want to connect, and optionally select the “Connect automatically” checkbox. Then, click the Connect button.

4. Enter a password, if prompted, and click Next (Figure 32). Windows automatically figures out the right type of passphrase to send.

   

If the connection is successful, you’ll see a Connected label appear beneath the network’s name in the Networks pane.

Connect in Android

It only takes a few steps to connect to a Wi-Fi network in Android:

1. From the home screen, tap Settings.

2. Tap Wi-Fi. A list of networks should appear (Figure 33).

   

3. Tap the network you want to join.

4. If it’s password protected, you will be prompted to enter the security key (Figure 34). Tap it in, and tap Connect.

If you connect correctly, the network appears at the top of the Wi-Fi list with the Connected label beneath its name.

Connect in Chrome OS

Google’s Chrome OS runs the many inexpensive, powerful, cloud-connected notebook computers known collectively as Chromebooks, though they are made by many different hardware manufacturers.

You can easily connect from Chrome OS to an Apple base station, just as to any other Wi-Fi router. Follow these steps, which are quite similar to Android, but not identical:

1. In the lower-right corner of the screen, click your avatar’s icon (Figure 35).

   

2. A panel appears, showing the current state of the Chromebook (Figure 36). Click the network area, which may show a Wi-Fi network name or say “No network.”

   

3. A list of available networks appears. Click the network you want to join (Figure 37) or tap Join other to enter a closed network’s name.

   

4. If the network is password protected, you’re prompted to enter that password (Figure 38). (Click the “eyeball” icon to see the password as you type.)

   

5. Click Connect.

If the password was entered correctly and the network is working properly, the Chromebook connects to the network. You can click the status bar to confirm the connection (Figure 39).

You can optionally type chrome://settings into the browser location bar and click Add Wi-Fi to add a network.