Wifi Connection antenna icon not lighting up on top menu bar

The icon showing active Wifi is remaining gray, and not showing a wifi connection, though there is usually a connection.
I'm guessing this is a preference setting in networks, but I can't find anything. Help please. Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

What device? What version of the OS for that device? How do you know you have a connection, if the WiFi fan is greyed out? We need a lot more information before we can begin to tackle this issue with you.

There's no preference that controls those bars. If none of the bars are black, that usually means that you aren't connected. Once connected to a WiFi access point (AP) the number of bars indicate your signal strength. When you click on the icon, any AP that contains a check mark indicates the one you are connected to. If you don't see that, you aren't connected..

Raz0rEdge, that's a good answer if he or she is on a Mac, but the fan is there on iPhone and iPad, too and is not tappable. So we don't know what to tell him/her for now.

Jake, on iDevices, the WiFi fan would only ever show up if you were connected, otherwise it would say 2G/3G/4G/LTE (and every other variation of cellular) only. Based on the OP's description of the grayed out fan, I'm guessing that they're on a Mac (desktop or laptop)..

Good point, Ashwin. I thought I had seen that fan area with none of the sectors lit up, which I thought meant a signal was detected but not enough to use. But maybe I just imagined it.

The icon showing active Wifi is remaining gray

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Run the Network Diagnosis that's accessible via the System Prefs > Network pref pane, and selecting/clicking on the "Assist Me" button and do the Diagnosis on the wireless option and follow the suggestions.




- Patrick
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WiFi Fan not Lighting up

MacInWin said:

Welcome to the forum.

What device? What version of the OS for that device? How do you know you have a connection, if the WiFi fan is greyed out? We need a lot more information before we can begin to tackle this issue with you.

Click to expand...

The device is my 7-year old iMac desktop computer. The OS is Sierra 10.12.6
Even when the wifi fan icon is grey, I can connect to the internet. I can also manually turn on the wifi icon by choosing the network from the menu below the icon.
The computer is directly wired to the router
Thanks for helping me with this.

The wifi fan then goes black, which is the way it always used to be, but then it goes gray again-- not sure when it goes gray or why. It seems the network connection is not sticking.

It seems the network connection is not sticking.

Click to expand...

As I said previously, try running the Network Diagnosis, but maybe this method would be easier for you:
MacOS Wireless Diagnostics
https://www.imore.com/how-use-macos-wireless-diagnostics-get-best-possible-wifi-settings-your-area

It should show you if the source or the Mac is acting up or something is quitting.


EDIT:
BTW: Are you staying connected to the Internet or any LAN and as your computer is directly wired to the router, what are you using or needing your wireless connection for???



- Patrick
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The computer is directly wired to the router

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Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! The fan is for WiFi, but being directly wired to the router means the Ethernet interface is active and providing connectivity. The fan being there or not is immaterial if you are wired to the router. But the symptoms of fading in and out, when other devices don't see that same problem may mean that the Wifi components in the iMac are failing. On my MBP I am both wired into Ethernet and using WiFi. I run that way so my  Watch can unlock the MBP for me when I tap the space bar to wake up the Mac. But the fan never changes, staying at the same strength. If it's really important to you (and if you are wired to the router, it may not be a big deal), you can take the iMac to an Apple store to have them diagnose it. But any repair to a 7 year old iMac may not be be worth it.

I run that way so my  Watch can unlock the MBP for me when I tap the space bar to wake up the Mac.

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Gee Jake, that's sure an expensive way to wake you Mac when my old iMac Apple remote control works just as well at a fraction of the price. ;D

Just joking… but hey, it still works.






- Patrick
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Patrick, turning on the Wifi cost me essentially zero. I got the watch for other reasons, the auto login is just gravy.

Oh, yes, I have one of those remotes, too. It takes batteries, so it's more expensive in the long run than me clicking on the Wifi and turning it on.

You need to move into the 21st century! ;D

Thanks to all for the reply. Yes, I'm directly wired from router to iMac. But still, the problem of the gray fan intermittent is new. For years the fan was black, now it goes gray sometimes as discussed. Generally speaking, the computer with the installed (last year) Sierra 10.12.6 seems to be occasionally freezing. Slowing down. Being inconsistent. Is this Apple's way of saying "time to buy a new, faster machine"?

Also, the Word program 12.2.0 Word for Mac, which I still have documents on, is really f**ked up. It is very difficult to transfer files to Google Docs. The "paste" function takes minutes! Any help on any of these questions, still greatly appreciated! Charles

Thanks to all for the reply. Yes, I'm directly wired from router to iMac. But still, the problem of the gray fan intermittent is new. For years the fan was black, now it goes gray sometimes as discussed. Generally speaking, the computer with the installed (last year) Sierra 10.12.6 seems to be occasionally freezing. Slowing down. Being inconsistent. Is this Apple's way of saying "time to buy a new, faster machine"?

Also, the Word program 12.2.0 Word for Mac, which I still have documents on, is really f**ked up. It is very difficult to transfer files to Google Docs. The "paste" function takes minutes! Any help on any of these questions, still greatly appreciated! Charles

Thanks to all for the reply. Yes, I'm directly wired from router to iMac. But still, the problem of the gray fan intermittent is new. For years the fan was black, now it goes gray sometimes as discussed.

Generally speaking, the computer with the installed (last year) Sierra 10.12.6 seems to be occasionally freezing. Slowing down. Being inconsistent. Is this Apple's way of saying "time to buy a new, faster machine"?

Click to expand...

There's a good chance that it's your router that needs replacing as they sure don't last forever, and can especially go goofy and incompatible with wireless. It may also be the cause of your iMacs greyed out Wi-Fi icon bars.

It could also be the cause of the other Mac's connection problems.

PS: Why not just turn OFF the Wi-Fi on the iMac, or even hide the icon if you're not using any wireless stuff and then any black or grey bars won't bother you if you can't see them.




- Patrick
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MacInWin said:

Patrick, turning on the Wifi cost me essentially zero. I got the watch for other reasons, the auto login is just gravy.
… … …
You need to move into the 21st century! ;D

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Oh, I'm well enough into the 21st century thanks Jake, and it's just that your iWatch remark reminded me of the old iMac Remote that just happened to be sitting at the back of my old super cluttered desk that could do the same and other things as well.

Actually I'm a bit surprised that it still works with some of our Macs and Apple stuff like our Apple TV. But our old Harmony Remote actually works better!!



- Patrick
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