Imagine you're at home or in the office, with your MacBook open and ready to work, but you want that extra screen, that large space to have several windows organized without the tangle of cables on your desk. Sounds ideal, right? Now, what if I told you that you can connect your MacBook to an external monitor without using any cables and without the monitor being an Apple product? That's right, although it may seem like a trick reserved only for the bitten apple, there are simple and practical ways to achieve it, and here I'll tell you how.

What's this about connecting your Mac wirelessly?

To begin with, you have to understand that your MacBook can easily send the video signal to another device as long as both are on the same wireless network. But here comes the first catch: the monitor must be able to "hear" that signal. Not all traditional monitors do this, much less if they're not Apple. So, what to do?

The solution lies in external devices such as a Chromecast, an EZCast, or similar that connect to the monitor's HDMI port and act as wireless image receivers. Think of them as small "bridges" that receive the signal your MacBook sends via WiFi and display it on the screen. The process is more intuitive than you might imagine, although it does require a little preparation.

The step-by-step adventure to connect your MacBook wirelessly

First, plug your wireless dongle into your monitor or smart TV and make sure both—MacBook and dongle—are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, preferably 5 GHz to avoid those annoying delays or interruptions. Turn on your monitor and put it in receiver or streaming mode.

Now, on your Mac, open the Control Center menu and look for the Screen Mirroring or AirPlay option. The name of the wireless receiving device should appear there, just like when you send music to a Bluetooth speaker. Select that device and voila, the magic happens: your screen appears large, without cables or hassle.

Here's another tip:You can choose whether you want the monitor to only duplicate what you see on your laptop or extend your desktop so you have more space to play with applications or multimedia content. This can be adjusted in System Preferences, under Displays.

What no one tells you so you don't fail in the attempt

The key to this wireless connection is that the Wi-Fi network has good bandwidth and little interference. Using the 5 GHz band is a must. No slow or congested networks, because real-time video streaming can fail.

Sometimes, it takes your Mac a while to recognize the wireless receiver—the technology is good, but not perfect. If you don't see your monitor immediately, restart both devices and try again.

Another important point: this connection works great for daily tasks or viewing content, but don't expect to use it for demanding video games or heavy video editing without a bit of lag. For that, a straight HDMI or USB-C cable is still king.

If you still prefer wireless convenience but still the best quality, consider investing in a monitor that already has AirPlay built in or native Mac support. That will save you from intermediate devices and connectivity issues.