Get more info from the Wi-Fi menu

Apropos of nothing, "Wi-Fi" isn't short for anything. It sort of brings to mind "Hi-Fi" which is how some of us used to describe our stereo systems before iPods turned songs into files. But "Wi-Fi"—a term that now means "wireless internet signal" or something thereabouts—doesn't stand for anything. 

That said, Wi-Fi pretty nifty. There's even a menu for it on your Mac's menu bar. (It's on the upper right of the screen and looks like a fan.) By default, the Wi-Fi menu on your Mac’s menu bar provides a list of available Wi-Fi networks and a few other commands.

Useful stuff, but for the real scoop on what’s going on behind the scenes, Option-click the Wi-Fi menu. In addition to several commands to run diagnostics, the menu provides oodles of details about the current Wi-Fi network. You’ll find info on your Mac’s IP address, your router’s IP address, if your Mac is reachable from the Internet, what form of security is in play, the router’s BSSID identifier (helpful if you’re not sure which router you’re connected to in a complex network), which channel you’re using, how strong the signal strength is (RSSI—the closer to zero, the better), and the transmit rate of the network. This information is most useful when troubleshooting problems, so take a look if something isn’t working right with your connectivity.

If you have additional questions about your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, feel free to give us a call 503-507-0410 or email us at [e-mail] to set up an appointment. We'd be delighted to help.