{"id":17312,"date":"2019-06-04T10:23:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T15:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/?page_id=17312"},"modified":"2025-12-04T14:38:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T20:38:14","slug":"wireless-troubleshooting-self-help","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wireless-troubleshooting-self-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Wireless Troubleshooting Self Help"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-modular-content-collection><h2>Wireless Self Help &#8211; Information Gathering<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#wireless-self-help-mac-osx\">Wireless Self Help for Macs with OSX<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wireless-self-help-windows-10\">Wireless Self Help for Windows 10+ PCs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wireless-self-help-mac-mobile\">Wireless Self Help for iPhone\/iPad tablets<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wireless-self-help-android\">Wireless Self Help for Android devices<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wireless-self-help-what-do-the-numbers-mean\">What do the numbers mean?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a id=\"wireless-self-help-mac-osx\"><\/a>Wireless Self Help on Mac OSX built in tools:<\/h2>\n<p>Hold down Alt\/Option and click on the Wireless icon on the top of your screen.\u00a0 You will see additional information such as:<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-17672\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/10\/Wireless-Mac-OSX-detail.png?resize=388%2C710&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"388\" height=\"710\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The important information for troubleshooting are the information displayed on and below the &#8216;BSSID&#8217; line.\u00a0 So, BSSID, Channel, Country Code, RSSI, Noise, Tx Rate, PHY Mode and MCS Index.\u00a0 It is easiest to just take a screenshot of the dropdown box and use that for attaching to <a href=\"https:\/\/helpdesk.stolaf.edu\">Helpdesk tickets<\/a>, etc.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a id=\"wireless-self-help-windows-10\"><\/a>Wireless Self Help for Windows 10+ PCs<\/h2>\n<p>There are several wireless apps in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/store\/b\/home\">Microsoft Store<\/a> available for free. Regardless of which App you use, the goal is the same &#8212; identify how your device(s) see the wireless networks around them.\u00a0 \u00a0Using <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.microsoft.com\/detail\/9nblggh33n0n?hl=en-us&amp;gl=US\">WiFi Analyzer<\/a> as a reference, here is how to gather information you can then send to us at the <a href=\"https:\/\/helpdesk.stolaf.edu\">IT Helpdesk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After installing the app and opening it, click in the bottom right hand corner to make sure it is on &#8220;Link-Speed&#8221; and if not, click on &#8220;State&#8221; to toggle it.\u00a0\u00a0You will see a picture similar to the below:<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-20478\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2024\/08\/WiFi-Analyzer.jpg?resize=381%2C367&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Screenshot showing the signal strength as an example\" width=\"381\" height=\"367\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This will give you a good picture of the wireless environment your PC is seeing at the time.\u00a0 Screenshot the application for use in a <a href=\"https:\/\/helpdesk.stolaf.edu\">Helpdesk<\/a> ticket.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a id=\"wireless-self-help-mac-mobile\"><\/a>Wireless Self Help for iPhone\/iPad tablets<\/h2>\n<p>For Apples devices such as iPhones and iPads, you will need the <a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/airport-utility\/id427276530\">Apple AirPort Utility<\/a> app.\u00a0 Grab it from the app store and install it but <strong>before you open the app<\/strong>, go into the AirPort Utility settings and enable the &#8220;Wi-Fi Scanner&#8221; option.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17319 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/IMG_0003-edited-225x300.png?resize=225%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once set, open the app and tap the upper right hand corner &#8216;Wi-Fi Scan&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17320 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/IMG_0004-edited-225x300.png?resize=225%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then, hit the &#8220;Scan&#8221; button to start a scan of the wireless near you.\u00a0 Optionally you can move the slider down, but be sure to run it for at least fifteen seconds<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17321 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/IMG_0005.png?resize=225%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You will be left with the results which you can snap a screenshot of and send over to us at the <a href=\"https:\/\/helpdesk.stolaf.edu\">Helpdesk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17322 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/IMG_0006.png?resize=225%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a id=\"wireless-self-help-android\"><\/a>Wireless Self Help for Android devices<\/h2>\n<p>Android has a lot of options when it comes to wireless scanner\/analyzer apps.\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer&amp;hl=en_US\">Wifi Analyzer<\/a> produces the output we need to determine the quality of the wireless your device sees.\u00a0 Screenshots are below so feel free to use any app that provides equivalent information!<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17323 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/wifianalyzer-screenshot-2.png?resize=150%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"WiFiAnalyzer app screenshot\" width=\"150\" height=\"300\" \/> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17324 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/netspot-screenshot-3.png?resize=150%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NetSpot app screenshot\" width=\"150\" height=\"300\" \/> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17325 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/files\/2019\/04\/wifi-analyzer-screenshot-1.png?resize=150%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Wifi Analyzer app screenshot\" width=\"150\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a id=\"wireless-self-help-what-do-the-numbers-mean\"><\/a>What do the numbers mean?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Received_signal_strength_indication\">RSSI<\/a> &#8212; the defacto value that most people associate with how good their wifi performance is.\u00a0 Each device (and even between the same make and model devices) has a slightly different view of the wireless signal.\u00a0 Devices like phones have smaller antennae and limited battery size so they see things much different than a laptop with a larger antennae (and battery).<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>very<\/strong> coarse guide to signal strength (remember &#8212; this is as your <em>device<\/em> sees it!)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>-30 dBm &#8212; amazing signal strength &#8212; very, very close to an access point<\/li>\n<li>-50 dBm &#8212; exceptional signal strength<\/li>\n<li>-67 dBm &#8212; very good signal strength &#8212; for most devices this is the threshold for &#8216;full bars&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>-70 dBm &#8212; acceptable signal strength, but starting to have trouble especially with high bandwidth or low latency applications (Youtube\/Netflix\/etc and\/or Wifi calling\/Facetime\/Skype\/etc)<\/li>\n<li>-75 dBm &#8212; extremely unreliable connection in almost any use or situation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Noise_floor\">Noise or Noise Floor<\/a> &#8212; this is how much background interference there is according to your device.\u00a0 The lower the better &#8212; typical noise is -90 dBm or lower.\u00a0 Interference such as microwaves\/other wireless clients and devices all play a role in this.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Signal-to-noise_ratio\">SNR<\/a> &#8211; Signal to Noise Ratio &#8212; very simply the difference between your RSSI and the Noise Floor, expressed as dB.\u00a0 The higher the value, the better &#8212; SNR less than 25 dB can cause wireless devices to be unable to &#8216;hear&#8217; each other and have to try again and again until the other side acknowledges they received it.\u00a0 This slows everything down if retries are too high and can cause jittery performance.<\/p>\n<p><!-- begin-migrated-from-panel-builder --><!-- end-migrated-from-panel-builder --><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wireless Self Help &#8211; Information Gathering Wireless Self Help for Macs with OSX Wireless Self Help for Windows 10+ PCs Wireless Self Help for iPhone\/iPad tablets Wireless Self Help for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2526,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_spp_custom_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17312","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2526"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17312"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20684,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17312\/revisions\/20684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}