How to Check Wi-Fi Signal Strength on Mac
The quick way: Option-click the Wi-Fi menu
Hold Option and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. Under your network name you will see details including RSSI (signal strength), Noise, Tx Rate (link speed), Channel and PHY Mode.
Wireless Diagnostics
- Hold Option, click the Wi-Fi icon and choose Open Wireless Diagnostics.
- Ignore the first window and choose Window → Performance from the menu bar.
- Watch the signal and noise graph while you walk around.
In Terminal
sudo wdutil infoThis prints the current Wi-Fi details, including RSSI, noise and channel. Older guides use an airport command, which Apple has deprecated and which is not available in recent macOS versions.
Reading RSSI
RSSI is measured in dBm; closer to zero is stronger.
| RSSI | Rough meaning |
|---|---|
| −30 to −50 | Excellent |
| −50 to −67 | Good, fine for most things |
| −67 to −70 | Marginal for video calls |
| −70 to −80 | Weak, expect drops |
| below −80 | Barely usable |
The gap between RSSI and Noise matters too: a signal-to-noise ratio of about 25 dB or more is healthy.
If the signal is weak
- Move closer to the router, or remove obstacles between you and it.
- Prefer the 5 GHz band when you are close; 2.4 GHz travels farther but is slower and more crowded.
- Try a different channel on the router if neighbours’ networks overlap.
Limits
Recent macOS versions may hide your network name unless an app has Location access; the signal numbers do not need it. These are readings at one moment, so check in several spots.
NetPeek gives you the same visibility from your Mac menu bar. Understand your network connection. It is a free, open-source utility inside MacPeek.