By default, the Wi-Fi menu in OS X’s menu bar provides a list of available Wi-Fi networks and a couple of other things like a link to open Network Preferences. That’s okay, but for the real scoop on what’s going on behind the scenes, press the Option key as you click the Wi-Fi menu. In addition to several commands to run diagnostics, the menu provides tons of details about the current Wi-Fi network. You’ll find info on your Mac’s IP address, your router’s IP address, whether or not 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 what 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. You can also run a diagnostic of your network and generate a diagnostics report that you can send to someone helping you with your network.
