Quick tip: How to run Wi-Fi diagnostics on your Mac
Featured
There's nothing more frustrating than trying to connect to a Wi-Fi network and something is playing up (OK, maybe setting up a printer is worse). In an effort to 'streamline and simplify' the operating system, Apple has buried the Wi-Fi diagnostic tools.
And if you don't know how to find the tools, you can't use them to help you.
Here's what you need to know!
Must read: Ten cool and useful gadgets that make great last-minute gifts, and all are under $50
First, how to access Wi-Fi diagnostics. This is not easy unless you know the magic incantation, which is to press down the OPTION key (⌥) while clicking on the Wi-Fi status menu.
Wi-Fi diagnostic tools
This will reveal a whole raft of new options, including:
- Enable Wi-Fi Logging
- Create Diagnostics Report
- Open Wireless Diagnostics
- Wi-Fi Recommendations
You also get access to a whole lot of geeky information about the wireless connection, which depending on your technical aptitude, may or may not be useful.
Must read: Why I may dump Apple in 2020… and why you should consider it too
However, before you go digging into Wi-Fi settings and getting hip-deep into things, I suggest you try to fix your Wi-Fi connection by doing the following first:
- See if another device will connect (is it an issue with the Mac or Wi-Fi network?)
- Reboot the Mac
- Disable any VPNs
Hopefully, those simple things will help.