Let's start by checking the wireless quality and strength at the location MacBook Air. For this step, temporarily place your laptop near your wireless router/access point.
- Hold down Option and click the Wi-Fi icon in the macOS menu bar.
- Note the values for: Security, Channel, Country Code, RSSI, Noise, Tx Rate, PHY Mode, MCS Index, and NSS.
- Now move your laptop to a location where you mainly use it. Again, note those values.
- Post back your findings.
One measurement for signal quality is the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). SNR = RSSI - Noise.
These values are in dB and are typically negative. For RSSI, the less negative the better; for Noise, the more negative the better.
For reference:
SNR Guidelines
- 40+dB = Excellent signal
- 25dB to 40dB = Very good signal
- 30dB = Minimum range boundary (voice)
- 5dB to 25dB = Low signal
- 20dB = Minimum range boundary (data)
- 10dB to 15dB = Very low signal
- 5dB to 10dB = Little or no signal