thanks DrVenture
the router is a BE branded Thomson TG585v7.
the terminal reports as follows -
iMac:~ mark$ /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport -I
agrCtlRSSI: -40
agrExtRSSI: 0
agrCtlNoise: -96
agrExtNoise: 0
state: running
op mode: station
lastTxRate: 54
maxRate: 54
lastAssocStatus: 0
802.11 auth: open
link auth: wpa2-psk
BSSID: 0:26:44:c7:66:d5
SSID: Bebox841542
MCS: -1
channel: 3
iMac:~ mark$ /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport -s
SSID BSSID RSSI CHANNEL HT CC SECURITY (auth/unicast/group)
Bebox841542 00:26:44:c7:66:d5 -41 3 N -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)
BTHub3-TS3P 04:c0:6f:e2:c2:8b -72 1 Y -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)
BTOpenzone-H 3a:c0:6f:e2:c2:8c -66 1 Y -- NONE
BTFON 3a:c0:6f:e2:c2:8d -65 1 Y -- NONE
SKY46171 00:1b:bf:bb:b4:5c -82 6 N -- WPA(PSK/TKIP/TKIP)
BTHub3-6WMW 00:fe:f4:23:4f:18 -82 11 N -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)
virginmedia0303150 a0:21:b7:ce:81:92 -71 11 Y -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)
virginmedia6831990 a0:21:b7:db:f6:29 -72 6 Y -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)
Livebox-56B8 00:16:cf:54:c6:ae -68 1 N -- WPA(PSK/TKIP/TKIP)
Nihongi 30:46:9a:80:51:39 -84 6 Y -- WPA2(PSK/AES/AES)
WLAN_D12341 00:12:bf:d1:23:43 -64 6 N -- WPA(PSK/TKIP,AES/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES/TKIP)
BrightBox 74:31:70:f2:89:37 -87 1 Y -- WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP)