What is the crowd's opinion of WiFi Explorer?

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https://www.intuitibits.com/products/wifi-explorer-pro/

I’ve had this running on my test network for several weeks already. The new drivers and firmware make a clear difference in how the network “feels” when you’re using it. DFS channels are used if they are cleaner so you’ll also have more airtime to yourself.

Is he on Wi-Fi? There are two very good ones. Wi-Fi explorer and wifi signal. Both from intuitbits.

https://www.intuitibits.com/products/wifi-explorer/

https://www.intuitibits.com/products/wifi-signal/

Your gf dad is most likely experiencing one of three or more possible scenarios.

He’s auto connecting to xfinity or some other Wi-Fi instead of his own. In the network settings advanced Wi-Fi drag the Wi-Fi names in the order you want the Mac to prioritize connecting.

He’s connecting to a 2.4 ghz network. Switch to 5 ghz. Some wifi routers combine both and let your hardware choose. Google mesh etc. however separating them and naming the faster 5 ghz with a “5 ghz” makes it easier.

He’s experiencing signal interference from masonry walls etc.

he’s in a building with other Wi-Fi or electronic interference on 2.4 ghz crowding his signal.

The first app will also show overlapping Wi-Fi signals and their channels allowing you to move Wi-Fi to an uncrowded space.

Finally, reboot the Mac and router. All networking can produce slowness after being up for 90 days. Reboot once a week. Keeps the Mac running well, apps updated and should be part of his schedule.

Source: macadmin who booed jobs face on the Jumbotron at Macworld.

In the router.

Before you start messing with the router try the scan on your ios device first to see what you're dealing with. You can't do it on your macbook, iOS only.

have a read here. https://www.intuitibits.com/2017/11/02/import-results-airport-utility/

Do you know about Option-Click on the wifi icon in the tray?

Also, since you're on Mac, I highly recommend the Wifi Signal app from Intuitibits, as well as their Wifi Explorer app. Along with Airtool (for wireless frame capture), these are hands down some of the most useful tools for troubleshooting and optimizing wifi (I do wifi for a living, and these tools paid for themselves within the first hour)

Wifi Signal will let you know about roaming events as well as signal conditions, which is really helpful when dealing with multi-AP systems.