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Tech-savvy users or network system admins may be interested in knowing which Wifi PHY standard is being utilized to ensure optimal speed, enhance wifi range, and boost wifi signals. Different wireless standards have distinct network coverage ranges and provide varying WLAN connection speeds. Boosting wifi signals becomes crucial if the signal is weak.
This Mytour article will guide you on how to check which Wifi 802.11 standard your Macbook is using, whether it's 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, or 802.11ac to connect to a specific router. It also covers how to determine which Wifi PHY protocol your Macbook supports and how to check which Wifi 802.11 standard is being used on other nearby routers.
The Easiest Way to Check Which Wifi 802.11 Standard Your Macbook Is Using
On modern Mac OS and Mac OS X versions, you can utilize this method to check if your Macbook is using 802.11ac, 802.11n, or another Wifi 802.11 standard.
How to Determine Which Wifi Standard Your Macbook Is Using?
You can check which Wifi 802.11 standard your Macbook is using, as long as the network interface card is active. Here's all you need to do:
Step 1: Press and hold the Option key while clicking on the Wifi icon in the Mac menu bar.
Step 2: Locate the wireless router your Macbook is connected to, then find the entry with the name PHY Mode in the menu to see which Wifi 802.11 standard your Macbook is using.
In the example above, you can see the current router is using the Wifi 802.11n standard. The Wifi 802.11n standard is listed next to the PHY Mode entry (PHY stands for physical layer).
Depending on the router and Mac network card, you may get results such as Wifi 802.11a, 802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11n, 802.11g, or if working in a WLAN lab setting, the Wifi 802.11 standard may be a different variant like 802.11ay or 802.11az.
How to check the Wifi 802.11 standard of another router
You can also verify the Wifi 802.11 standard of another router within range, even if your Mac is not connected to it.
Step 1: Press and hold the Option key while clicking on the Wifi icon in the Mac menu bar.
Step 2: Hover over the name of another wireless SSID to display a menu showing the Wifi 802.11 standard of the router under the PHY Mode entry.
This trick proves particularly useful if your Wifi router supports dual-band (or higher), and you want to know the Wifi 802.11 standard the SSID is using before your Mac connects. For example, some routers may broadcast multiple networks with different Wifi 802.11 standards like 802.11ac alongside 802.11g, but you only want to connect to the 802.11ac standard.
How to determine which Wifi PHY standard Mac supports
If you wish, you can also find out the WLAN mode and protocol supported by the Mac's Wifi network card and the Wifi 802.11 standards the Mac can connect to. Knowing this, you can determine if the Mac's wireless network card is compatible with a specific Wifi 802.11 standard. Mac OS stores these details in the System Information app.
Step 1: Press and hold the Options key, then click on the Apple Menu.
Step 2: Choose System Information.
Step 3: Select Network on the left frame of the system details list, then navigate through the interface to find the entry Supported PHY Modes to see which wireless network card is active.
In the example above, if you see the entry Supported PHY Modes: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, it means each 802.11 protocol is available for the wireless network card in use.
This Mytour article just guided you on how to check which Wifi 802.11 standard your Macbook is using. What are your thoughts and comments? Feel free to share your opinions with Mytour.
