AppleInsider Staff
The new app is in the hidden /System/Library/CoreServices folder, where Mac OS X stores a variety of utility apps that are integrated into the Mac desktop, including the Dock, Finder, Software Update, and Archive Utility.
Users can launch the tool by Option clicking on the Wi-Fi Menu Bar icon, which then presents an otherwise hidden "Open Wi-Fi Diagnostics" option (below).
After opening, the tool presents options to Monitor Performance, Record Events, Capture Raw Frames, or Turn on Debug Logs. A Learn More button outlines what these options do in a drop down sheet (below).
Monitor Performance works similar to AirPort Utility's Wireless Clients graphing feature, but provides a more detailed presentation of signal and noise for the client, rather than tracking every active client on a given base station. It can also Report the collected data to Apple for use in troubleshooting issues.
Other options log events or capture raw frame data in the background to a temporary .pcap (packet capture) file, which can similarly be reported to Apple for troubleshooting help.
Also noticeably new and different in Mac OS X Lion is network setup for 802.1x security. Formerly, users could manually enter settings or install a profile the automatically configured the settings. In Lion, Apple informs users that their network administrator will deliver a configuration profile (below).
Apple created configuration profiles for iOS along with a system site administrators can use to roll out initial settings and subsequent updates to their users. In Lion Server, the same infrastructure can be used to remotely deliver network configuration files that automate the management of Macs just like iOS devices.
Marko Zivkovic
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33 Comments
Here's hoping they finally give me an easy way to track network activity, e.g., sites visited.
A way to capture real-world wi-fi situations, this can only help to make OS X and iOS better.
--- On an unrelated note ---
I can't quite get used to the reversed tab interface control. It seems more gimmicky than improvement. But I'm not yet using 10.7, so maybe somebody who is can chime in on this. It almost seems like they want to provide a "physical" movable control for touch interfaces, rather than a series of AM radio-like push buttons.
I can't quite get used to the reversed tab interface control. It seems more gimmicky than improvement. But I'm not yet using 10.7, so maybe somebody who is can chime in on this. It almost seems like they want to provide a "physical" movable control for touch interfaces, rather than a series of AM radio-like push buttons.
I'm with you on this one. But it's just like iOS and I'm sure I'll get used to it.
I really like this addition. Even for OSX, networking is one of the most pernickety areas of computing and any tool that can help iron out kinks in a system is welcome.
I'm sure there are great 3rd-party tools out there, but it's always preferable to have these things built right in. Hopefully all that data Apple can collect will only help things in the long run too!
Good, it's about time that they built that into the OS.
I've been using something called iStumbler for a while now.
Sometimes I like to see what channel I'm on compared to everybody else in the neighborhood and also to see the signal strength compared to everybody else.