Filtering results

In WiFi Explorer, you can quickly filter scan results to help diagnose or troubleshoot specific wireless networks. You can filter networks by name (SSID), BSSID, channel, signal strength (RSSI), annotations, mode, vendor, device name, band, country code, security or encryption type using the Filter field in the WiFi Explorer toolbar.

- To filter networks by name (SSID), annotations, vendor or device name just type the text in the Filter field. If you need to filter using an exact match, use quotation marks for the keywords, e.g. "ABC School".
- To filter networks by BSSID, type either :XX or XX: where XX is an octect of the BSSID you are searching for. You can also extend the text with more octets (e.g. XX:XX, XX:XX:XX) to search for more specific BSSIDs.
- To filter networks by signal strength (RSSI), type a comparison operator (<, >, <= or >=) and the signal strength level in the Filter field. For example, to display only the networks that have a signal strength greater or equal than -65 dBm, type >=-65. If you want to use percentage as units when filtering, type >=50%.
- To filter networks by channel number, just type the channel number in the Filter field.
- To filter networks by band, just type the band (e.g. 2.4 GHz, 2.4ghz, 24ghz, 5GHz) in the Filter field.
- To filter networks by mode, just type the letter or letters that identify the mode: a, b, g, n, or ac. You can also prefix the letter(s) with 802.11, 80211 or just 11. For example, type 11g to display only networks that support 802.11b, or ac to display only networks that support 802.11ac.
- To filter networks by security or encryption type, just enter the acronym for the security or encryption type in the Filter field. For example, type WPA2 to display only networks that are configured with WPA2.

Filtering using multiple fields

You can filter on multiple fields by separating the keywords using "," (OR) or "&" (AND). For example, if you want to filter networks so that only 2.4 GHz networks with a name (SSID) starting with School are shown, simply enter 24ghz & School in the Filter field. If you want to display only networks on channels 1, 6, or 11, type 1, 6, 11 in the Filter field.

Negating a filter

You can negate a filter by simply prefixing it with "!". For example, to list all networks that do not have the word School in their names, simply enter !School.

Quick filters

You can also use pre-defined filter controls to display only secure, open, or ad-hoc networks.

- To display only secure, open, or ad-hoc networks select the pre-defined filter from the drop-down menu in the WiFi Explorer toolbar.
- To clear any filters and show all networks, select "All Networks" from the drop-down menu in the WiFi Explorer toolbar.

Additional filter controls

Additional filters are dynamically generated based on the scan results. These filters can be chosen from the left side panel by selecting one of the items under each of the following categories: Band, Network Name, Mode, Security, Access Point and Vendor.

- To show or hide the side panel, click the bottom-left icon in the main WiFi Explorer window.

For example, to show only networks with the name vanet, choose vanet under the Network Name category.

Filtering by signal strength using keyboard shortcuts

You can quickly filter networks by signal strength using keyboard shortcuts using a combination of the Option key and one of the keys representing the numbers from 0 to 9, or the keys below (Q, W, E, ..., I, O, P). If you set a filter using one of the valid shortcuts, you can clear it by pressing the Escape key.

For example, to display only the networks with signal strength equal or greater than -70 dBm, press Option-7. Similarly, to display only the networks with signal strength equal or greater than -75 dBm, press Option-U (the letter U is located below and between 7 and 8 in the keyboard, therefore it gives you the mid value between -70 and -80 dBm). The same applies if using percentage (%) as units for signal strength: 1 for 10%, Q for 15%, 2 for 20%, etc.

Additional notes

- If you use a pre-defined filter control or choose a filter from the side panel, you can refine your filtering even more by typing your keywords in the Filter field in the toolbar.
- You can also permanently filter and hide networks with weak signals by adjusting the sensitivity of the scan operation. To adjust the sensitivity, choose WiFi Explorer > Preferences > General, then select the desired scan sensitivity level.

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