Cisco Systems OL-1377-03 Assessing the Wireless and Wired Links, Viewing the Link Status Meter

Chapter 7 Performing Diagnostics

Diagnostic Tools for Mac OS 9

Assessing the Wireless and Wired Links

You can determine the performance of the RF link between your client adapter and its associated access point in two different ways:

•You can use the link status meter (LSM) to view a graphical display of the signal strength and quality of the client adapter’s radio signal. Go to the “Viewing the Link Status Meter” section below.

•You can run a link test that allows you to set the number and size of the packets to be transmitted and then to determine the success or failure of those packets. Go to the “Running a Link Test” section on page 7-4.

Viewing the Link Status Meter

To access the Link Status Meter screen, select Link Status Meter on the advanced properties screen. The Link Status Meter screen appears (see Figure 7-2).

Figure 7-2 Link Status Meter Screen

The Link Status Meter screen provides a graphical display of the following:

•Signal strength—The strength of the client adapter’s radio signal at the time packets are being received. It is displayed as a percentage along the vertical axis.

•Signal quality—The quality of the client adapter’s radio signal at the time packets are being received. It is displayed as a percentage along the horizontal axis.

The combined result of the signal strength and signal quality is represented by a moving bull’s-eye (see Figure 7-2). Where the bull’s-eye falls on the graphical display determines the quality of the RF link between your client adapter and its associated access point. Differences in the quality of the RF link are indicated by the following colors: green (excellent), yellow (good), orange (fair), and red (poor).

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for Mac OS

OL-1377-03 7-3