You’ll then see each set of measurements made on that network over the scan period. To view further information, tap the network in which you’re interested. When the scan is complete, the app will show details of all the Wi-Fi networks which it has found. As scans take a fair bit of battery power, make yours as short as you need. Tap Wi-Fi Scan at the top right of the display. Unless you have an AirPort base station within range, its opening screen will stay almost blank. Turn it on (green), and exit Settings again. Inside you’ll find a switch for the Wi-Fi Scanner. Once it has installed, open Settings, and locate those for your new AirPort Utility app. Don’t worry – although that app is primarily intended to configure Apple’s obsolescent Wi-Fi base stations, this Wi-Fi scanner is good for any device from any manufacturer. In the iOS App Store, ‘purchase’ Apple’s free AirPort Utility. You're computer will treat the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz SSIDs as two different networks and you will be able to join them independently.You don’t get much for free these days, but if you’ve got an iOS device, Apple can turn it into a natty mobile Wi-Fi scanner at no extra cost. SOLUTION 2: If you cannot or do not have the 'band steering' option, you can request that the owner changes the SSID name of the 5 GHz band to something different like 'Network 5GHz'. Band steering works by responding only to 5 GHz association requests and not the 2.4 GHz requests from dual-band clients.

“A technique called “band steering” is used by some enterprise-grade APs to send 802.11n clients to the 5 GHz band, leaving the 2.4 GHz band for legacy clients. SOLUTION 1: The owner of the SSID can enable “band steering” on the router and it should redirect your device to the SSID on the 5 GHz band, using some 802.11 tricks to make operating system think only a 5 GHz network exists. It will, by default, select the SSID with the strongest signal. REASON: The operating system is in control of which SSID you connect to. You are still connected to the 2.4 GHz 'Network'. When you click 'Join' in WiFi Scanner on the 5 GHz 'Network', you then select 'Allow' then 'OK', but nothing happens. You are connected to the 2.4 GHz 'Network', but want to be on the 5 GHz 'Network'. SCENARIO: You have two SSIDs named 'Network', one on the 2.4 GHz band and one on the 5 GHz band.

Apple wifi scanner