airport

WiFi monitoring

No man page
revised 12/18/22 as per 12.6.2 Montery

airport [interface ] [-Ixh] [-P --password=ppp --aaa]] [verb] [prefKeyword [={YES|NO|value}]

If interface is not specified, uses the first AirPort interface on the system.
If nonexistant interface is specified (example en1) NO error message is displayed, help is displayed.

prefs

If specified with no key value pairs, displays a subset of preferences for the specified interface.

> airport prefs   
AirPort preferences for en0:

DisconnectOnLogout=NO
Unable to retrieve JoinMode
JoinModeFallback=Prompt
RememberRecentNetworks=YES
RequireAdminIBSS=NO
RequireAdminNetworkChange=NO
RequireAdminPowerToggle=NO
AllowLegacyNetworks=YES
WoWEnabled=YES

Preferences are configured using key=value syntax.

 DisconnectOnLogout =YES|NO
 JoinMode = Automatic Preferred Ranked Recent Strongest
 JoinModeFallback = Prompt JoinOpen KeepLooking DoNothing
 RememberRecentNetworks =YES|NO
 AllowLegacyNetworks =YES|NO
 WoWEnabled =YES|NO
 RequireAdmin =YES|NO        RequireAdminIBSS =YES|NO    RequireAdminNetworkChange =YES|NO       RequireAdminPowerToggle =YES|NO

logger

Monitor the driver's logging facility.

sniff

If a channel number is specified, airportd will attempt to configure the interface to use that channel before it begins sniffing 802.11 frames. Captures files are saved to /tmp. Requires super user privileges.

debug

~~Enable debug logging, a setting is enabled by prefixing it with a '+', and disabled by prefixing it with a '-'.~~

Userland Debug Flags
DriverDiscovery DriverEvent Info SystemConfiguration UserEvent PreferredNetworks AutoJoin IPC Scan 802.1x Assoc Keychain RSNAuth WoW P2P Roam BTCoex +AllUserland ~~Enable/Disable all userland debug flags~~
Driver Common Flags
DriverInfo DriverError DriverWPA DriverScan +AllDriver ~~Enable/Disable all driver debug flags~~
Driver Vendor Flags
VendorAssoc VendorConnection +AllVendor ~~Enable/Disable all vendor debug flags~~
logfile
`+LogFile` > Save all AirPort logs to`/var/log/wifi.log`

`-I --getinfo`	agrCtlRSSI: -64 agrExtRSSI: 0 agrCtlNoise: -90 agrExtNoise: 0 state: running op mode: station lastTxRate: 65 maxRate: 144 lastAssocStatus: 0 802.11 auth: open link auth: wpa2-psk BSSID: 0:7f:28:cc:a9:f4 SSID: disabled MCS: 7 channel: 6
`-s nds` th/unicast/group) Totaro-2.4 dc:fe:07:af:73:28 -89 11 Y US WPA(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) WPA2(PSK/AES,TKIP/TKIP) XPB74 70:f1:96:17:8e:87 -89 6 Y US WPA(PSK/AES/AES) WPA2(PSK/AES/AES) BW52K 00:26:b8:a1:ee:fc -85 6 Y US WEP FEHV1 00:26:62:ee:0a:14 -87 6 N US WEP T4MP4_EXT c0:ff:d4:ca:15:df -83 6 Y US WPA2(PSK/AES/AES) disabled 00:7f:28:cc:a9:f4 -64 6 Y US WPA(PSK/AES/AES) WPA2(PSK/AES/AES)
`-c[chan] --channel=[chan]`	> airport en0 --channel 11 channel: 100,80
`-z --disassociate`
`-s[arg]`
`-P --psk`	Create PSK from pass phrase and SSID. arguments must be specified: `--password=password WPA password --ssid ssiidd`
`-x --xml`	output info as XML
`-h --help`

verb

prefs

with no key value pairs:

DisconnectOnLogout=NO
Unable to retrieve JoinMode
JoinModeFallback=Prompt
RememberRecentNetworks=YES
RequireAdminIBSS=NO
RequireAdminNetworkChange=NO
RequireAdminPowerToggle=NO
WoWEnabled=NO

Preferences are configured using key=value .
In addition to above:

 JoinMode: 
            Automatic    Preferred    Ranked    Recent    Strongest

        JoinModeFallback:
            Prompt    JoinOpen    KeepLooking    DoNothing

        RequireAdmin: Yes No

logger Monitor the driver's logging facility.

sniff chan Capture file are saved to /tmp/airportSniffxxxxx.cap.: Requires root and cap decodder.

debug [-] [flags]

Enable/Disable debug logging. Enabled by prefixing with +, disabled with - .

Adding enough flags can cause an overwhelming about of logging to /var/log/wifi.log

AirPort Userland Debug Flags DriverDiscovery, DriverEvent, Info, SystemConfiguration, UserEvent, PreferredNetworks, AutoJoin, IPC, Scan, 802.1x, Assoc, Keychain, RSNAuth, WoW, P2P, Roam, BTCoex

AllUserland

Enable/Disable all userland debug flags


            DriverInfo, DriverError, DriverWPA, DriverScan, AllDriver - Enable/Disable all driver debug flags

AirPort Driver Vendor Flags	`VendorAssoc, VendorConnection, AllVendor`- Enable/Disable all vendor debug flags
AirPort Global Flags	`LogFile` Save to `/var/log/wifi.log`

From .log, edited for clarity.

 17:10:54.591 Info: <airport[pid]> TRIMMED QUERY SCAN CACHE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:10:54.596 Info: <airport[pid]> QUERY GAS CACHE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:10:54.597 Info: <airport[pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:10:54.609 Info: <airport[pid]> GET CURRENT TETHER DEVICE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:10:54.610 Info: <airport[pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:10:54.621 Info: <airport[pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:11:28.912 AutoJoin: <airport[pid]> BACKGROUND SCAN request on interface en0 with SSID list (null)

17:11:28.914 Scan: <airport[pid]> Cache-assisted scan request on channel 1 does not require a live scan
17:11:28.914 Scan: <airport[pid]> Cache-assisted scan request on channel 2 does not require a live scan
 3 does not require a live scan
does not require a live scan
17:11:28.914 AutoJoin: <airport[pid]> Successful cache-assisted background scan request with channels {(
                CWChannel                 width
17:11:28.914      767a0> [1(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.914      5b9d0> [2(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.914      66960> [3(2GHz), 20MHz, active]
17:11:28.914 ) took 0.0007 seconds, returned 3 results

 4 does not require a live scan 5 6 
17:11:28.914      76cc0> [4(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.914      10ee0> [5(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.914      10960> [6(2GHz), 20MHz, active]

… continued for channel 7,8,9  10,11 36, thru
             but with  slowing wifi intensity. every set has one (or 2)    null does not require a live scan.

17:11:28.915      76b90> [7(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.915      5e600> [8(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.915      5e230> [9(2GHz), 20MHz, active]

 10 does not require a live scan 11 36 
does not require a live scan
does not require a live scan
17:11:28.915      5e360> [10(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.915      77110> [11(2GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.915      66cc0> [36(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), active]

 40 does not require a live scan 44 48 
17:11:28.915      100a0> [40(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), active],
17:11:28.915      0a7a0> [44(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), active],
17:11:28.915      0f620> [48(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), active]

17:11:28.916      18ec0> [149(5GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.916      48350> [153(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), active],
17:11:28.916      5f370> [157(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), active]

 161 does not require a live scan 165 12 
17:11:28.916      67b40> [161(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), active],
17:11:28.916      4be10> [165(5GHz), 20MHz, active],
17:11:28.916      1fbc0> [12(2GHz), 20MHz]

 13 does not require a live scan 52 56 
17:11:28.916      569d0> [13(2GHz), 20MHz],
17:11:28.916      569d0> [13(2GHz), 20MHz],
17:11:28.916      461b0> [52(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS],

 60 does not require a live scan 64 100 
17:11:28.916      47280> [60(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS],
17:11:28.916      57290> [64(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS],
17:11:28.916      76a70> [100(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS]

 104 does not require a live scan 108 112 
does not require a live scan
17:11:28.916      1a4d0> [104(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS],
17:11:28.916      4bf40> [108(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS],
17:11:28.917      52620> [112(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS]
 116 does not require a live scan 120 124 
17:11:28.917      477c0> [116(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS],
17:11:28.917      4bd10> [120(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS],
17:11:28.917      65df0> [124(5GHz), 20MHz,     DFS]
 128 does not require a live scan 132 136 
17:11:28.917      5aff0> [128(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS],
17:11:28.917      658b0> [132(5GHz), 20MHz,     DFS],
17:11:28.917      15d50> [136(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS]
17:11:28.917      15d50> [136(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS]
 140 does not require a live scan 144 
17:11:28.917      1a400> [140(5GHz), 20MHz,     DFS],
17:11:28.917      68350> [144(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS]

17:11:37.922  en0: Received EAPOL packet (length = 145)
17:11:37.922  inputEAPOLFrame: 0 extra bytes present in EAPOL frame.
17:11:37.922  inputEAPOLFrame: decrypting key data
17:11:37.922  inputEAPOLFrame: Received message 1 of 2
17:11:37.922  installGTK: setting cipher key (flags = 0x0)
17:11:37.922  GTK-RSC:
17:11:37.922 [00000000] 00 00 00 00 00 00
17:11:37.922  GTK:
17:11:37.922 [00000000] BE 20 03 56 DA EA A0 6F C2 FF 4B AB 9E 2F B9 D7
17:11:37.922  installGTK: GTK installed


17:11:56.027 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en0)
17:11:56.029 Info: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: en0 link quality: RSSI=-71 dBm TxRate=176 Mbps

17:12:01.029 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en0)
17:12:01.030 Info: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: en0 link quality: RSSI=-71 dBm TxRate=117 Mbps

17:15:44.611 Info: pid]> SCAN request received from pid 389 (locationd) with priority=2, qos=-1 (default),frontmost=no

17:15:44.812 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: SCAN_CACHE_UPDATED (en0)

17:15:44.815      3cfc0> [ 1(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:44.815      0ef60> [ 2(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:44.815      1de20> [ 3(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:44.815      4bd10> [ 4(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:44.815      57ec0> [ 5(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:44.815      08b60> [ 6(2GHz),  20MHz, active]

17:15:44.816 Info: pid]> TRIMMED QUERY SCAN CACHE request received from pid 389 (locationd)
17:15:45.060 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: SCAN_CACHE_UPDATED (en0)
17:15:45.062 AutoJoin: pid]> Successful cache-assisted scan request for locationd with channels {(
17:15:45.062      477c0> [ 7(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:45.062      14e00> [ 8(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:45.062      52620> [ 9(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:45.062      1f530> [10(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:45.062      4bf40> [11(2GHz),  20MHz, active],
17:15:45.062      79d10> [36(5GHz),  40MHz(+1), active]

17:15:45.063 Info: pid]> TRIMMED QUERY SCAN CACHE request received from pid 389 (locationd)
17:15:45.312 AutoJoin: pid]> Successful cache-assisted scan request for locationd with channels {(
17:15:45.312      53b70> [40(5GHz),  40MHz(-1), active],
17:15:45.312      67000> [44(5GHz),  40MHz(+1), active],
17:15:45.312      76650> [48(5GHz),  40MHz(-1), active],
17:15:45.312      60370> [149(5GHz), 80MHz,     active],
17:15:45.312      53950> [153(5GHz), 80MHz,     active],
17:15:45.312      765a0> [157(5GHz), 80MHz,     active]

17:15:46.097 AutoJoin: pid]> Successful cache-assisted scan request for locationd with channels {(
…
17:15:48.438      06900> [140(5GHz), 40MHz(+1), DFS],
17:15:48.438      5b9d0> [144(5GHz), 40MHz(-1), DFS]


17:15:52.249 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en0)
17:15:52.249 Info: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: en0 link quality: RSSI=-71 dBm TxRate=176 Mbps

17:15:54.826 Info: pid]> TRIMMED QUERY SCAN CACHE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:15:54.834 Info: pid]> QUERY GAS CACHE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:15:54.834 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:15:54.851 Info: pid]> GET CURRENT TETHER DEVICE request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:15:54.852 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:15:54.866 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:16:04.260 Driver Event: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en0)
17:16:04.260 Info: pid]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: en0 link quality: RSSI=-71 dBm TxRate=156 Mbps

17:18:16.471 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:18:16.536 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)

17:18:16.584 Info: pid]> __addDeviceUUID: Adding WiFi-specific device UUID
17:18:16.585 SC: pid]> airportdProcessSystemConfigurationEvent: airportdProcessSystemConfigurationEvent -       Autojoining on interface: en0

17:18:16.586 AutoJoin: pid]> AUTO-JOIN trigger requested (Preferred Networks List Changed)
17:18:16.586 Info: pid]> QUERY ALL WIFI NETWORKS request received from pid 501 (WiFiAgent)
17:18:16.588 AutoJoin: pid]> user: dgerman
17:18:16.588 Info: pid]> PRIORITY LOCK ADDED [client=airportd, type=4, interface=en0, priority=7]
17:18:16.588 Info: pid]> -[CWXPCSubsystem clearScanCacheWithInterfaceName:daemon:familyAndDriver:connection:error:]: 
                                             +Clearing family+driver scan cache for interface en0
17:18:16.588 Info: pid]> REQUEST DEFERRED minimum=7 [client=airportd, type=10, interface=en0, priority=2]
17:18:16.588 AutoJoin: pid]> AUTO-JOIN STARTED for interface en0 (Preferred Networks List Changed)
17:18:16.588 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT RECOVERY MODE => continuing
17:18:16.599 AutoJoin: pid]> Reviewing the preferred networks list

++++++++++=all networks ever seen!!!++++++++++++++++++++++++++
all are  WPA2/WPA3 Personal unless noted.
WF8300-0712     Open]
blueStreak      Open]
14Vermont        
Fios-Q8EDY-5G
TP-LINK_A52016
disabled        
RuuviGateway D829
dlink-CA9E      WPA/WPA2 Personal]
Omega-CFDC      
gpy-wlan-7b7c
Omega-D594      
RuuviCollector   1.1 
Fios-Q8EDY      
Fios-fN4Lr      
BarberShop      WEP40 OpenSystem]
bslguest        
Fios-IETFS      
disabled-plus
ARRIS-8521      
Meckanation     
17:18:16.602 AutoJoin: pid]> Ignoring disabled network ['Dennis s iPhone' (wifi. Personal]
17:18:16.602 AutoJoin: pid]> Ignoring disabled network ['iPhone' (wifi.ssid /WPA3 Personal]
RKH9S               PA3 Personal]
FiOS-E3V4C-5G
FiOS-E3V4C      
Omega-98F5      
Omega-9A55      Open]
Omega-4581      
Omega-DD81      

17:18:16.602 AutoJoin: pid]> Ignoring disabled network ['TP-Link_Extender' (wifi.ssid 7874656e646572) - Open]
AH_GUEST' (wifi.ssid Open]
FiOS-PB4F9-5G
NP5CD           PA3 Personal]
FiOS-PB4F9      
Dennis's iPhone
Cloverleaf Bar  
Meck4           PA3 Personal]
Pomerantzhome
Pomerantzhome_5GEXT WPA/WPA2 Personal]
FiOS-IXU9D      
ToothFairy      WPA/WPA2 Personal]
FBI Surviellance Van #2_5G 

17:18:16.608 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT FILE VAULT BOOT => continuing
17:18:16.608 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT LOGINWINDOW MODE 802.1X => continuing
17:18:16.608 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT LINK DOWN RECOVERY => continuing
17:18:16.608 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT MAINTENANCE WAKE => continuing
17:18:16.608 AutoJoin: pid]> NOT PERSONAL HOTSPOT TRANSITION => continuing
17:18:16.610 AutoJoin: pid]> Collocated network wifi.last 30 days, more recently than wifi.ssid.64697361626c6564, or
                                                                       within 30 days of wifi.ssid.64697361626c6564, skipping
17:18:16.610 AutoJoin: pid]> Collocated network wifi.st 30days, more recently than wifi.ssid.64697361626c6564, or
                                                                       within 30 days of wifi.ssid.64697361626c6564, skipping

while x=1; 
    do /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -I | grep CtlRSSI; sleep 0.5; done

     agrCtlRSSI: -79
     agrCtlRSSI: -78
     agrCtlRSSI: -78

while x=1; 
do /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -I | grep CtlRSSI |\
 sed -e 's/^.*://g' | xargs -I SIGNAL printf "\rRSSI dBm: SIGNAL"; sleep 0.5; done
RSSI dBm: -77 changes, stays on same line due to  "\r"


Examples: 

Sniffing on channel 1:

    
sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/airport en1 sniff 1


Configuring preferences 

   
 sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/airport  en0 \
         prefs JoinMode=Preferred RememberRecentNetworks=NO RequireAdmin=YES

Erros:

If nonexistant interface is specoified (example en1 NO error m,essage is displayed, help is displayed.

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/airport en1 --logger airport: unrecognized option `--ooo'
Is Interface correct?

man airport Not available as of 12/18/22! this documentation based on help.