Are there any good cross-platform CLIs for listing all nearby wifi networks? on macOS, `airport`isn't working for me.

[Oneechan69]

I used this command yesterday to list nearby networks but now it doesn't work today: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport --scan. I did some looking up and some users had issues with this on Monterey, I'm on Sonoma.

 

[unrigestered]

here is what is working for me:

sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -s

 

[Oneechan69]

That doesn’t work either.

 

[unrigestered]

strange, as it's working fine for me both on Monterey and Sonoma

 

[Nermal]

Can you be more specific than "doesn't work"? This command returns a list of networks on my OS 14 machine:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport --scan

 

[chown33]

Just yesterday I was doing an RSSI check of some nearby SSIDs and decided it was simpler to use Wireless Diagnostics.

Use Wireless Diagnostics on your Mac

Use Wireless Diagnostics on your Mac to help resolve Wi-Fi issues and learn about Wi-Fi best practices.

support.apple.com

I used the Utilities window (under Window menu), and clicked Scan to do a scan. For me, the advantage over the command-line tool is I could easily sort on RSSI by clicking the column.

I don't really know if it showed all the SSIDs, but it was more than enough for me to see what I was looking for.

 

[unrigestered]

just checked myself and the file is definitively at the location you posted, so my initial "full link" was irrelevant/incorrect

so yes, it would indeed be interesting what your error indication is.
the only explanation for me at the moment would be that it just does nothing, which could be because of *drumroll* you forgot turn on your WiFi 🤓

 

[Oneechan69]

Can you be more specific than "doesn't work"? This command returns a list of networks on my OS 14 machine:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport --scan

@unrigestered

The command works for me now. I checked my shell history and I did try this exact command before, as well as with -s, and Wi-Fi was on. Perhaps its because I restarted my Mac since. I guess I should do that whenever I have issues, but either way I really don't like CLIs that are unreliable / inconsistent like that.