Reading the network map

The main screen shows your network as a chain of links, from your Mac to the internet. When something breaks, the broken link turns red so you know exactly where to look.

The links in your chain

Device

This is your Mac. It's almost always green unless your network hardware is off or broken.

Link

Your connection to the router. On WiFi, it shows:

• How strong your signal is (in dBm, a unit for signal strength; closer to zero is better)
• What channel your router uses
• What WiFi version you're on (WiFi 5, 6, 7, etc.)
• Which access point you're connected to, handy if you have mesh WiFi or multiple routers

If you're plugged in with an Ethernet cable, it shows a wired connection instead.

Gateway/LAN

Your router and local area network. If the app recognizes the brand (TP-Link, UniFi, ASUS, Eero, Netgear, Linksys, and others), it shows the name.

On networks with managed switches or multiple access points (UniFi, for example), this section also shows the L2 hops between your Mac and the gateway. That makes it easier to spot a bad switch port or a congested uplink inside your LAN.

You can log in to your router to see even more, like how many devices are connected and their names.

ISP

Your internet provider's network. This is the stretch between your router and the wider internet. Problems show up here a lot: slowdowns from your ISP, outages, or bad routing.

Three numbers matter here:

• Latency is how long a round trip takes, in milliseconds. Under 20ms is great.
• Packet loss is data that never arrives. Even 1% causes trouble on video calls.
• Jitter is how much the latency jumps around. Steady is good. Jumpy is bad for calls and games.

VPN

This link only appears when you're actively connected through a VPN (Tailscale, WireGuard, OpenVPN, Cisco AnyConnect, etc.). It sits between ISP and Services so you can tell whether the VPN itself is adding latency or if your underlying connection is the problem.

Services

Websites and apps you're keeping an eye on. Cloudflare comes pre-loaded as a basic internet check. You can add your own, like Zoom, your work VPN, or anything else you care about.

What the colors mean

Color	What's happening	What to do
● Green (#22C55E)	Working fine	Nothing!
● Yellow (#F59E0B)	A bit slow	Keep an eye on it.
● Red (#EF4444)	Something's broken	Click it for details.
● Grey (#6B7280)	Still gathering data	Give it a few minutes.

What the numbers mean

Here's a rough guide for the metrics you'll see:

What	Good	OK	Bad
Latency	Under 20ms	20-80ms	Over 80ms
Packet loss	0%	Under 1%	Over 1%
Jitter	Under 5ms	5-15ms	Over 15ms
WiFi signal	Above -50	-50 to -70	Below -70

These are general rules of thumb. What really matters is how your numbers compare to your own normal. The app watches for changes from your baseline, not just absolute numbers.

Where's the problem?

When something goes wrong, the app doesn't just say "your network is slow." It points at the exact link that's causing trouble. For example:

• "ISP is degraded: latency 142ms (baseline 18ms)" means the problem is your internet provider, not your WiFi.
• "Link: weak signal -78 dBm" means you need to move closer to your router or fix your WiFi, not call your ISP.

This is the whole point of the app. No more guessing.

Banners

You'll sometimes see banners above the map with things you can act on:

• Stronger access point nearby: You have mesh WiFi and there's a closer one. Click to switch.
• Better network available: A faster WiFi network is in range. Click to try it.
• Weak WiFi signal: Your signal has been weak for 30+ seconds. Time to move or fix your setup.
• Captive portal: You're on hotel/airport/coffee shop WiFi and need to log in. The banner links you straight to the login page.
• Update available: A new version of Network Weather is ready.

Phone hotspots

When you're tethered to your iPhone or Android, the map shows your phone as the router. It includes battery level, cell signal, and whether you're on 5G, LTE, etc.