WiFi Signal offers a simple integration with WiFi Explorer that allows it to automatically import and display annotations. Annotations in WiFi Explorer are used for assigning custom labels to a particular access point. These custom labels can be used, for example, to indicate the location of the access point or simply give it a custom name. Custom names are particularly useful when you have a network comprised of multiple access points, all using the same network name or SSID. When you’re looking at a network on WiFi Signal, a custom name will let you identify which access point the computer is associated to in a much easier way than looking at its BSSID.

To use annotations in WiFi Explorer you need to make sure the Annotations column is being displayed by going to WiFi Explorer > Preferences > Columns. Then, you can double-click the Annotations column’s field of the row that corresponds to the access point you want to annotate and enter, for example, a custom name. If the computer is associated to an access point for which you’ve entered annotations in WiFi Explorer, WiFi Signal will automatically display the annotations in the popup window just below the padlock that indicates the security mode of the network. You can also choose to display the annotations in the system menu bar by going to Preferences > Status and using a display pattern that includes %A.

As a side note, if you have a large number of access points, you can create a text file with the annotations for each BSSID in CSV format and import it into WiFi Explorer. To import a CSV file with annotations, choose File > Annotations > Import from CSV…, the choose the CSV file with the list of annotations. Similarly, you can also export the annotations so they can be edited outside WiFi Explorer or simply saved somewhere. To export the annotations in CSV format, choose File > Annotations > Export to CSV…, then choose a name for the CSV file.

The integration is simple but I believe many of you can benefit from it, especially when monitoring multiple access points that share the same network name.