netsh for Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Issues on Windows

Wi-Fi problems can be frustrating, whether you’re dealing with slow speeds, connectivity drops, or an inability to connect to your network. Troubleshooting Wi-Fi issues for remote users is even more challenging as you cannot physically access their devices or environments to diagnose problems. Fortunately, Windows provides a handy built-in tool to help: the “netsh wlan show wlanreport” command. This command generates a detailed report that can provide valuable insights into the state of your wireless connection, helping you identify and resolve common Wi-Fi problems.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of using the command to troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues on a Windows PC.

What is “netsh wlan show wlanreport”?

The “netsh wlan show wlanreport” command generates a comprehensive HTML report that details the status and performance of the Wi-Fi connection over time. It includes information about events, errors, and connectivity issues, making it an essential tool for diagnosing wireless network problems.

The report is designed to help both everyday users and IT professionals pinpoint the cause of connectivity problems, offering information like:

• Wi-Fi connection history
• Signal strength and quality
• Authentication and association errors
• Connection drop incidents

How to Run “netsh wlan show wlanreport”

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

To run the “netsh wlan show wlanreport” command, you’ll need to open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.

1. Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu. Alternatively, you can search for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu, right-click it, and select Run as Administrator.
2. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to grant administrator access.

You can see the documentation of the command if you type “netsh wlan show wlanreport /?”

By default, the report includes information from the last 3 days, but you can change that by specifying the duration option.

Step 2: Run the Command

Once you have the Command Prompt open, type the following command and press Enter:

netsh wlan show wlanreport

This will generate the report and display the path where it is saved, typically “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WlanReport\wlan-report-latest.html”

If you wish to learn more about netsh, consult the Microsoft netsh syntax documentation.

Step 3: Access the Report

The command pulls data from the Windows Event Trace Logs (ETL) and generates an HTML report that you can open in any web browser. To view the report:

1. Navigate to the folder mentioned in the Command Prompt 
2. Look for a file named wlan-report-latest.html.
3. Double-click the file to open it in your browser.

What to Look for in the WLAN Report

The WLAN report provides a lot of useful data. Here’s how you can interpret the key sections:

1. Summary:

The summary section at the top provides a high-level overview of your Wi-Fi performance. It may highlight issues like:

• Network drops
• Poor signal quality
• Authentication or association errors
• Driver errors

It looks like this:

This shows events from the last 3 days on my PC and when I hover over the red ‘X’ error event, I see that the driver caused a disconnection on Monday, Nov 18 2024. If I click on the ‘X’ icon it takes me down the page to the specific event details where I can see more information about it: 

2. System and Network Information

Following the summary, the report continues with information about the system, focusing on the network interface’s status and details. It essentially logs the output of commands such as “systeminfo,” “ipconfig /all,” “netsh wlan show all,” and others. While a skilled user can access this information through the Windows Command Prompt or settings, the report offers a convenient, comprehensive, and centralized location to gather and display it. Here’s an example of what it looks like:

2. Events:

This section shows a chronological list of events related to the wireless network connection. Look for any warnings or errors, which could indicate problems like:

• Frequent disconnects
• Failed attempts to connect to networks
• Low signal strength

Initially, there is a summary of the events that looks like this:

Below, there is a list of all the WiFi events found in the logs for deep-dive troubleshooting. The detailed logs provide information about the connection process, including retries and timeouts. You can also see logs about automatic network switching, which can help diagnose why the device is switching between different networks.

Here is an  example of an event:

Common Issues Identified in the WLAN Report and How to Fix Them

1. Low Signal Strength:
   • Solution: Move closer to your router or remove obstructions. Consider using a Wi-Fi extender or upgrading your router for better coverage.
2. Authentication Failures:
   • Solution: Double-check your Wi-Fi password and ensure you’re connecting to the correct network. If necessary, reset your router’s password.
3. Dropped Connections:
   • Solution: This can be caused by network congestion or interference. Try changing your router’s channel, or adjust your router settings for a more stable connection.
4. Association Errors:
   • Solution: These may indicate compatibility issues between your device and the router. Ensure your router’s firmware is up-to-date, and check that your device’s wireless drivers are current.

The “netsh wlan show wlanreport” command is a powerful tool for troubleshooting Wi-Fi connectivity issues on Windows. By reviewing the generated report, you can quickly identify common problems such as weak signal strength, authentication failures, or connection drops. Armed with this information, you can take the necessary steps to resolve issues and ensure a more stable, reliable wireless connection.