Quick-fire questions

How to check the integrity of files in iCloud?

> iCloud Drive doesn’t have direct support for integrity checking but, contrary to rumours, appears reliable at preserving files for several years. Dintch and Fintch (free utilities from bit.ly/mac365 dintch), can be used to attach checksums to files and check them when you wish.

Best app to investigate Bluetooth issues?

> The best was Apple’s free Bluetooth Explorer, supplied to developers with Xcode 11.4 but now unsupported and failing fast. iStumbler from the App Store is an excellent Wi-Fi utility with a useful Bluetooth display which includes devices like Apple’s wireless keyboard, mice and trackpads. There are others in the App Store which are inferior.

Can AirDrop be extended over our network?

> No. AirDrop uses Bluetooth to establish connections, then transfers files over Wi-Fi. Although you can extend the latter, if the Bluetooth connection can’t be made, it will fail. Bluetooth intentionally limits range to around 10-13 metres between the two devices.

Which Wi-Fi does my Mac support?

> Go to About This Mac > System Report > Network > Wi-Fi. Under Supported PHY Modes, you’ll see a list of the supported modes, such as a/b/g/n/ac.