Apple Certified Support Professional Practice Test

When a Wi-Fi connected Mac or iOS/iPadOS device searches for other access points, it primarily relies on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) value. RSSI is a measurement of the power level that an access point's radio signal receives, typically expressed in decibels (dBm). This value indicates how well a device can 'hear' the signal from a nearby Wi-Fi network. A higher RSSI value signifies a stronger signal, allowing the device to identify and evaluate the quality of its connection with various access points available in its vicinity.

The other choices pertain to different aspects of network performance or device capability but do not directly influence the initial search for access points. Signal Strength is a general term encompassing RSSI, but it does not represent a specific measurement used by devices. Network Load refers to the amount of data traffic on a network but does not relate to the detection of access points. Connection Speed refers to the data transfer rate but is not a variable used when scanning for available networks. Thus, RSSI is the specific and critical value used by devices to decide which access points to connect to based on signal strength.