meteor template helper for client connection status template seen at https://gist.github.com/8249761

inf-apps.js

    Template.navbar.connection_status = function () {
        var connection_status = Meteor.status().status;
        var retryCount = Meteor.status().retryCount;

        switch(connection_status){
          case "connected":
            return { label: "label-success",
                     connection_status: connection_status};

          case "waiting":
            return { label: "label-warning",
                     connection_status: connection_status,
                     retryCount: retryCount};

          case "connecting":
            return { label: "label-info",
                     connection_status: connection_status};

          case "failed":
            return { label: "label-danger",
                     connection_status: connection_status};

          case "offline":
            return { label: "label-default",
                     connection_status: connection_status};
        }
        return null;
    };