  Recent experimental searches for signatures of Majorana-like excitations in
proximitized semiconducting nanowires involve conductance spectroscopy, where
the evidence sought after is a robust zero-bias peak (in longer wires) and its
characteristic field-dependent splitting (in shorter wires). Although
experimental results partially confirm the theoretical predictions, commonly
observed discrepancies still include (i) a zero-bias peak that is significantly
lower than the predicted value of $2e^2/h$ and (ii) the absence of the expected
"Majorana oscillations" of the lowest-energy modes at higher magnetic fields.
Here, we investigate how the inevitable presence of a normal drain lead
connected to the hybrid wire can affect the conductance spectrum of the hybrid
wire. We present numerical results using a one-band model for the proximitized
nanowire, where the superconductor is considered to be in the diffusive regime,
described by semi-classical Green functions. We show how the presence of the
normal drain could (at least partially) account for the observed discrepancies,
and we complement this with analytic results providing more insights in the
underlying physics.
