Display Wireless Network ESSID using iwconfig Command
In this article, we will discuss how to display the ESSID of a wireless network using the iwconfig command in Linux. The iwconfig command is a powerful tool for configuring wireless network interfaces in Linux. It allows users to view and modify various settings of wireless network interfaces, such as the ESSID, frequency, and signal quality.
What is ESSID?
ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier) is a unique identifier used to name a wireless network. It is a case-sensitive string of up to 32 characters and is used to differentiate between different wireless networks. When connecting to a wireless network, the ESSID must match the ESSID of the network you are trying to connect to. In Linux, the iwconfig command can be used to view the ESSID of a wireless network interface.
Finding the Wireless Network Interface
Before we can display the ESSID of a wireless network, we need to find the wireless network interface. In Linux, wireless network interfaces are typically named wlan0, wlan1, etc. However, the exact name of the wireless network interface may vary depending on the distribution and the hardware. To find the wireless network interface, we can use the following command:
sudo iwconfig | grep wlp4s0
lonowireless extensions.
wlp4s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any
In this example, the wireless network interface is named wlp4s0. The output of the command shows that the wireless extensions are enabled and that the ESSID is currently off or not associated with any network.
Displaying the ESSID
Now that we have found the wireless network interface, we can use the iwconfig command to display the ESSID. The following command will display the ESSID of the wireless network interface:
sudo iwconfig wlp4s0 ESSID
wlp4s0 ESSID:"MyNetwork"
In this example, the ESSID of the wireless network is "MyNetwork". If the wireless network interface is not associated with any network, the ESSID will be shown as off/any.
In this article, we have discussed how to display the ESSID of a wireless network using the iwconfig command in Linux. We have also covered the basics of ESSID and wireless network interfaces. By using the iwconfig command, users can view and modify various settings of wireless network interfaces, making it a powerful tool for managing wireless networks in Linux.
References
- Installing and using iwconfig (https://www.computerhope.com/unix/iwconfig.htm)
- iwconfig man page (https://linux.die.net/man/8/iwconfig)
- Understanding ESSID (https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/what-is-essid.html)