iw – Modern Wireless Configuration Utility

iw is the modern command-line utility for configuring wireless devices on Linux, replacing the older iwconfig tool. It uses the nl80211 netlink interface to communicate with the kernel wireless subsystem, providing access to advanced features not available through legacy tools. iw supports all modern wireless standards and is essential for managing WiFi connections from the terminal.

Key Features

• Station Mode – Connect to wireless networks
• AP Mode – Create access points with hostapd
• Monitor Mode – Enable packet capture mode
• Network Scanning – Discover available networks with details
• Regulatory Domains – Query and set wireless regulations
• PHY Information – Detailed wireless hardware capabilities

Installation

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install iw

# RHEL/CentOS/Fedora
sudo dnf install iw

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S iw

Common Usage Examples

# List wireless devices
iw dev

# Show device capabilities
iw phy phy0 info

# Scan for networks
sudo iw dev wlan0 scan

# Show link status
iw dev wlan0 link

# Show station statistics
iw dev wlan0 station dump

# Set monitor mode
sudo iw dev wlan0 set type monitor

# Set channel
sudo iw dev wlan0 set channel 6

# Show regulatory domain
iw reg get

Use Cases

iw is essential for wireless troubleshooting, setting up monitor mode for packet capture, scanning networks, checking connection quality, and scripting wireless configuration tasks.

Download iw