Setting up Wi-Fi on Linux Hosts using NetworkManager Client on Command Line

This is a note about setting up Wi-Fi interface on Linux hosts using NetworkManager client on the command line.

1. The first step is to figure out the name of the Wi-Fi interface. For this, we can use the nmcli device command, e.g.,

   
   $ nmcli device
   DEVICE          TYPE      STATE         CONNECTION
   wlp5s0          wifi      disconnected  --
   p2p-dev-wlp5s0  wifi-p2p  disconnected  --
   

   where wlp5s0 is the Wi-Fi interface. Below we use this name in our examples and should replace it with the actual interface name.
   
   
2. For a Wi-Fi interface, we can create connection profiles to connect to Wi-Fi Access Points. In the following, we assume that
   • the Wi-Fi interface name is wlp5s0,
   • we name the Wi-Fi connection profile HomeWiFi5GhzConnection,
   • the ssid of the Access Point that the Wi-Fi interface connects to is WiFiAp5GHz,
   • the Access Point does not broadcast ssid, i.e., is hidden, and
   • the Access Point is configured to use the WPA-PSK security protocol, and the PSK password is "ThisPasswordIsDumb".
   , which we should replace with actual ones.
   
   We create the connection profile,

   sudo nmcli connection add type wifi con-name HomeWiFi5GhzConnection ifname wlp5s0 ssid WiFiAp5GHz
   sudo nmcli connection modify HomeWiFi5GhzConnection wifi-sec.key-mgmt wpa-psk
   sudo nmcli connection modify HomeWiFi5GhzConnection wifi-sec.psk ThisPasswordIsDumb
   sudo nmcli connection modify HomeWiFi5GhzConnection 802-11-wireless.hidden yes
   

3. Finally, to connect to the Wi-Fi access point using the connection profile, use the nmcli connection up command, e.g.,

   sudo nmcli connection up HomeWiFi5GhzConnection