Windows
Linux
Networking
Wi-Fi
Windows netsh wlan connect equivalent in Linux
Connects to a wireless network from the terminal.
Windows
→
netsh wlan connect
Linux equivalents
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"
Overview
What this command does
Connects to a wireless network from the terminal.
Migration tip: Check the distro-specific rows before copying; package names and service names can differ even when the tool name is similar.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Connect to Wi-Fi
Connects to a wireless network from the terminal.
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"
Connect to Wi-Fi
nmcli --help
Show command help when supported
man nmcli
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: netsh wlan connect
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD"Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD" | Connect to Wi-Fi |
nmcli --help | Show command help when supported |
man nmcli | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
The equivalent is shown for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch. Some rows use a different package manager or helper tool where Linux distributions commonly diverge.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD" |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD" |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "PASSWORD" |
Same command on this distribution. |
Keep learning