Windows netsh wlan show profiles equivalent in Linux
Lists, connects to, and manages wireless network profiles.
netsh wlan show profiles
nmcli
nmcli
nmcli
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "netsh wlan show profiles" is used to manage Wi-Fi connections. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "nmcli". Lists, connects to, and manages wireless network profiles. This reference is grouped under Networking.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows netsh wlan show profiles maps to nmcli for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux networking for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Manage Wi-Fi connections
Lists, connects to, and manages wireless network profiles.
nmcli dev wifi list
Show available Wi-Fi networks
nmcli dev wifi connect SSID password PASS
Connect to Wi-Fi
nmcli connection show
List saved connections
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
nmcli dev wifi list
nmcli connection show
nmcli dev wifi connect "MyNetwork" password "mypassword"
nmcli dev disconnect wlan0
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: netsh wlan show profiles
nmcli dev wifi list # scan for networks
nmcli connection show # saved profiles
# Connect to a network:
nmcli dev wifi connect "MyNetwork" password "mypassword"
# Disconnect:
nmcli dev disconnect wlan0Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
nmcli dev wifi list | Show available Wi-Fi networks |
nmcli dev wifi connect SSID password PASS | Connect to Wi-Fi |
nmcli connection show | List saved connections |
nmcli device status | Show all network devices |
iwconfig | Older Wi-Fi info command (may be installed) |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "nmcli" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | nmcli |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | nmcli |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | nmcli |
Same command on this distribution. |
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