Quickly setup multiple wifi connections on your raspberry pi through the command line

Step by step guide showing you how to setup your wireless connection if you only have access to the terminal and not the desktop. Setting it up using just the /etc/network/interfaces files can work but you will run into issues when you need multiple connections or if you ever do access the desktop environment. Setting it up using wpa supplicant will be more reliable in the long run.

Step 1. You can find compatible WiFi adapters http://elinux.org/RPi_USB_Wi-Fi_Adapters, not all USB adapters will work reliably, and a separate powered USB hub is usually recommended.

Step 2. Login to the pi (Login: pi Pass: raspberry)

Step 3. View the file /etc/network/interfaces

cat /etc/network/interfaces

Confirm you have the following lines added in that file (you may other interface information listed as well which can be ignored for now)

allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet manual
wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
iface default inet dhcp

 

Step 4. If you do not have those lines, open up an editor and add them in

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

Step 5. Edit the file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf 

and add the following code (by default this file should be empty, if you have previously added a connection you can choose to delete it as well)

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=0
update_config=1

# Example Open
network = {
    ssid = "linksys"
    scan_ssid=1
    key_mgmt = NONE
}

# Example WEP
network={
    ssid="linksys"
    scan_ssid=1
    key_mgmt=NONE
    wep_key0="LINKSYSWEPKEY"
}
# Example WPA
network={
    ssid="linksys"
    scan_ssid=1
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
    psk="LINKSYSWPAKEY"
}
# Example WPA2
network={
    ssid="linksys"
    scan_ssid=1
    proto=RSN
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
    psk="LINKSYS_RSN_KEY"
}

Step 6. Change the above values to match you wireless network, the fields are further explained below.

Step 7. Reload the Wifi interface to connect to your network (You may need to reboot without the ethernet cable connected in order for the wifi have internet access)

sudo ifdown wlan0
sudo ifup wlan0

You can add as many networks as you want (network={ }) or delete networks. The above settings should work for your standard home or public guest networks, there are more advanced items you can add for corporate environments using certificates etc. You can find more information here http://hostap.epitest.fi/cgit/hostap/plain/wpa_supplicant/README or issue the command inside the terminal man wpa_supplicant

Here are the basic items that can be included inside of network={}

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