wpa_cli8

Usage

Overview

The wpa_cli utility is a text-based frontend program for interacting with wpa_supplicant(8). It is used to query current status, change configuration, trigger events, and request interactive user input.

The wpa_cli utility can show the current authentication status, selected security mode, dot11 and dot1x MIBs, etc. In addition, wpa_cli can configure EAPOL state machine parameters and trigger events such as reassociation and IEEE 802.1X logoff/logon.

The wpa_cli utility provides an interface to supply authentication information such as username and password when it is not provided in the wpa_supplicant.conf(5) configuration file. This can be used, for example, to implement one-time passwords or generic token card authentication where the authentication is based on a challenge-response that uses an external device for generating the response.

The wpa_cli utility supports two modes: interactive and command line. Both modes share the same command set and the main difference is in interactive mode providing access to unsolicited messages (event messages, username/password requests).

Interactive mode is started when wpa_cli is executed without any parameters on the command line. Commands are then entered from the controlling terminal in response to the wpa_cli prompt. In command line mode, the same commands are entered as command line arguments.

The control interface of wpa_supplicant(8) can be configured to allow non-root user access by using the ctrl_interface_group parameter in the wpa_supplicant.conf(5) configuration file. This makes it possible to run wpa_cli with a normal user account.

Authentication parameters

When wpa_supplicant(8) needs authentication parameters, such as username and password, that are not present in the configuration file, it sends a request message to all attached frontend programs, e.g., wpa_cli in interactive mode. The wpa_cli utility shows these requests with a “CTRL-REQ-⟨type⟩-⟨id⟩:⟨text⟩” prefix, where ⟨type⟩ is IDENTITY, PASSWORD, or OTP (One-Time Password), ⟨id⟩ is a unique identifier for the current network, ⟨text⟩ is a description of the request. In the case of an OTP (One-Time Password) request, it includes the challenge from the authentication server.

A user must supply wpa_supplicant(8) the needed parameters in response to these requests.

For example,

CTRL-REQ-PASSWORD-1:Password needed for SSID foobar
> password 1 mysecretpassword
Example request for generic token card challenge-response:
CTRL-REQ-OTP-2:Challenge 1235663 needed for SSID foobar
> otp 2 9876

Options

These options are available:

-p path

Control sockets path. This should match the ctrl_interface in wpa_supplicant.conf(5). The default path is /var/run/wpa_supplicant.

-i ifname

Interface to be configured. By default, the first interface found in the socket path is used.

-h

Show help.

-v

Show version information.

-B

Run the daemon in the background.

-a action_file

Run in daemon mode, executing the action file based on events from wpa_supplicant(8).

-P pid_file

PID file location.

-g global_ctrl

Use a global control interface to wpa_supplicant(8) rather than the default Unix domain sockets.

-G ping_interval

Wait “ping_interval” seconds before sending each ping to wpa_supplicant(8). See the ping command.

command

See available commands in the next section.

Commands

These commands can be supplied on the command line or at a prompt when operating interactively.

status

Report the current WPA/EAPOL/EAP status for the current interface.

ifname

Show the current interface name. The default interface is the first interface found in the socket path.

ping

Ping the wpa_supplicant(8) utility. This command can be used to test the status of the wpa_supplicant(8) daemon.

mib

Report MIB variables (dot1x, dot11) for the current interface.

help

Show usage help.

interface [ifname]

Show available interfaces and/or set the current interface when multiple interfaces are available.

level debug_level

Change the debugging level in wpa_supplicant(8). Larger numbers generate more messages.

license

Display the full license for wpa_cli.

logoff

Send the IEEE 802.1X EAPOL state machine into the “logoff” state.

logon

Send the IEEE 802.1X EAPOL state machine into the “logon” state.

set [settings]

Set variables. When no arguments are supplied, the known variables and their settings are displayed.

pmksa

Show the contents of the PMKSA cache.

reassociate

Force a reassociation to the current access point.

reconfigure

Force wpa_supplicant(8) to re-read its configuration file.

preauthenticate BSSID

Force preauthentication of the specified BSSID.

identity network_id identity

Configure an identity for an SSID.

password network_id password

Configure a password for an SSID.

new_password network_id password

Change the password for an SSID.

PIN network_id pin

Configure a PIN for an SSID.

passphrase network_id passphrase

Configure a private key passphrase for an SSID.

bssid network_id bssid

Set a preferred BSSID for an SSID

blacklist [bssid | clear]

Add a BSSID to the blacklist. When invoked without any extra arguments, display the blacklist. Specifying clear causes wpa_cli to clear the blacklist.

list_networks

List configured networks.

select_network network_id

Select a network and disable others.

enable_network network_id

Enable a network.

disable_network network_id

Disable a network.

add_network

Add a network.

remove_network network_id

Remove a network.

set_network [network_id variable value]

Set network variables. Shows a list of variables when run without arguments.

get_network network_id variable

Get network variables.

disconnect

Disconnect and wait for reassociate/reconnect command before connecting.

reconnect

Similar to reassociate, but only takes effect if already disconnected.

scan

Request new BSS scan.

scan_results

Get the latest BSS scan results. This command can be invoked after running a BSS scan with scan.

bss [idx | bssid]

Get a detailed BSS scan result for the network identified by “bssid” or “idx”.

otp network_id password

Configure a one-time password for an SSID.

terminate

Force wpa_supplicant(8) to terminate.

interface_add ifname [confname driver ctrl_interface driver_param bridge_name]

Add a new interface with the given parameters.

interface_remove ifname

Remove the interface.

interface_list

List available interfaces.

quit

Exit wpa_cli.