Connecting to Wi-Fi in Ubuntu: A Complete Guide for Beginners and Advanced Users

Wireless Internet in Ubuntu — is one of those things that "should work out of the box," but sometimes turns into a headache. Have you just installed a distribution, and the network icon stubbornly shows "no connections"? Or after a kernel update, Wi-Fi suddenly disappeared from the list of available networks? This situation is familiar to many, especially owners of laptops with non-standard network chips from Broadcom, Realtek or Intel.

In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to connect to Wi-Fi in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS and other current versions—from basic setup via the graphical interface to manual driver installation and troubleshooting. You'll learn how to:

• 🔍 Check if your Wi-Fi device is detected by the system
• 🖥️ Connect to the network through the standard manager NetworkManager
• 🔧 Install proprietary drivers for problematic chips
• 📡 Set up a connection via the terminal (if the GUI doesn't work)
• ⚡ Resolve common errors like "device not ready" or "no network access"

Important: If you use Ubuntu Server without a graphical shell, the terminal instructions will work for you too. And for owners of hybrid devices (for example, laptops with Intel AX200 + Broadcom BCM4360) you will have to check the compatibility of the drivers especially carefully.

1. Check hardware compatibility: does Ubuntu see your Wi-Fi adapter?

Before attempting to connect to the network, make sure the system can actually see your wireless adapter. A common problem is missing drivers for the chips. Broadcom or Realtek RTL88xx, which Linux does not support out of the box.

Open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the command:

lspci -knn | grep -iA3 net

In the output, look for lines mentioning Network controller. For example:

03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 6 AX200 [8086:2723] (rev 1a)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 6 AX200NGW [8086:0024]
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi

If in the last line instead of Kernel driver in use you see Kernel modules: bcma, wl — this indicates that the driver is not loaded. For USB adapters, use the command:

lsusb

⚠️ Attention: If in the output lspci or lsusb There's no mention of a Wi-Fi device. The problem could be with the physical connection (for example, a disabled adapter in the BIOS) or a hardware malfunction. Check the settings. BIOS/UEFI (chapter Advanced → Onboard Devices Configuration).

2. Connecting to Wi-Fi via a graphical user interface (GUI)

If the adapter is detected and the drivers are installed, the easiest way to connect to the network is through the standard manager NetworkManagerHere are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Click on the network icon in the upper right corner (next to the clock).
2. From the drop-down menu, select the name of your Wi-Fi network (SSID).
3. If the network is protected by a password, enter it in the field Password and press Connect.

If there is no network icon at all, run NetworkManager manually:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

For hidden networks (hidden SSID):

1. In the network menu, select Wi-Fi Settings (or Edit Connections in older versions).
2. Click Add → specify SSID, security type (WPA2-PSK) and password.
3. Save and try to connect.

3. Installing proprietary drivers for problematic chips

If your adapter uses a chip Broadcom (For example, BCM4313, BCM4360) or Realtek RTL8821CE, standard open drivers (b43, rtl8xxxu) may not work. In this case, you will need to install proprietary drivers from the manufacturer.

For Broadcom:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

For Realtek RTL88x2bu/RTL88x2ce (popular USB adapters):

sudo apt install dkms git
git clone https://github.com/cilynx/rtl88x2bu.git
cd rtl88x2bu
chmod +x dkms-install.sh
sudo ./dkms-install.sh

After installation, reboot the system:

sudo reboot

⚠️ Attention: Proprietary drivers may conflict with the kernel after updates. If Wi-Fi stops working after a system upgrade, reinstall the driver or check for an updated version. GitHub (links to repositories are given above).

4. Connecting to Wi-Fi via the terminal (if the GUI is not working)

If the graphical interface is not available (for example, on Ubuntu Server or after a failure GNOME), you can connect to the network through console utilities nmcli (For NetworkManager) or wpa_supplicant.

Method 1: via nmcli

1. View the list of available networks:

nmcli dev wifi list

2. Connect to the network (replace SSID And password):

nmcli dev wifi connect "SSID" password "password"

3. Check your connection status:

nmcli connection show

Method 2: via wpa_supplicant (for advanced)

1. Edit the config /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf:

sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

2. Add a network settings block (example for WPA2-PSK):

network={
ssid="your_SSID"
psk="your_password"
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

3. Connect:

sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo dhclient wlan0

5. Diagnosis and solution of typical errors

Even if the adapter is detected and the drivers are installed, the connection may not work due to various errors. Let's look at the most common errors and their solutions.

Error: "Device not ready" (Device not ready)

Reason: Usually associated with a disabled radio (rfkill). Check the status:

rfkill list

If the output contains Soft blocked: yes, unlock:

sudo rfkill unblock wifi

Error: "No IP Address" or "Limited Access"

Problem with DHCPTry getting the IP manually:

sudo dhclient -r wlan0 # reset current IP
sudo dhclient wlan0 # request a new one

Error: "Failed to activate connection"

Reset settings NetworkManager:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
sudo nmcli networking off
sudo nmcli networking on

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

nameserver 8.8.8.8

6. Optimizing Wi-Fi connection in Ubuntu

If the network is working, but the speed is slow or the connection is unstable, try the following settings:

• 📶 Change the channel on the router: in densely populated areas canals 2.4 GHz often overloaded. Use 5 GHz or manual channel selection (for example, 1, 6, 11).
• 🔄 Update your router firmware: Outdated firmware may conflict with modern adapters (for example, Intel AX210).
• 🛠️ Disable power saving for Wi-Fi: create a config:

sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

Add the line:

[connection]
wifi.powersave = 2

Reboot NetworkManager.

Critical detail for laptops with Intel Wi-Fi 6: If the speed is limited to 54 Mbps, check the standard support 802.11ac in the router settings. Some models (for example, TP-Link Archer C6) require manual activation VHT (Very High Throughput) for high speed operation.

7. Alternative ways to connect to the Internet

If Wi-Fi still doesn't work, temporarily connect to the network using other methods to download drivers or update the system:

• 🔌 Ethernet cable: The most reliable option. Connect to the router via LAN-port and install missing packages.
• 📱 USB tethering from a smartphone: turn on USB modem in your phone's settings and connect it to your PC. Ubuntu will automatically detect the connection.
• 📶 4G modem: If you have a USB modem (for example, Huawei E3372), install the package usb-modeswitch:

sudo apt install usb-modeswitch

For laptops with a disabled Wi-Fi adapter (for example, due to a breakdown), you can use an external one USB Wi-Fi adapterRecommended models with good Linux support:

• TP-Link TL-WN725N (chip RTL8188EU)
• Edimax EW-7811Un (chip RTL8188CUS)
• Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200NGW (for M.2 slot)

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Wi-Fi in Ubuntu

nmcli dev wifi connect "SSID" --ask

sudo iw dev wlan0 set power_save off