How to Set Up Wi-Fi in Lubuntu: From Connection to Troubleshooting

3. Configuring Wi-Fi via the terminal (nmtui and iwconfig)

If the graphical interface is unavailable or does not work, use text-based utilities. The simplest one is nmtui (interface for NetworkManager):

sudo nmtui

In the menu, select Activate a connection, then find your network, enter the password and save. If nmtui is missing, install it:

sudo apt install network-manager

For manual adjustment without NetworkManager use iwconfig And wpa_supplicant:

sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid "network_name" key "password"
sudo dhclient wlan0

For networks with WPA/WPA2 create a configuration file:

wpa_passphrase "network_name" "password" | sudo tee /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo dhclient wlan0

⚠️ Attention: Teams ifconfig And iwconfig are considered deprecated in newer versions of Linux. It is recommended to use them instead. ip And iw. For example, ip link set wlan0 up.

Ping to the router: ping 192.168.1.1 (replace with your router's IP)|

Ping to DNS: ping 8.8.8.8|

Checking routes: ip route|

DNS Check: nslookup google.com

-->

4. Installing drivers for Wi-Fi adapters

If the network is not detected at all, the driver is most likely missing. The most problematic adapters are Broadcom (series BCM43xx) and some models Realtek (For example, RTL8188EE or RTL8723DE).

Find out the exact adapter model (see section 1) and install the driver:

• 🔧 For Broadcom:

  sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

  or for new models:

  sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source

• 🔧 For Realtek:

  sudo apt install firmware-realtek

  If it doesn't help, download the driver from GitHub (for example, for RTL8821CE).

• 🔧 For Intel: Drivers are usually included in the kernel. Update your system:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

After installation, reboot the system or load the kernel module manually:

sudo modprobe -r [module_name] && sudo modprobe [module_name]

For example, for Broadcom:

sudo modprobe -r b43 && sudo modprobe b43

lsmod | grep -i b43

5. Troubleshooting Common Wi-Fi Problems in Lubuntu

Even after a successful connection, problems may arise: slow speed, frequent disconnections, or an inability to connect to certain networks. Let's look at the most common cases.

5.1 The network connects, but the Internet doesn't work

Check your settings DNS And routing:

ip route

If there is no default route, add one:

sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1

Replace 192.168.1.1 to your router's IP address. Also check the DNS in the file /etc/resolv.confIf there is no line there nameserver, add:

echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee -a /etc/resolv.conf

5.2. Low speed or frequent interruptions

The issue may be related to the adapter's power saving settings or channel interference. Disable power saving:

sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off

Check the current channel and signal strength:

iwlist wlan0 scanning | grep -E "Channel|Quality"

If the signal quality is low (Quality=30/100), try changing the channel on your router or move the device closer to the access point.

5.3. Unable to connect to a hidden network

Hidden Networks (hidden SSID) may cause problems. Connect manually:

sudo nmcli dev wifi connect "network_name" password "password" hidden yes

Or through wpa_supplicant add the following line to the configuration file:

scan_ssid=1

6. Setting up Wi-Fi for corporate networks (802.1X)

University campuses or offices often use authentication by 802.1X (for example, through PEAP or TTLS). Connecting to such networks in Lubuntu will require manual configuration.

Install the support package 802.1X:

sudo apt install wpasupplicant

Create a configuration file (replace the parameters with your own):

network={
ssid="network_name"
key_mgmt=WPA-EAP
eap=PEAP
identity="your_login"
password="your_password"
phase2="auth=MSCHAPV2"
}

Save it as /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf and connect:

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

For NetworkManager set up a connection via nmtui or graphical interface by selecting the security type WPA & WPA2 Enterprise and specifying the authentication method.

⚠️ Note: Some networks require you to install a root certificate (CA certificate). You can download it from the organization's website and specify the path in the configuration wpa_supplicant How ca_cert="/path/to/certificate.pem".

7. Automatically connect to Wi-Fi on startup

To connect the network automatically after a reboot, configure NetworkManager or add the script to startup.

For NetworkManager:

sudo nmcli connection modify "network_name" connection.autoconnect yes

If you use wpa_supplicant, add in /etc/rc.local (before the line exit 0):

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

Do it rc.local executable:

sudo chmod +x /etc/rc.local

To check auto-connection, reboot the system and run:

ip a show wlan0

If there is a line in the output inet with IP address, connection successful.

8. Alternative connection methods (USB tethering, Bluetooth)

If Wi-Fi setup fails, temporarily use other methods of connecting to the Internet:

• 📱 USB tethering from phone:
  1. Connect your phone via USB and enable modem mode in the settings.
  2. In Lubuntu, check the new network device: ip a.
  3. Set up NetworkManager or use dhclient to obtain IP.

iw list | grep -A 5 "Frequencies"

sudo apt install hostapd dnsmasq

interface=wlan0
driver=nl80211
ssid=MyHotspot
hw_mode=g
channel=6
wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=12345678
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

sudo systemctl unmask hostapd
sudo systemctl enable hostapd
sudo systemctl start hostapd

sudo sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE