wl0

wl0 is a label encountered in some Linux-based router firmware and embedded systems to denote the primary wireless LAN interface, typically the first radio (Radio 0). The exact meaning and existence of wl0 are not standardized and depend on the device’s firmware, driver, and vendor conventions. In many Broadcom-based environments that use the proprietary wl driver or related components, the wireless interface exposed to the system may appear as wl0; on other systems, interfaces are named wlan0 or wlpXy, and wl0 may not exist at all.

A common pattern in environments that use wl0 is the use of virtual interfaces derived from the primary radio, such as wl0.1 or wl0.2, to broadcast multiple SSIDs or to separate different network configurations on the same physical radio. This mirrors the broader concept of virtual APs, where a single radio provides multiple logical networks with distinct security settings and policies.

Because wl0 naming is not universal, software documentation and device-specific resources are the best sources for exact behavior. Some firmware suites expose wl0 in their configuration files, web UIs, or command-line tools, while others rely on standardized interface names. Users upgrading or porting configurations between devices should verify the actual interface naming on their hardware.

See also: wireless network interface, Broadcom wl driver, OpenWrt, dd-wrt, Virtual AP, IEEE 802.11.