wlan0

wlan0 is the conventional name for a wireless LAN network interface on many Linux and Unix-like systems. It refers to the first wireless network device detected by the kernel under older naming schemes and is commonly used by network management tools to manage wireless connections. The interface allows wireless communication using IEEE 802.11 standards.

In modern distributions, predictable network interface names often produce names such as wlp2s0 instead of wlan0. Legacy names like wlan0 may still be present if kernel parameters or distribution settings enable old naming. The mapping between physical hardware and interface names can change on reboot, hot-plug events, or driver updates.

Common tasks involve querying and configuring the interface with tools such as ip, ifconfig, iw, and wpa_supplicant. To view status: ip link show wlan0; to enable: ip link set wlan0 up; to acquire an IP address: dhclient wlan0 or via NetworkManager. Network managers usually refer to wlan0 as the wireless connection and provide GUI and CLI options to connect to networks, manage credentials, and set security protocols.

Troubleshooting may require checking hardware switch or rfkill status, driver and firmware availability, and ensuring the correct wireless module is loaded. rfkill list can show blocked devices. Checking dmesg for firmware messages and using the appropriate driver (for example, ath9k, iwlwifi) helps diagnose issues. In virtualized environments or with USB adapters, the interface name may vary or appear as a different identifier.