WPA_SUPPLICANT(8) System Manager's Manual WPA_SUPPLICANT(8)

NAME

wpa_supplicantWPA/802.11i Supplicant for wireless network devices

SYNOPSIS

wpa_supplicant [-BdhKLqstvW] [-b br_ifname] [-C ctrl] -c config-file [-D driver] [-e entropy-file] [-f debug-file] [-G global-ctrl-group] [-g global-ctrl] [-I additional-config-file] [-i ifname] [-O override-ctrl] [-o override-driver] [-P pidfile] [-p parameters] [-M [-i ifname] -c config-file ...] [-N -i ifname -c config-file ...]

DESCRIPTION

The wpa_supplicant utility is an implementation of the WPA Supplicant component, i.e., the part that runs in the client stations. It implements WPA key negotiation with a WPA Authenticator and EAP authentication with an Authentication Server. In addition, wpa_supplicant controls the roaming and IEEE 802.11 authentication/association support and can be used to configure static WEP keys based on identified networks.
The wpa_supplicant utility is designed to be a “daemon” program that runs in the background and acts as the backend component controlling the wireless connection. It supports separate frontend programs such as the text-based wpa_cli(8) program.
The following arguments must be specified on the command line:
 
 
-i ifname
Use the specified wireless interface.
 
 
-c config-file
Use the settings in the specified configuration file when managing the wireless interface. See wpa_supplicant.conf(5) for a description of the configuration file syntax and contents.
Changes to the configuration file can be reloaded by sending a SIGHUP signal to the wpa_supplicant process or with the wpa_cli(8) utility, using “wpa_cli reconfigure”.

OPTIONS

The following options are available:
 
 
-B
Detach from the controlling terminal and run as a daemon process in the background.
 
 
-b br_ifname
Optional bridge interface name.
 
 
-C ctrl
Control interface parameter.
 
 
-D driver
Driver name (can be either bsd or wired)
 
 
-d
Enable debugging messages. If this option is supplied twice, more verbose messages are displayed. Messages are sent to stdout by default, even when daemonised. This can be changed with the -f flag.
 
 
-e entropy-file
Specifies a file to store entropy.
 
 
-f debug-file
Specifies a file to send debug messages to when enabled with the -d flag.
 
 
-G global-ctrl-group
Global control interface group.
 
 
-g global-ctrl
Global control interface.
 
 
-h
Show help text.
 
 
-I additional-config-file
Additional configuration file.
 
 
-K
Include key information in debugging output.
 
 
-L
Display the license for this program on the terminal and exit.
 
 
-M [-i matchifname] -c config-file ...
Matches the interface name using fnmatch(3), or all interfaces if -i is not specified. If multiple interfaces are matched then wpa_supplicant will manage them all with a single process.
 
 
-N -i ifname -c config-file ...
Specify an additional interface and configuration file. If multiple interfaces are specified then wpa_supplicant will manage them all with a single process.
 
 
-O override-ctrl
Override ctrl_interface parameter for new interface.
 
 
-o override-driver
Override driver paramter for new interface.
 
 
-P pidfile
File in which to save the process PID.
 
 
-p parameters
Specify driver parameters.
 
 
-q
Decrease debugging verbosity (i.e., counteract the use of the -d flag).
 
 
-s
Send log messages through syslog(3) instead of to the terminal.
 
 
-t
Include timestamp in debug messages.
 
 
-v
Display version information on the terminal and exit.
 
 
-W
Wait for a control interface monitor before starting.

SEE ALSO

fnmatch(3), ath(4), ipw(4), iwi(4), iwn(4), ral(4), rum(4), wi(4), wpi(4), zyd(4), wpa_supplicant.conf(5), ifconfig(8), wpa_cli(8)

HISTORY

The wpa_supplicant utility first appeared in NetBSD 4.0.

AUTHORS

The wpa_supplicant utility was written by Jouni Malinen <jkmaline@cc.hut.fi>. This manual page is derived from the README file included in the wpa_supplicant distribution.
March 23, 2016 NetBSD 8.2