Ubuntu – How to display the list of available WiFi networks

The best answer might be from here:

Go to the command line and type:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan

Assuming your wifi is called wlan0 (it might be wlan0 or something else) see ifconfig for details.

This command will refresh the list by asking the wifi to rescan. You can only do this as root and if you do it as non-root it will simply print the list of known networks without refreshing.

First, I suggest that you upgrade the firmware; from the terminal:

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux-firmware/linux-firmware_1.161_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i linux*.deb

Then set your regulatory domain explicitly. Check yours:

sudo iw reg get

If you get 00, that is a one-size-maybe-fits-all setting. Find yours here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2 Then set it temporarily:

sudo iw reg set IS

Of course, substitute your country code if not Iceland. Set it permanently:

gksudo gedit /etc/default/crda

Use nano or kate or leafpad if you don't have the text editor gedit.

Change the last line to read:

REGDOMAIN=IS

Proofread carefully, save and close the text editor.

Reboot and let us know if connectivity is improved.