How To Change Your Wireless Adapter Back to Managed Mode on Ubuntu

In this article, we will guide you through the process of changing your wireless adapter back to managed mode on Ubuntu. This is particularly useful if you have previously switched your adapter to monitor mode for network analysis or troubleshooting and need to revert it back to its standard operating mode.

Table of Contents

Understanding Managed Mode and Monitor Mode
Changing Back to Managed Mode
- Using ifconfig and iwconfig
- Using ip and iw
Conclusion

Understanding Managed Mode and Monitor Mode

Before we delve into the steps, it’s crucial to understand what managed mode and monitor mode are. Managed mode is the default mode for your wireless adapter, which allows it to connect to wireless networks. On the other hand, monitor mode allows your wireless adapter to monitor all traffic received from the wireless network without the need to associate with an access point or ad-hoc network.

Changing Back to Managed Mode

To change your wireless adapter back to managed mode, you will need to use the terminal. The terminal is a command-line interface that allows you to interact with your system. You can open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for ‘terminal’ in the application menu.

Using `ifconfig` and `iwconfig`

Bring the interface down – The first step is to bring the wireless interface down. This can be done with the ifconfig command followed by the interface name (typically wlan0 for the first wireless interface) and down. Here’s the command:
```
sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
```
The sudo command is used to execute the command with superuser privileges. ifconfig is a system administration utility in Unix-like operating systems to configure, control, and query TCP/IP network interface parameters. wlan0 is the name of the wireless network interface, and down is the command to disable the network interface.
Change the mode to managed – Next, change the mode of the interface to managed using the iwconfig command. The command is as follows:
```
sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode managed
```
iwconfig is similar to ifconfig, but is dedicated to the wireless interfaces. It is used to set the parameters of the network interface which are specific to the wireless operation. The mode managed parameter sets the operational mode of the device to managed.
Bring the interface up – Finally, bring the interface back up using the ifconfig command:
```
sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
```
The up command enables the network interface.
Restart the network manager – To apply the changes, restart the network manager with the following command:
```
sudo service network-manager restart
```
The service command is used to run a System V init script, in this case, the network manager. The restart parameter stops and then starts the service again.

Using `ip` and `iw`

If the above steps do not work, you can try using the ip and iw commands instead. Here’s how:

Bring the interface down – Use the ip command to bring the interface down:
```
sudo ip link set wlan0 down
```
The ip command is used to show / manipulate routing, devices, policy routing and tunnels. The link set command changes the state of the device to down.
Change the mode to managed – Use the iw command to change the mode to managed:
```
sudo iw wlan0 set type managed
```
The iw command is a new nl80211 based CLI configuration utility for wireless devices. The set type managed command changes the mode of the device to managed.
Bring the interface up – Use the ip command to bring the interface up:
```
sudo ip link set wlan0 up
```
The up command changes the state of the device to up.
Restart the Network Manager – Finally, restart the Network Manager:
```
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
```
The systemctl command is used to introspect and control the state of the “systemd” system and service manager. The restart command stops and then starts the service again.

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered how to change your wireless adapter back to managed mode on Ubuntu. We hope this guide has been helpful. Remember, always exercise caution when using sudo commands and only make changes to your system if you are confident about what they do. If you encounter any issues, don’t hesitate to seek help from the Ubuntu community or professional IT support.

What is the purpose of changing the wireless adapter back to managed mode on Ubuntu?

Changing the wireless adapter back to managed mode allows it to connect to wireless networks, enabling normal network functionality.

How do I open the terminal on Ubuntu?

You can open the terminal on Ubuntu by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for ‘terminal’ in the application menu.

What is the difference between managed mode and monitor mode?

Managed mode is the default mode for a wireless adapter that allows it to connect to wireless networks. Monitor mode, on the other hand, allows the adapter to monitor all traffic received from the wireless network without the need to associate with an access point or ad-hoc network.

How do I bring the wireless interface down?

To bring the wireless interface down, you can use the ifconfig command followed by the interface name and down. For example, sudo ifconfig wlan0 down.

What command should I use to change the mode to managed?

To change the mode of the wireless interface to managed, you can use the iwconfig command followed by the interface name and mode managed. For example, sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode managed.

How do I bring the wireless interface back up?

To bring the wireless interface back up, you can use the ifconfig command followed by the interface name and up. For example, sudo ifconfig wlan0 up.

What should I do if the above steps do not work?

If the above steps do not work, you can try using the ip and iw commands instead. The process is similar but uses different commands. Refer to the article for the specific commands to use.

How do I restart the Network Manager?

To restart the Network Manager, you can use the sudo service network-manager restart command or the sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager command, depending on the version of Ubuntu you are using.

What should I do if I encounter issues or need further assistance?

If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to seek help from the Ubuntu community or professional IT support. They can provide guidance and help troubleshoot any problems you may encounter.