Xiwtool

Xiwtool is a handy, open-source tool that's totally free! It's built for Linux users who want to easily connect their laptops to nearby Wi-Fi networks. If you've ever struggled with connecting to Wi-Fi on your Linux machine, this software is here to help you out!

What Does Xiwtool Do?

This cool little utility helps you discover and configure Wi-Fi connections using the built-in wireless driver on your Linux system. It utilizes the Xlib library to show its controls and dialogs, making it super user-friendly.

Compatibility with Linux Systems

Xiwtool works perfectly with all Linux-based systems and any built-in wireless cards that are already active on your distribution. With it, you'll be able to scan for available Wi-Fi networks, check out stats for nearby Access Points, and connect to both open and secured networks.

Supported Operating Systems

This app is pretty much compatible with any GNU/Linux operating system. Just make sure you have the GNU GCC compiler, X Window System libraries, development headers, ifup and ifdown network packages, along with the wpa_supplicant tool installed. Oh, and your computer needs a working wireless card too!

How to Install Xiwtool

If you're ready to get started with Xiwtool, installation is simple! First off, download the source archive and extract it in your home directory. Then open up a terminal emulator and navigate to where you extracted it.

Next up, you'll need to run the “./configure” command to set everything up (check out more details in the following section). After that, just execute the “make” command to compile the code. Easy peasy!

Initial Configuration

When you're setting things up for the first time, it'll ask if you want Xiwtool to run as root via sudo. This means only someone with system admin rights can connect to wireless networks through this tool. It's great because it supports public Wi-Fi hotspots too—think libraries or coffee shops!