---
name: "iwgetid"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "wireless_tools"
version: "30.pre9-5"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/iwgetid"
---

# iwgetid(8)

Report ESSID, NWID or AP/Cell Address of wireless network

## NAME

iwgetid - Report ESSID, NWID or AP/Cell Address of wireless network

## SYNOPSIS

**iwgetid** *\[interface\]* **\[--raw\] \[--scheme\] \[--ap\] \[--freq\]**\
                    **\[--mode\] \[--protocol\] \[--channel\]**\

## DESCRIPTION

**iwgetid** is used to find out the NWID, ESSID or AP/Cell Address of the wireless network that is currently used. The information reported is the same as the one shown by **iwconfig**, but **iwgetid** is easier to integrate in various scripts.\
 By default, **iwgetid** will print the *ESSID* of the device, and if the device doesn't have any ESSID it will print its *NWID*.\
 The default formatting output is pretty-print.

## OPTIONS

- **--raw**

  This option disables pretty-printing of the information. This option is orthogonal to the other options (except **--scheme**), so with the appropriate combination of options you can print the raw ESSID, AP Address or Mode.\
   This format is ideal when storing the result of iwgetid as a variable in *Shell* or *Perl* scripts or to pass the result as an argument on the command line of **iwconfig**.

- **--scheme**

  This option is similar to the previous one, it disables pretty-printing of the information and removes all characters that are not alphanumerics (like space, punctuation and control characters).\
   The resulting output is a valid Pcmcia scheme identifier (that may be used as an argument of the command **cardctl scheme**). This format is also ideal when using the result of iwgetid as a selector in *Shell* or *Perl* scripts, or as a file name.

- **--ap**

  Display the MAC address of the Wireless *Access Point* or the *Cell*.

- **--freq**

  Display the current *frequency* or *channel* used by the interface.

- **--channel**

  Display the current *channel* used by the interface. The channel is determined using the current frequency and the frequency list provided by the interface.

- **--mode**

  Display the current *mode* of the interface.

- **--protocol**

  Display the *protocol name* of the interface. This allows to identify all the cards that are compatible with each other and accept the same type of configuration.\
   This can also be used to *check Wireless Extension support* on the interface, as this is the only attribute that all drivers supporting Wireless Extension are mandated to support.

## SEE ALSO

[**iwconfig**(8)](/iwconfig/8.md), [**ifconfig**(8)](/ifconfig/8.md), [**iwspy**(8)](/iwspy/8.md), [**iwpriv**(8)](/iwpriv/8.md).