Connecting to the Internet With Ubuntu

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Updated January 20, 2020

The Ubuntu open-source operating system is the most popular Linux distribution on personal desktop and laptop computers. Just like other operating systems, Ubuntu allows operators of wireless-enabled computers to connect to the internet wirelessly.

How to Connect to a Wireless Network With Ubuntu

If you have a wireless-enabled computer running the Ubuntu operating system, you can connect to a nearby wireless network to get to the internet. To do this:

Open the System Menu on the right side of the top bar.
Select Wi-Fi Not Connected to expand the menu.
Choose Select Network.
Look through the names of the nearby networks. Select the one you want, and press Connect. If you don't see the name of the network you want, press More to see additional networks. If you still don't see the network you want, it may be hidden or you may be out of range.
Enter the password for the network, and press Connect.

Connect to a Hidden Wireless Network or Enter a New One

With Ubuntu, the operator can set up a wireless network and set it to be hidden. It won't show up in the list of available wireless networks. If you know or suspect a network is hidden, you can look for it. You can also establish a new hidden network. Here's how:

Open the System Menu on the right side of the top bar.
Select Wi-Fi Not Connected to expand the menu.
Press Wi-Fi Settings.
Press the three stacked dot menu icon in the top right of the settings window.
Select Connect to Hidden Network.
Another new window will pop up. Enter the network name (the SSID) and select the wireless security from the options in the drop-down list.
Enter the password.
Press Connect to go online.