Restore a Broken Wireless Connection with a Simple Bash Script

Productivity Sauce
Linking a Linux server to the network via a Wi-Fi connection is not the most reliable option, but in some situations it is the most convenient one. So if you choose to use the Wi-Fi connection, it's prudent to have a tool that monitors the connection and restarts the Wi-Fi interface if the connection is broken. And the following simple Bash shell script can do just that.
#!/bin/sh ping -c5 192.168.1.1 > /dev/null if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then sudo ifdown --force wlan0 sudo ifup wlan0 fi
The script pings the router on the local network (replace 192.168.1.1 with the actual IP address of the router), and restarts the wireless network interface if the ping fails. To make sure that the script handles the correct interface, run the ifconfig command and replace the wlan0 string in the script with the correct interface name. Save the script in the home directory under the wlan-reset.sh name and make it executable using the chmod +x wlan-reset.sh command. To run the script at regular intervals, run the crontab -e command and add the following cron job:
@hourly /home/pi/wlan-reset.sh
This job will run the script every hour, but you can adjust it to whatever interval you want.
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for two weeks.
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.