How do I get Python to know what Wifi the user is connected to?

Question

I'm 14, pardon my Python knowlege. I'm trying to make this program that will only run while I'm at school (on the school's Wifi) using an if/else statement like this:

if ontheschoolwifi:
     Keep running the program
else:
     close the program because im not at school and wont need it

I'd like to know how to let python know how to get what wifi it is connected to. Thank you, in advance, for your help :)

Which operating system? Programming languages are just languages, but wifi is a hardware interface which is generally handled by the operating system and _very loosely speaking_, the OS is responsible for exposing an application programming interface (API) which programs, written in a language (say Python) can use to query/interact with. — metatoaster, Oct 20 '15 at 02:55
Take a look at this thread and its linked threads: [Associating my Windows computer to a wifi AP with Python](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14077835/associating-my-windows-computer-to-a-wifi-ap-with-python) — metatoaster, Oct 20 '15 at 03:27

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 20 '15 at 08:10

12

import subprocess

if "SchoolWifiName" in subprocess.check_output("netsh wlan show interfaces"):
    print "I am on school wifi!"

answered Oct 20 '15 at 08:10

Mark Ch

2,840
1
19
31

score 9 · Answer 2 · edited Jul 15 '21 at 05:42

9

here some code that actually works, the other answers did not work for me on Windows...

import subprocess

wifi = subprocess.check_output(['netsh', 'WLAN', 'show', 'interfaces'])
data = wifi.decode('utf-8')
if "school_wifi_name" in data:
    print("connected to speccific wifi")
else:
    print("not connected")

edited Jul 15 '21 at 05:42

Thenujan Sandramohan

149
3
11

answered May 12 '21 at 12:52

ghhiuu

91
1
2

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 20 '15 at 03:02

For Mac OS query the airport using os module. "/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport -I" Then, look the name assigned to SSID by your school. It should be something similar for the other operating systems.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 29 '20 at 11:37

This will help you out to get the network name.

import subprocess

subprocess_result = subprocess.Popen('iwgetid',shell=True,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
subprocess_output = subprocess_result.communicate()[0],subprocess_result.returncode
network_name = subprocess_output[0].decode('utf-8')

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 12 '22 at 13:14

1

This should be the best solution:

import subprocess

if 'SchoolWifiName' in subprocess.check_output("netsh wlan show interfaces").decode('utf-8'):
    print('I am on school wifi!')

answered Aug 12 '22 at 13:14

user856387

51
3

This is the same, essentially, as the current top answer, except adapted for Python 3. – Dominik Stańczak Aug 18 '22 at 14:22
1

@DominikStańczak0 That's right we live in 2022. – user856387 Aug 21 '22 at 19:00

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 31 '23 at 16:56

import subprocess

print(str(subprocess.check_output(['iwgetid -r'], shell=True)).split('\'')[1][:-2])

will print the current Wi-Fi SSID

To check if the SSID has the desired name:

import subprocess

if 'School_wifi_name' in str(subprocess.check_output(['iwgetid -r'], shell=True)).split('\'')[1][:-2]:
  print('I am on school Wi-Fi!')

How do I get Python to know what Wifi the user is connected to?

6 Answers6

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