Network diagnostics with Go
Dr. Wireless
© Lead Image © Ewa Walicka, Fotolia.com
Why is the WiFi not working? Instead of always typing the same steps to diagnose the problem, Mike Schilli writes a tool in Go that puts the wireless network through its paces and helps isolate the cause.
Imagine you've just arrived at your vacation resort, and the WiFi isn't working. Is the router's DHCP server failing to assign an IP address to your laptop? Is it DNS? Or is it just that the throughput is so poor that everything seems to be stalling?
You can diagnose all of these issues by running various command-line tools, but it is tedious and annoying to have to repeat the procedure every time. How about a tool that repeatedly runs these steps at regular intervals, visualizes the results, and hopefully zeroes in on the root cause?
I will use the tview [1] library from GitHub as the terminal user interface (UI) for my wifi diagnostic tool. After all, some well-known projects, such as Kubernetes, also use it for their command-line tools. With just a few lines of code, tview switches the current terminal to raw mode and displays simple graphical elements such as tables or forms in a retro white on black background style0 (Figure 1). It accepts keyboard input in raw mode, and applications can use it to control actions on the interface.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe 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
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.