Get wifi ap list using python

Use nmcli

To get wifi list, parse the output of nmcli dev wifi list

import subprocess

def scan():
    subprocess.call(['nmcli', 'dev', 'wifi', 'rescan'])
    output = subprocess.check_output(['nmcli', 'dev', 'wifi', 'list'])

    ap_list = []
    for row in output.split('\n')[1:-1]:
        items = row.split()
        ap = items[0]
        if ap == '*':
            ap = items[1]
        ap_list.append(ap)

    return ap_list

Use python-networkmanager

Run sudo apt-get install libdbus-glib-1-dev and sudo pip install python-networkmanager, then

import NetworkManager

for dev in NetworkManager.NetworkManager.GetDevices():
    if dev.DeviceType != NetworkManager.NM_DEVICE_TYPE_WIFI:
        continue
    for ap in dev.GetAccessPoints():
        print('%-30s %dMHz %d%%' % (ap.Ssid, ap.Frequency, ap.Strength))

To connect to an AP, run nmcli dev wifi connect YOUR-AP password YOUR-PASSWORD.

xiongyihui / notes

Get wifi ap list using python #2