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Create a Wi-Fi hotspot from the terminal

Share your laptop's internet connection with phones using one nmcli command.

LinuxnmcliWi-FihotspotnetworkmanagerLow risk
Run nmcli dev wifi hotspot ifname wlan0 ssid MyHotspot password 'pass12345' — phones can then join 'MyHotspot' like any network.

01Command

Command
$ nmcli dev wifi hotspot ifname wlan0 ssid MyHotspot password 'pass12345'

02What it does

NetworkManager's hotspot mode turns your Wi-Fi card into a small access point and routes connected devices through your current internet connection — no hostapd config files needed. The connection is saved as a profile named Hotspot, so you can restart it later with nmcli con up Hotspot. Passwords should be at least 8 characters or devices will refuse to connect.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
RequirementsNetworkManager and a Wi-Fi card that supports AP mode (most laptops do); replace wlan0 with your interface from ip link
!Warning: The hotspot shares whatever network you're on — hotel or captive-portal connections often won't share; if the card doesn't support AP mode the command fails with an error rather than degrading.

04Undo

Undo
$ nmcli connection delete Hotspot

05Sources

  • Software access point — Arch Wiki
    Arch Linux · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: NetworkManager can create a Wi-Fi access point with nmcli device wifi hotspot, sharing an internet connection with other devices.
  • nmcli(1) — Ubuntu manual page
    Ubuntu · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: nmcli device wifi hotspot creates an access point connection with the given ssid and password and starts sharing the current internet connection.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Network