#900742 iwlist: argument list too long

Package:
wireless-tools
Source:
wireless-tools
Description:
Tools for manipulating Linux Wireless Extensions
Submitter:
Ernesto Alfonso
Date:
2024-03-06 01:45:03 UTC
Severity:
important
Tags:
#900742#5
Date:
2018-06-04 04:27:18 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

iwlist fails with the error "Failed to read scan data : Argument list too long" when there
are too many reachable access points. I've encountered this issue consistently at certain hotels,
and I've had to resort to using iw instead, as this stackoverflow question from March 2017 answer suggests:

https://stackoverflow.com/a/42730651/1941755
#900742#10
Date:
2018-06-05 19:58:54 UTC
From:
To:
tags 900742 + wontfix
thanks

The problem is unfortunately a limitation of the Wireless Extensions
kernel API that wireless-tools uses, so there is nothing that I can do
to fix it. If iw works for you, then by all means keep using it.
#900742#17
Date:
2018-06-06 03:24:07 UTC
From:
To:
Do you have more information about this limitation so that someone can
report it to the appropriate package?
#900742#22
Date:
2019-08-09 12:30:44 UTC
From:
To:
apparently we shall move away from Wireless Extensions kernel API

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/wireless-extensions
shall I try to patch wireless-tools? I doubt I have the skills-set to
do it, I can try though

this thing of the AP limitation is pretty annoying... wicd is heavily
impacted by it
 - https://bugs.launchpad.net/wicd/+bug/1801751

regards,
GMS
#900742#27
Date:
2024-03-06 01:36:44 UTC
From:
To:
To save everyone the trouble of looking the replacement command is
"iw $dev scan".