Different Results of Scanning Wireless Networks

Question

(1) I found that under Ubuntu, WICD and command "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" give a little different list of wireless networks. Windows 7 also gives a slightly different list.

For example, there is one shown in WICD but not in the command nor in Windows 7.

I wonder why? How to get a complete list of wireless networks?

(2) The second question is about the command "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" used with WICD.

When I successfully connect to a wireless network using WICD, "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" will only output the wireless network I am connecting to, not the other wireless networks.

When I click "Disconnect All" in WICD after I successfully connect to a wireless network, the command "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" gives nothing.

When I quit WICD and then start WICD again, the command "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" will gives a list of wireless networks.

I was wondering why the command "/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan" behaves differently in these cases?

Thanks and regards!

Answer 1

'iwlist wlan0 scan' is a privileged command when a (non root) user is connected to a network it will only return the network it connected with try 'sudo iwlist wlan0 scan'...you will get all information 'sudo iwlist wlan0 | grep ESSID' will give you all the wireless network names