How can I check if my SDIO Wi-Fi module is recognized by the system using command-line tools?

Answer

To check if your SDIO Wi-Fi module is recognized and available in a Linux system, you can use several command-line tools to probe the system and examine its output. Here are some commands that are commonly used for this purpose:

1) lsusb and lspci:

If your SDIO Wi-Fi module is externally connected via USB or internally via PCI, use these commands to list the USB and PCI devices, respectively.
```
lsusb  lspci  
```
Look for your Wi-Fi module in the output. External SDIO over USB adapters will appear in lsusb, while internal ones connected to the PCI bus will show up in lspci.

2) dmesg:

This command displays kernel messages, which can be helpful to see if the module was detected during boot or when plugged in.
```
dmesg | grep -i sdio  
```
Replace sdio with a more specific keyword of your Wi-Fi module if needed.

3) ip link or ifconfig:

These commands show network interfaces recognized by the system.
```
ip link  
```
or for older systems:
```
ifconfig -a  
```
Check if there's a new network interface that corresponds to the Wi-Fi module.

4) iwconfig or iw:

These tools are specifically for wireless network interfaces.
```
iwconfig  
```
or using iw:
```
iw dev  
```
These commands list wireless interfaces and can be used to identify if your SDIO Wi-Fi module is active as a network interface.

5) lshw:

This command provides detailed hardware information.
```
sudo lshw -C network  
```
It shows all network devices and their statuses, including any Wi-Fi modules.

6) lsmod:

Use this command to check if the driver modules required by the Wi-Fi card are loaded.
```
lsmod | grep -i wifi  
```
Replace wifi with the specific driver name if known.

7) Check System Logs:

System logs can also provide information about hardware detection and driver loading.
```
cat /var/log/syslog | grep -i wifi  
```
Replace wifi with a more specific keyword of your WiFi module such as lrd for some Laird specific drivers and firmware.

8) rfkill list:

This tool lists all wireless devices and shows if they are blocked or unblocked (enabled or disabled).
```
rfkill list  
```