pythonsubprocessiwconfig

subprocess.check_output() not providing full iwconfig output

I am trying to make a python program to display information about the WiFi connection, but I have hit a snag. subprocess.check_output() is not working the way I need it to.

>>>import subprocess
>>>test = subprocess.check_output("iwconfig")

Provides me with the following: enp9s0 no wireless extensions.

virbr0-nic  no wireless extensions.

virbr0    no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

But when I go into a terminal and do the same command, it provides me with this:

wlp4s0    IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:[Network Name]  
      Mode:Managed  Frequency:5.2 GHz  Access Point: [access point] 
      Bit Rate=81 Mb/s   Tx-Power=14 dBm   
      Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
      Power Management:off
      Link Quality=36/70  Signal level=-74 dBm  
      Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
      Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:26   Missed beacon:0

enp9s0    no wireless extensions.

virbr0-nic  no wireless extensions.

virbr0    no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

Can anyone tell me how to fix this (my goal is to get all of the information that I get when I run it in the terminal when I use python to run it). I tried looking at the docs, but I do not understand everything said there. Thank you in advance.

Solution

  • Some of the output may be going to stderr.

    test = subprocess.check_output("iwconfig", stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)