qacafe - ip test solutions
Knowledge Base > Wireless > Can I just unplug my USB wireless interface to restart it?

Can I just unplug my USB wireless interface to restart it?

No. The action of unplugging an active USB wireless interface and plugging it back in may result in strange system behavior and lock-ups.

To restart the wireless driver

Please see this Knowledge Base article:

How can I reset my wireless driver if my wireless card will not associate?

To physically remove/unplug a wireless interface

Follow these steps:

  • Stop the associated wireless network interface (typically labeled as ethX or wlanX):

    # /sbin/ifdown wlan0

  • Stop DriverLoader:

    # /etc/init.d/driverloader stop

You should now be able to safely remove/unplug the wireless USB interface.