Which command is utilized to set the SSID and encryption key for a wireless interface?

The command used to set the SSID (Service Set Identifier) and encryption key for a wireless interface is iwconfig. This command is specifically designed for managing wireless network interfaces in Linux. It allows users to configure the wireless parameters, including the SSID, which serves as the network's name that identifies the wireless network, and the encryption key, which secures the communication over that network.

In contrast, other commands serve different purposes. iwlist is primarily used to get detailed information about wireless networks, including scanning for available networks, but it does not configure them. Ping is a network utility used to test the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network and is not related to setting up wireless interfaces. Finally, ifconfig is a command for configuring network interfaces but does not have the capability to manage wireless-specific parameters like SSID and encryption. Thus, iwconfig is the appropriate choice for setting wireless network configurations.