Can't connect to WEP network, WPA works fine.

English Network/Internet
1

Yet another one of these threads…

I am unable to connect to a WEP-protected network. the Network manager log shows either a DHCP timeout, or a failure to associate. (attached below).

Changing to WPA is not an option, as the network is not controlled by me. This is with the rt61pci driver for a Ralink 2500 series chipset.
(Rosewill RNX-G300EX card)

Manually forcing an IP does not result in a connection either. This is with the latest OpenSuSE 11.4, all patches applied. Router is a D-Link DIR-613, and I know the passphrase I’m using is correct because it connects both on my Android (what else?) phone, and my lappy when I boot XP.

Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associating → associated
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associated → completed
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Connected to wireless network ‘’.
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled.
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started…
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 5 → 7 (reason 0)
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Beginning DHCPv4 transaction (timeout in 45 seconds)
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> dhclient started with pid 7594
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete.
Sep 2 11:12:02 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): DHCPv4 state changed nbi → preinit
Sep 2 11:12:48 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <warn> (wlan0): DHCPv4 request timed out.
Sep 2 11:12:48 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): canceled DHCP transaction, DHCP client pid 7594
Sep 2 11:12:48 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IP4 Configure Timeout) scheduled…
Sep 2 11:12:48 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IP4 Configure Timeout) started…
Sep 2 11:12:48 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): could not get IP configuration for connection '’.

<info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection ‘’ has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed.
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘ssid’ value '’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘scan_ssid’ value ‘1’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘key_mgmt’ value ‘NONE’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘auth_alg’ value ‘SHARED’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘wep_key0’ value ‘<omitted>’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: added ‘wep_tx_keyidx’ value ‘0’
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Sep 2 11:16:16 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: disconnected -> scanning
Sep 2 11:16:17 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: scanning -> associating
Sep 2 11:16:27 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associating -> disconnected
Sep 2 11:16:27 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: disconnected -> scanning
Sep 2 11:16:29 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: scanning -> associating
Sep 2 11:16:39 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associating -> disconnected
Sep 2 11:16:39 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: disconnected -> scanning
Sep 2 11:16:40 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: scanning -> associating
Sep 2 11:16:42 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long.
Sep 2 11:16:42 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6 (reason 0)
Sep 2 11:16:42 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): asking for new secrets
Sep 2 11:16:42 Core2Duo-2400 NetworkManager[2160]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associating -> disconnected

Also, DMESG is filled with this:
ep 2 15:13:14 Core2Duo-2400 kernel: [14612.683842] wlan0: authenticate with 00:24:01:3e:b0:8a (try 1)
Sep 2 15:13:14 Core2Duo-2400 kernel: [14612.883045] wlan0: authenticate with 00:24:01:3e:b0:8a (try 2)
Sep 2 15:13:15 Core2Duo-2400 kernel: [14613.083029] wlan0: authenticate with 00:24:01:3e:b0:8a (try 3)
Sep 2 15:13:15 Core2Duo-2400 kernel: [14613.283041] wlan0: authentication with 00:24:01:3e:b0:8a timed out

2

Darn, too late to edit. I should add I’ve tried both with NetworkManager, and also with ifup configuration thru YaST.

3

Don’t use a passphrase. Use the hexadecimal key.

There was never any standard for use of a passphrase in WEP. What one manufacture supports might not work for another. Safest is to use the hex form of the key, which is standardized.

I don’t know if that is your problem, but it is something to try.

4

On 09/02/2011 03:36 PM, nrickert wrote:
>
> There was never any standard for use of a passphrase in WEP. What one
> manufacture supports might not work for another. Safest is to use the
> hex form of the key, which is standardized.
>
> I don’t know if that is your problem, but it is something to try.

The dmesg output is showing a failure to authenticate, which means the wrong secret.

5

Tried that, the key I got from an online keygen was identical to what was pre-filled in the hex key box/generated by Networkmanager from the passphrase.

Odd… since the passphrase works fine on both XP and android. I’ll try to reverse-obtain the hex key from that and see if it differs.

6

D’oh. Turns out the code they gave me wasn’t the passphrase, it was the key. bashes head against wall

therefore… RESOLVED.

7

On 09/02/2011 04:56 PM, VintagePC wrote:
>
> D’oh. Turns out the code they gave me wasn’t the passphrase, it was
> the key. bashes head against wall
>
> therefore… R E S O L V E D .

Just for the record, the conversion routine that Windows uses IS NOT THE SAME as
Linux.

8

nor is android, apparently.