NetworkManager stop working for wifi

user · January 13, 2009, 4:35pm

Hi,

I’ve openSUSE 11. After some system upgrade (I think), wifi stop working in my NetworkManager applet. I can’t see any wireless network anymore. It was working ok before.

Details:
Linux libertad 2.6.25.16-0.1-default #1 SMP 2008-08-21 00:34:25 +0200 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

NetworkManager-0.7.0.r3685-7.1
libproxy0-networkmanager-0.2.3-17.1
NetworkManager-glib-0.7.0.r3685-7.1
NetworkManager-gnome-0.7.0.r729-7.1

iwl4965-ucode-4.44.1.20-11.1

Steps:
I’ve tried reinstalling, and downgrading kernel and NetworkManager, with no luck.

I’ve seen
WLAN with NetworkManager has stopped working! - openSUSE Forums
Nabble - Gnome - NetworkManager - knetworkmanager stopped working
iwl3945 opensuse 11.1 - wireless down networkmanager idle - openSUSE Forums
but couldn’t find anything useful.

Some logs:

dmesg:
iwl4965: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN driver for Linux, 1.2.23ks
iwl4965: Copyright(c) 2003-2007 Intel Corporation
iwl4965: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
iwl4965: Tunable channels: 11 802.11bg, 13 802.11a channels

Trying to connect to a named wireless network:
/var/log/messages
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:12:7f:99:6d:80
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: RX authentication from 00:12:7f:99:6d:80 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: authenticated
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: associate with AP 00:12:7f:99:6d:80
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:12:7f:99:6d:80 (capab=0x421 status=0 aid=222)
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad kernel: wlan0: associated

/var/log/NetworkManager
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: Device is fully-supported using driver ‘iwl4965’.
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Found new wireless (802.11) device ‘wlan0’.
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_00_1f_3b_94_8f_e7
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the supplicant…
Jan 13 13:08:01 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the system settings daemon…
Jan 13 13:08:05 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 1 → 2
Jan 13 13:08:05 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Jan 13 13:08:05 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): preparing device.
Jan 13 13:08:05 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device.
Jan 13 13:08:05 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 2 → 3
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection ‘QBMobile’
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 3 → 4
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled…
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started…
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled…
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting…
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 4 → 5
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection ‘QBMobile’ requires no security. No secrets needed.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Config: added ‘ssid’ value ‘QBMobile’
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Config: added ‘scan_ssid’ value ‘1’
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: <info> Config: added ‘key_mgmt’ value ‘NONE’
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: nm_supplicant_interface_set_config: assertion `NM_IS_SUPPLICANT_INTERFACE (self)’ failed
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: real_act_stage2_config(): Activation (wlan0/wireless): couldn’t send wireless configuration to the supplicant.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: (wlan0): device state change: 5 → 9
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: Activation (wlan0) failed for access point (QBMobile)
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: Marking connection ‘QBMobile’ invalid.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: Activation (wlan0) failed.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: (wlan0): device state change: 9 → 3
Jan 13 13:09:16 libertad NetworkManager: (wlan0): deactivating device.

I see this a lot of times in /var/log/NetworkManager:
Jan 13 12:52:42 libertad NetworkManager: nm_supplicant_interface_get_connection_state: assertion NM_IS_SUPPLICANT_INTERFACE (self)' failed Jan 13 12:52:42 libertad NetworkManager: nm_supplicant_interface_request_scan: assertion NM_IS_SUPPLICANT_INTERFACE (self)’ failed

Manually, I can see the wireless network:

# iwlist wlan0 scanning
wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:12:7F:99:6D:80
                    ESSID:"QBMobile"
                    Mode:Master
                    Channel:9
                    Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
                    Quality=67/100  Signal level=-66 dBm  Noise level=-127 dBm
                    Encryption key:off
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
                              11 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:tsf=0000069d51e4c1f5

lwfinger · January 13, 2009, 5:18pm

It looks as if you do not have wpa_supplicant installed. Although your
network is unencrypted, NetworkManager needs the supplicant to work.
No, I do not know why, but as I use WPA2 I don’t have a choice anyway.

Larry

user · January 16, 2009, 1:17pm

I do have wpa_supplicant installed: wpa_supplicant-0.5.10-37.1

I also use networks with WPA. I’ve tried one without security as another test.

Thanks anyway. Any other idea?

lwfinger · January 16, 2009, 3:24pm

pruna wrote:
> I do have wpa_supplicant installed: wpa_supplicant-0.5.10-37.1
>
> I also use networks with WPA. I’ve tried one without security as
> another test.
>
> Thanks anyway. Any other idea?

I’m not an expert on the Intel wifi devices; however, there have been
many improvements since 2.6.25. You might try downloading and building
the compat-wireless package, which has the latest drivers from
wireless-testing.

else_where · January 16, 2009, 7:07pm

I’d also suggest disabling NM and seeing if you can configure a wireless connection (WPA if possible) via Yast standard configuration. This is usually the first step I take to rule out wifi issues between the driver and NM. If you can establish a connection the old-fashioned way, then you’ll have a better idea of where the problem lies.

Just my 2c…

Cheers,
KV

user · January 23, 2009, 6:22pm

I didn’t find compat-wireless in YaST, and I know this is something that was working.
Using traditional (ifup) commands it works ok.

I’ve already re-installed NetworkManager, so I don’t know where could be the problem.

Thanks

lwfinger · January 23, 2009, 7:32pm

pruna wrote:
> I didn’t find compat-wireless in YaST, and I know this is something that
> was working.
> Using traditional (ifup) commands it works ok.
>
> I’ve already re-installed NetworkManager, so I don’t know where could
> be the problem.

If it works with ifup, then the driver is OK and compat-wireless won’t
be needed.

For the record, compat-wireless is not in YaST. It is the latest
drivers from the bleeding-edge wireless development tree packaged for
older kernels. It is updated daily - you will find it here:

http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Download

The downloaded material is source only. You will need to have make,
gcc and the kernel headers installed. Some users have also needed to
install the kernel source.

Larry

blender1968 · January 27, 2009, 4:54am

Try wicd instead of NetworkManager

Download/install gksu-2.0.0-16.3.i586.rpm wicd-1.5.8-4.1.i586.rpm libgksu2-0-2.0.5-12.3.i586.rpm

from Index of /repositories/home:/dmitry_serpokryl:/Enlightenment-cvs-core-metapackage

and then reboot (to get wicd in system tray).

NetworkManager was flaky for me - switched to wicd which I’ve used on my work computer running Linux Mint for a long time…

Cheers