Strange messages when connecting to a wireless network

Until yesterday I had only 1 saved wireless network on my PC, my home’s. I have it configured so it won’t connect automatically, so every time I restart I manually select the network and it connects by itself.

But today I added one more wireless network, the office’s, which is right by where I live, so I can see both networks at the same time. I suddenly had to restart, and I noticed it connected automatically with no problems, I had forgotten to disable this setting for this connection. So unchecked it, restarted, it didn’t connect. When manually selecting this new network the system bumped a message saying something like “log-in password deposit didn’t start when logging in” and asks me root pass, so I enter my password. Then another message saying “this connection requires authentication, enter the network’s pass”, but I notice the pass is already there, although censured (only visible as big points), so I just hit the button Connect. And it does.

What is kind of annoying me is, I have both networks configured as not connecting automatically. My home’s network connects with no problems when just selecting it, but when selecting the office’s network the system always bumps those 2 messages before it can connect.
Why is it happening? Because I have now 2 saved networks, because each network is different and has different requirements, or any other cause?

I’m on openSUSE 12.1 x64, using GNOME 3.2.
Thanks for your help.

EDIT: after doing some tests connecting to a network and after that connecting to the other, I noticed the office network keeps bumping the password deposit message, but no longer asked me the networks authentication pass. I’m getting confused…

F style wrote:

>
> Until yesterday I had only 1 saved wireless network on my PC, my home’s.
> I have it configured so it won’t connect automatically, so every time I
> restart I manually select the network and it connects by itself.
>
> But today I added one more wireless network, the office’s, which is
> right by where I live, so I can see both networks at the same time. I
> restarted and it connected automatically with no problems, I had
> forgotten to disable this setting for this connection. So unchecked it,
> restarted, it didn’t connect. When selecting this new network the system
> bumped a message saying something like “password deposit didn’t start
> when logging in, root password is required”, so I enter my password.
> Then another message saying “this connection requires authentication,
> enter the network’s pass”, but I notice the pass is already there,
> although censured (only visible as big points), so I just hit the button
> Connect. And it does.
>
> What is kind of annoying me is, I have both networks configured as not
> connecting automatically. My home’s network connects with no problems
> when just selecting it, but when selecting the office’s network the
> system always bumps those 2 messages before it can connect.
> Why is it happening? Because I have now 2 saved networks, because each
> network is different and has different requirements, or any other
> cause?
>
> I’m on openSUSE 12.1 x64, using GNOME 3.2.
> Thanks for your help.
>
>
> –
> F_style
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> F_style’s Profile: http://forums.opensuse.org/member.php?userid=50773
> View this thread: http://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php?t=475446

Make sure it’s selected as a System Connection
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/SUSE%20Misc/kde-wireless-new.png

That’s why I always mention my specifications when making a new thread. In GNOME that seems to be a bit different:
SUSE Paste
How would you do on GNOME?

After few more tests, I realized another difference between both networks. Home network doesn’t ask for authentication to connect, but it does when I want to edit it. Office network asks for authentication to connect, but it doesn’t when I want to edit.

If it means something, home’s is a Huawei router, while office’s is a 2Wire.
Any clue about all of this?

On Mon, 21 May 2012 05:26:02 +0000, F style wrote:

> After few more tests, I realized another difference between both
> networks. Home network doesn’t ask for authentication to connect, but it
> does when I want to edit it. Office network asks for authentication to
> connect, but it doesn’t when I want to edit.
>
> If it means something, home’s is a Huawei router, while office’s is a
> 2Wire.
> Any clue about all of this?

GNOME 2/3 has always used the gnome-keyring to store wifi credentials,
but if you automatically login, then the keyring isn’t unlocked (it
expects the password to have been entered, and with autologon, then it
won’t be unlocked).

I’m guessing that’s the authentication prompt you’re seeing - I get the
same thing on mine connecting to authenticated networks (my home and all
the work networks I’ve connected to are configured for at least WPA2
personal, if not WPA2 enterprise).

Jim


Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

Guess that GNOME-keyring is similar to KDE’s wallet…

I have indeed my system set to automatically logging in (without entering my password), since I’m the only one who uses it.
Both of my connections are WEP.

You say the authentication prompt I see is because I’m logging in automatically and the keyring isn’t unlocked. Then why doesn’t my home’s network ask me for authentication, and only the office’s does? Also, why does the first one asks for it only when trying to edit? The second one doesn’t ask it for editing, but that’s because it already asked for it when connecting…

On Mon, 21 May 2012 17:06:03 +0000, F style wrote:

> Guess that GNOME-keyring is similar to KDE’s wallet…

More or less analogous, yes. :slight_smile:

> I have indeed my system set to automatically logging in (without
> entering my password), since I’m the only one who uses it.
> Both of my connections are WEP.
>
> You say the authentication prompt I see is because I’m logging in
> automatically and the keyring isn’t unlocked. Then why doesn’t my home’s
> network ask me for authentication, and only the office’s does? Also, why
> does the first one asks for it only when trying to edit? The second one
> doesn’t ask it for editing, but that’s because it already asked for it
> when connecting…

I misunderstood - I thought you said that your home network didn’t have
authentication on it at all.

I do remember seeing some weirdness from older versions of NetworkManager
in GNOME - what version do you have installed?

Jim


Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

According to Yast’s Software Manager, it’s NetworkManager 0.1.9.90-4.8.1 from repo Updates for openSUSE.

On Mon, 21 May 2012 19:26:02 +0000, F style wrote:

> According to Yast’s Software Manager, it’s NetworkManager 0.1.9.90-4.8.1
> from repo Updates for openSUSE.

OK, you’re on the same version I’m on.

Does changing the autologon setting to disabled change the behaviour?
Let’s try that first and see if it is indeed something to do with the
keyring.

Jim

Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

Results of tests:

  1. Yes, disabling autologon changed office’s behavior. No longer asked for auth for connecting, but neither for editing. While home’s kept asking for auth for editing.

  2. Enabled autologon again, but this time before connecting to any of the 2 networks, in GNOME I went to Applications, System Tools, Network Connections, Wireless tab. From the SUSE Paste I posted here before I confirmed something I had in mind: there was a difference between the 2 networks settings. This difference was: “Available for all users” was enabled in home’s network, but disabled in office’s network. Guess when I first connected to office’s NetworkManager gave this setting to it by default…

So I checked this option, so both networks were available for all users, and both don’t connect automatically. Restarted, and now office’s networks seems to finally have the same behavior as home’s.

Now a detail is, for example, I first connect to home’s. Then I decide to disconnect and use the office’s, so what I just do is selecting office’s network from the icon. It connects, but now home’s is gone from the icon’s network list! And it happens also viceversa… I have to restart to see both networks again.

Also, I still don’t know how to set a network as System Connection on GNOME (mr. Caf’s advise, which I don’t know neither what would it be for…)

On 05/21/2012 04:36 PM, F style wrote:

> Now a detail is, for example, I first connect to home’s. Then I decide
> to disconnect and use the office’s, so what I just do is selecting
> office’s network from the icon. It connects, but now home’s is gone from
> the icon’s network list! And it happens also viceversa… I have to
> restart to see both networks again.

That is a NetworkManager bug, not something with openSUSE. You can unload and
reload the wireless driver if you wish, rather than restarting (I assume you
mean reboot.).

On Mon, 21 May 2012 21:36:02 +0000, F style wrote:

> So I checked this option, so both networks were available for all users,
> and both don’t connect automatically. Restarted, and now office’s
> networks seems to finally have the same behavior as home’s.

Awesome - I was just starting to head down that route when I saw this
piece of the message. :slight_smile:

So that’s good news.

> Now a detail is, for example, I first connect to home’s. Then I decide
> to disconnect and use the office’s, so what I just do is selecting
> office’s network from the icon. It connects, but now home’s is gone from
> the icon’s network list! And it happens also viceversa… I have to
> restart to see both networks again.

Once you’re connected to one, pop open a terminal window and run:

iwlist scan

Do both networks show up?

Are both networks configured to advertise their ESSID/SSID?

Jim


Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

Logged as root using su, tried your advise, output was this:

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: (Mac Address of the network)
                    Channel:1
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=32/70  Signal level=-78 dBm  
                    Encryption key:on
                    ESSID:"(Name of network)"    **this is home's network**
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
                              18 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=00000006c6afb12b
                    Extra: Last beacon: 471ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 000D494E46494E4954554D34663361
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B961224486C
                    IE: Unknown: 030101
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0104
                    IE: Unknown: 32040C183060
                    IE: Unknown: 2D1A0C0117FF000000000000000000000000000000000C0000000000
                    IE: Unknown: 3D1601000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
                    IE: Unknown: 3E0100
                    IE: Unknown: DD180050F2020101000003A4000027A4000042435E0062322F00
                    IE: Unknown: 0B050000077A12
                    IE: Unknown: 7F0101
                    IE: Unknown: DD07000C4304000000
                    IE: Unknown: 07064D5820010B10
                    IE: Unknown: DD1E00904C330C0117FF000000000000000000000000000000000C0000000000
                    IE: Unknown: DD1A00904C3401000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
          Cell 02 - Address: (Mac Address)
                    Channel:6
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    Quality=37/70  Signal level=-73 dBm  
                    Encryption key:on
                    ESSID:"(Name of network)"     **this is office's network**
                    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
                    Bit Rates:24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=0000056d8dd7cfa3
                    Extra: Last beacon: 52ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 000D494E46494E4954554D34323639
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B0C12961824
                    IE: Unknown: 030106
                    IE: Unknown: 0706555320010B1B
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                    IE: Unknown: 32043048606C

Does this say something? Though I don’t know why more “unknowns” in home’s network…

On 05/21/2012 10:46 PM, F style wrote:
>
> Logged as root using su, tried your advise, output was this:
>
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> lo Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> eth0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.
>
> wlan0 Scan completed :
> Cell 01 - Address: (Mac Address of the network)
> Channel:1
> Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
> Quality=32/70 Signal level=-78 dBm
> Encryption key:on
> ESSID:"(Name of network)" this is home’s network
> Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
> 18 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
> Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
> Mode:Master
> Extra:tsf=00000006c6afb12b
> Extra: Last beacon: 471ms ago
> IE: Unknown: 000D494E46494E4954554D34663361
> IE: Unknown: 010882848B961224486C
> IE: Unknown: 030101
> IE: Unknown: 2A0104
> IE: Unknown: 32040C183060
> IE: Unknown: 2D1A0C0117FF000000000000000000000000000000000C0000000000
> IE: Unknown: 3D1601000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
> IE: Unknown: 3E0100
> IE: Unknown: DD180050F2020101000003A4000027A4000042435E0062322F00
> IE: Unknown: 0B050000077A12
> IE: Unknown: 7F0101
> IE: Unknown: DD07000C4304000000
> IE: Unknown: 07064D5820010B10
> IE: Unknown: DD1E00904C330C0117FF000000000000000000000000000000000C0000000000
> IE: Unknown: DD1A00904C3401000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
> Cell 02 - Address: (Mac Address)
> Channel:6
> Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
> Quality=37/70 Signal level=-73 dBm
> Encryption key:on
> ESSID:"(Name of network)" this is office’s network
> 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
> Bit Rates:24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
> Mode:Master
> Extra:tsf=0000056d8dd7cfa3
> Extra: Last beacon: 52ms ago
> IE: Unknown: 000D494E46494E4954554D34323639
> IE: Unknown: 010882848B0C12961824
> IE: Unknown: 030106
> IE: Unknown: 0706555320010B1B
> IE: Unknown: 2A0100
> IE: Unknown: 32043048606C
> --------------------
>
>
> Does this say something? Though I don’t know why more “unknowns” in
> home’s network…

It says that the driver is working!!! Any missing networks in the NM applet
display is strictly an NM/applet problem.

Your home AP is sending more Information Elements (IEs) than the one at work.
The important ones are decoded in the listing. The unknowns can be ignored.