Re: Wireless problem on F8 -- can't access secured networks

Quoting Tod Merley <todbot88@xxxxxxxxx>:

On Nov 30, 2007 8:43 AM, Tom Stewart <fedora@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've installed F8 on an IBM ThinkPad R40 with an IBM High Rate
wireless card. The wireless card is recognized as an Atheros AR5212.
NetworkManager starts up fine, and I can connect to unencrypted AP's
OK (like my neighbor's), but I can't connect to protected networks
(like mine).

I've previously had Windows XP then Ubuntu on this box, and neither
had a problem connecting, so I am pretty confident that it's not a
hardware/compatibility issue. I've configured wpa_supplicant to run
via Service Configuration, which tells me that it is running. WPA
passphrases seem to get stored in the keyring OK.

In attempting to troubleshoot this, here's what I've discovered. When
booting, there is a fairly long delay, which causes the Details window
to pop up automatically. The delay is in starting wpa_supplicant, and
in fact, an error is noted:

Starting wpa_supplicant: /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf, ,
dbus_bus_get[ctrl_iface_dbus]: No such file or directory

Now, there is a file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf, owned by
root and with rw permissions for owner. I haven't touched this, and I
assume it is correct. So I wonder if the dbus_bus_get[ctrl_iface_dbus]
is the thing that's complaining. Searching on that string yields [1]
some source code:

        /* Get a reference to the system bus */
        dbus_error_init(&error);
        iface->con = dbus_bus_get(DBUS_BUS_SYSTEM, &error);
        dbus_error_free(&error);
        if (!iface->con) {
                perror("dbus_bus_get[ctrl_iface_dbus]");
                wpa_printf(MSG_ERROR, "Could not acquire the system bus.");
                goto fail;
        }

which looks like it might print that string followed by an error, but
then it should also be displaying (somewhere?) the "Could not acquire
the system bus." which I haven't found.

The other data point I have is that in the system log, when attempting
to connect, I see the following error msg:

Nov 18 20:56:29 think NetworkManager: <info>  Device 'wlan0' DHCP
transaction took too long (>45s), stopping it.

Can anyone help me get my wireless up and running on this guy? Where
do I go next?

[1]
http://www.koders.com/c/fid085500CFE02FD84CFEB332AE71A50A1E37F81D1A.aspx?s=base64

--Tom


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Hi Tom Stewart!

I am working on the same problem, so far I have not gotten arround to
trying the results of the following research.  For what it is worth:

Here:

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=171361

I found:

Originally Posted by c0d3g33k
Yes, you can use the old NetworkManager, and yes it does work better
than the current P.O.S. ... err, ummm, work in progress.

You have to uninstall the current NetworkManager and dependencies,
then find a Fedora mirror that still has the 7.90 test release and
install the networkmanager components. You'll suffer from constant
nagging from the Update utility, but your wireless networking will
actually be functional.

NOTE!!!!: Download the necessary packages first if your network
connection depends on NetworkManager.

I don't recall exactly what is removed, but a "yum erase
NetworkManager" will take care of the dependencies for you.

From the Fedora 7.90 mirror download:

NetworkManager
knetworkmanager
krb5-auth-dialog
dhcdbd
dhclient

If you are running Gnome, you probably want to grab
NetworkManager-glib and NetworkManager-gnome too (I'm running KDE, so
don't need them).

Install them using "yum localinstall <packages>" and enjoy functional
networking again.


BINGO! Thanks man. This worked like a charm. The only difference was,
I used rpm instead of yum. I was having issues with yum wanting to
remove pidgin as well. Just as a note, pidgin still works (just opened
it and things logged in, nothing more). Here's what I ran:

sudo rpm --nodeps -e NetworkManager NetworkManager-glib
NetworkManager-gnome krb5-auth-dialog nautilus-sendto

Hopefully, they'll get that fixed very soon and release an update. Not
sure why this wasn't noticed in the release candidates?

Anyway, makes me feel better. Lol... I was thinking it was something much more.

I had read this, but there was at least one negative experience, IIRC.
Also, I really didn't want to go down this route of downdating if it
can be avoided.

Another Path:

Jacques B   Nov 9
Reply

Got wireless to work with WPA-PSK.  The solution was at
http://fedoraforum.org/forum/showpost.php?p=857006&postcount=52

As root I edited /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf so that it
contained the following:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=wheel
 network={
  ssid="your ssid"
  psk="your passphrase"
  key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
  proto=WPA
 }


The first two lines were already there.  I added the remaining lines
as per the the instructions on the site above.

I then ran
# ifconfig wlan0 up
# wpa_supplicant -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd
(the process didn't exit so it seemed, but after doing the next
command successfully I was able to close this window anyhow).

Then in another terminal window as root I ran
# dhclient wlan0

I could then close both the windows and the wireless worked.  I went
into system-config-network-gui (either via command line or via System,
Administrator, Network) and ensured that my wireless card was checked
off so that it will start up on reboot (haven't rebooted yet but I am
fairly confident it will work - if not I will repost to that effect -
otherwise it worked).

Jacques B.

I had also tried something like this, but these directions are more
complete. Will try & will report back.

But also, there is clearly something wrong here, and if possible, I'd

Thanks for the pointers, Tod.

--Tom

Good Hunting!

Tod

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