F9 Disconnects with NM and WPA

stryc9 · #1 14th August 2008, 10:57 PM

I seem to be able to connect to open wireless access points no problem, but when I hook up to my network that uses WPA I get frequent disconnects.

Currently I am using Network Manager. I tried wlassistant and that didn't help.

here is my card:

Code:

05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

I am not sure what logs or other files would be useful, I am a bit of a linux noob. Let me know what info you need and I will get it for you.

scottro · #2 15th August 2008, 12:29 AM

The trouble is that the 242x could either be a 5006, 5007 or something else.

If you still have Windows on the machine, take a look at its device manager. (Unfortunately, lspci doesn't yet properly see this card. )

It's interesting--someone else had a similar problem--at the time, I assumed he had a 5007, because his card wouldn't work at all out of the box. The last thing he posted was that his friend had suggested rebooting the router and that he was going to try that, but we never heard back from him.

In this case, unless you're running rawhide, (and if you're a newcomer, you shouldn't be)

I'm guessing it's the 5006 because it is working.

stryc9 · #3 16th August 2008, 03:32 AM

Yes, it is a:

Atheros AR5006EX Wireless Network Adapter

funny thing is if I am not using the internet it seems to stay connected, but when i try to download something or do a yum update or something it keeps disconnecting again and again. Even when I have a strong connection it will do this.

Any ideas, or any more information you would like?

kevin tough · #4 11th October 2008, 03:36 PM

For about the last month I have a similar problem. My wireless, when it connects, stays connected for about 15-20 minutes and then disconnects. The password that then shows up in the network manager is a 64 digit password. I have no idea where it has come from. My password for the router/wlan is only 16 digits.
If I play around long enough I may, or used to be able to, get it to connect again normally after a new boot. Then again the same problem after 15-20 minutes.
At this point I just look for a cable.

F9 had been my best wireless experience until this complication. Yes, sad to say but windows still connects without problems with the router/wlan.

I suspect a Fedora update has changed something for the worse but with my limited experience I do not know where to look.

I'd be very greatfull for any tips.

Namaste,

Kevin Tough

rockstarr · #5 11th October 2008, 04:34 PM

There may be a problem with the ath5k/5006 driver combo. If that's what you're using, you might try swapping it out with the old school madwifi ath_pci driver compiled for your kernel.

kevin tough · #6 11th October 2008, 08:58 PM

Well here is some more info. I found an article that suggested this command. Still the question remains why does fedora stick a 64 digit password in where my 16 digit password should be.

Here is the result of "iwlist scan":

[root@localhost ~]# iwlist scan
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:1B:11:FE:40:1E
ESSID:"M2003"
Mode:Master
Channel:8
Frequency:2.447 GHz (Channel 8)
Quality=42/100 Signal level:-84 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:on
IE: WPA Version 1
Group Cipher : TKIP
Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=0000003e6dad6183
Extra: Last beacon: 1751ms ago
Cell 02 - Address: 00:04:0E

1:F0:E4
ESSID:"FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7141"
Mode:Master
Channel:6
Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
Quality=28/100 Signal level:-92 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:on
IE: WPA Version 1
Group Cipher : TKIP
Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=00000000aef51233
Extra: Last beacon: 1999ms ago
Cell 03 - Address: 00:1D:19:BA:B1:82
ESSID:"Arcor-OLJVBY"
Mode:Master
Channel:9
Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
Quality=38/100 Signal level:-86 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:on
IE: WPA Version 1
Group Cipher : TKIP
Pairwise Ciphers (2) : TKIP CCMP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
Group Cipher : TKIP
Pairwise Ciphers (2) : TKIP CCMP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
Preauthentication Supported
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=00000481798740d6
Extra: Last beacon: 1690ms ago
Cell 04 - Address: 00:90:4C:7E:00:64
ESSID:"NETGEAR"
Mode:Master
Channel:11
Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
Quality=37/100 Signal level:-87 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:off
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=000005113e47f189
Extra: Last beacon: 1370ms ago
Cell 05 - Address: 00:15:0C:23

B:46
ESSID:"FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7050"
Mode:Master
Channel:3
Frequency:2.422 GHz (Channel 3)
Quality=48/100 Signal level:-80 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:on
IE: WPA Version 1
Group Cipher : TKIP
Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=000000114509f1bc
Extra: Last beacon: 2513ms ago
Cell 06 - Address: 00:01:36:0B:88

3
ESSID:""
Mode:Master
Channel:6
Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
Quality=28/100 Signal level:-92 dBm Noise level=-127 dBm
Encryption key:on
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:tsf=0000001b928861dd
Extra: Last beacon: 2011ms ago

pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

[root@localhost ~]#

Iron_Mike · #7 12th October 2008, 12:11 AM

Two issues come to mind. To test it, try changing your router to broadcasting the "SSID" and try changing the WPA passphrase to something simple like "123456" .

Mike

NoEffex · #8 12th October 2008, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stryc9

Yes, it is a:

Atheros AR5006EX Wireless Network Adapter

funny thing is if I am not using the internet it seems to stay connected, but when i try to download something or do a yum update or something it keeps disconnecting again and again. Even when I have a strong connection it will do this.

Any ideas, or any more information you would like?

I had literally the same problem while using rawhide with b43 drivers and WEP. I had to reinstall f9 to solve it.

stryc9 · #9 12th October 2008, 09:32 PM

On a tip from other forum posts I tried switching my wireless from TKIP to AES and this has fixed the frequent disconnect problems.

Perhaps give that a shot, if you can, and see if that helps.

NoEffex · #10 13th October 2008, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stryc9

On a tip from other forum posts I tried switching my wireless from TKIP to AES and this has fixed the frequent disconnect problems.

Perhaps give that a shot, if you can, and see if that helps.

Pardon my nubbiness, but what in the world are those? Like, I totally recognize them, but they're in the back of my head, and google is being mean to me today.

scottro · #11 13th October 2008, 01:50 AM

They are two forms of encryption. Depending upon your router, you may have the choice between using one or the other in the router's configuration.

PolywogSys · #12 18th December 2008, 12:17 AM

I have the identical problem with each and every card I've tried.
It's either something wrong with the WPA Supplicant or a driver problem. NetworkManager people are not taking responsibility for it even though patching the code to increase the timeout would help because they say the problem is upstream. I don't think it's a driver problem because it's happening with tons of different cards.
If you google this, it's been happening for years, and still unresolved.
Yet some people, have no issues... my friend's laptop (with built-in wireless) was able to get online and stay online with my AP running WPA1, without issues.

kevin tough · #13 19th December 2008, 03:43 PM

I struggled with the wireless problem for several weeks and did not find a solution. Along came an update and my problem vanished.

Thanks Fedora and/or Redhat crew!

Let the thoroughbred run!

Kevin Tough

Thoroughbred: Ya, Fedora is a thoroughbred. Sometimes a little head strong but when it performs you will be at the head of the pack.

PolywogSys · #14 19th December 2008, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin tough

I struggled with the wireless problem for several weeks and did not find a solution. Along came an update and my problem vanished.

So not fair.