Can't connect to any wireless networks

From my experience with NetworkManager this happens when you enter the wrong key (or enter in the wrong way).

With WEP there is no way to tell if the password is wrong. This is due to its defective design. So NetworkManager just accepts the key as is and then waits for the router to send a packet with an IP address assignment, if there is no DHCP packet within a timeout NM assumes that the password must be wrong. And it shows the password dialog again.

So, make sure you got the key right, and that you use the right key type.

a 10 place key with 0-9a-f is 64-bit hex
a 26 place key with 0-9a-f is 128-bit hex
a 5 place key with ASCII letters is 64-bit ASCII
a 13 place key with ASCII letters is 128-bit ASCII

and finally it can be "Passphrase", which is an obfuscated hash scheme and can be everything, including the above.

Well I have no idea how to tell which key type it should be but regardless, I stilll can't even connect on unencrypted networks. Could I be doing something else wrong?

If you can't connect to unencrypted networks, then my guess above was not your problem.
So, if other computers can use this wireless network (i.e., the network does what it should), it may be a driver problem.

What is your driver? You can find out by right clicking the NM applet → Connection Information.

I am having the same exact problem. I cannot connect to encrypted or unencrypted networks. Have you been able to find a solution?

No I haven't found a solution but I really hope I do as my wifi is pretty much useless right now. I must be doing something really stupid if it just doesn't work. Last time I checked, I couldn't even connect to unencrypted networks. It just kept trying to acquire an IP address. My drivers are all up to date and stuff I just don't know what the problem is.

So, what is your driver? Maybe we can work out better what’s wrong if we know that.

I am a noob but here is what I think you're asking for:

stephen@stephen-laptop:~$ lspci | grep -i network
02:03.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter (rev 04)

Is that what you're looking for? If not, how would I get it?

Ok Wunderkind, this is very good. I used to have Intel PRO 2100 and it works very nicely with the ipw2100 driver. It should "just work".

Can you try something to figure out what's going on?
In a terminal window type this:

sudo killall NetworkManager
sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon

Then try to connect to your access point. Wait until it times out and post the complete output.

This is what I got for the first command:

brady@brady-laptop:~$ lspci | grep -i network
02:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Unknown device 8199 (rev 22)
brady@brady-laptop:~$

Here's a link to the drivers I'm using for my MSI Wind: http://forums.msiwind.net/download/file.php?id=103

I can't try the second command as I don't have a wireless access point near me at the moment.

On Mo, 2008-07-28 at 04:28 +0000, mavsman4457 wrote:

> brady@brady-laptop:~$ lspci | grep -i network
> 02:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Unknown device 8199 (rev 22)
> brady@brady-laptop:~$
>
> Here's a link to the drivers I'm using for my MSI Wind:
> http://forums.msiwind.net/download/file.php?id=103

So you have an MSI Wind. I don’t know anything about it nor about the driver.
 But a quick Google brought up this wiki page.
http://wiki.msiwind.net/index.php/Ubuntu_8.04_Hardy_Heron#Option_2:_Compiling_Drivers_for_the_Supplied_Wireless_Card

Can you retry compiling the driver with the sources they propose there?

Alright so I compiled those sources and followed all those instructions but still no luck. I was within range of a network and tried to connect to it but to no avail. There was no encryption on the network and it was at 58% signal strength so it should have worked flawlessly. Is there some small thing that I could be stupidly missing? It seems like everything is right but I just can't connect. This same thing happened with my PC when I tried to get that to work with wifi.

I think your best source of information yet is the cited wiki page.
They specifically address your laptop, your wireless card, the driver and the distro and tool you are having problems with (viz NetworkManager on Ubuntu Hardy). On the wiki page there was a link to a MSI Wind specific forum. Why don’t you post there? I think other Wind owners will be a lot better informed than people around here.

BTW, 58% on a access point you don’t know more about is not a sure way to confirm it didn’t work. It depends on how the card reports signal strength, but for my card 58% is rather low.
Perhaps you want to test with a closer AP as well?

Okay, well I can't do any of this until I get home to my computer, but here are things that may be useful to know:

I didn't have any of these problems until a few days ago. I had been using Network Manager just fine until suddenly I was unable to connect to any networks, password or not. At the same time, a few nearby networks in my area disappeared and were no longer listed by Network Manager.

Also, in the process of trying to fix it, I uninstalled Network Manager (oops). I was able to reinstall it and I have the latest version but it refuses to show up in my taskbar (is that what it's called?) like it used to.

Tobias, I will try your instructions in about 9 hours or so and let you know how it goes. In the meantime, if you know how to get the Network Manager icon to reappear, it would make it easier. Talk to you soon.

Wunderkid, hold your horses. The previous posts were solely intended to address mavsman4457 issue. His problem is one of an odd driver.

Your problem isn’t entirely clear yet.
So to figure it all out let us check the following:

Open two terminal windows:

sudo killall NetworkManager NetworkManagerDispatcher nm-applet
   # now all NM components are stopped.
sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon
   # and in the other terminal
nm-applet

I would like you to post the complete output of both NetworkManager (the backend) and nm-applet (the little network icon in the notification area)

It looks like the problem is in the middle section, after I entered "sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon" ....

stephen@stephen-laptop:~$ sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon
[sudo] password for stephen:
NetworkManager: <info> starting...
NetworkManager: <info> eth1: Device is fully-supported using driver 'ipw2100'.
NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): waiting for device's worker thread to start
NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): device's worker thread started, continuing.
NetworkManager: <info> Now managing wireless (802.11) device 'eth1'.
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
NetworkManager: <info> eth0: Device is fully-supported using driver 'b44'.
NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): waiting for device's worker thread to start
NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): device's worker thread started, continuing.
NetworkManager: <info> Now managing wired Ethernet (802.3) device 'eth0'.
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth0.
^TNetworkManager: <info> Updating allowed wireless network lists.
NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288823.989620] nm_device_802_11_wireless_get_activation_ap(): Forcing AP '14SC7'
NetworkManager: <info> User Switch: /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/eth1 / 14SC7
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
NetworkManager: <info> Device eth1 activation scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) started...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): access point '14SC7' is encrypted, but NO valid key exists. New key needed.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network '14SC7'.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key for network '14SC7' received.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): access point '14SC7' is encrypted, and a key exists. No new key needed.
NetworkManager: <info> supplicant_interface_init() - connect to global ctrl socket (0/10).
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'INTERFACE_ADD eth1 wext /var/run/wpa_supplicant4 '
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> supplicant_init() - connect to device ctrl socket (1/10).
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'AP_SCAN 1'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ADD_NETWORK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was '0'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 ssid 3134534337'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 key_mgmt NONE'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 wep_key0 <key>'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 wep_tx_keyidx 0'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ENABLE_NETWORK 0'
NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Associated with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54
CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 completed (auth) [id=0 id_str=]
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Connected to access point '14SC7'.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Beginning DHCP transaction.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete.
NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 12 (successfully started) for interface eth1
Trying to associate with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 (SSID='14SC7' freq=2452 MHz)
ioctl[SIOCSIWFREQ]: Operation not supported
Association request to the driver failed
CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - remove keys
NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 1 (starting) for interface eth1
Associated with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54
CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 completed (reauth) [id=0 id_str=]
NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 9 (fail) for interface eth1
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) started...
NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288884.923604] real_act_stage4_ip_config_timeout(): Activation (eth1/wireless): could not get IP configuration info for '14SC7', asking for new key.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network '14SC7'.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) complete.
NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 14 (normal exit) for interface eth1
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key request for network '14SC7' was canceled.
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) failure scheduled...
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) failed for access point (14SC7)
NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) failed.
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING - signal 15 received
sendmsg(CTRL_IFACE monitor): No such file or directory
NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_signal_handler(): Caught signal 2, shutting down normally.
NetworkManager: <info> Caught terminiation signal
NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288907.096851] nm_print_open_socks(): Open Sockets List:
NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288907.097124] nm_print_open_socks(): Open Sockets List Done.
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth0.
-----------------------------------------------------
When I entered "nm-applet", it prompted me to install network-manager-gnome, which I did.

> "sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon" ....
>
> stephen@stephen-laptop:~$ sudo NetworkManager --no-daemon
> [sudo] password for stephen:
> NetworkManager: <info> starting...
> NetworkManager: <info> eth1: Device is fully-supported using driver 'ipw2100'.
> NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): waiting for device's worker thread to start
> NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): device's worker thread started, continuing.
> NetworkManager: <info> Now managing wireless (802.11) device 'eth1'.
> NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
> NetworkManager: <info> eth0: Device is fully-supported using driver 'b44'.
> NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): waiting for device's worker thread to start
> NetworkManager: <info> nm_device_init(): device's worker thread started, continuing.
> NetworkManager: <info> Now managing wired Ethernet (802.3) device 'eth0'.
> NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth0.
> NetworkManager: <info> Updating allowed wireless network lists.
> NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288823.989620] nm_device_802_11_wireless_get_activation_ap(): Forcing AP '14SC7'
> NetworkManager: <info> User Switch: /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/eth1 / 14SC7
> NetworkManager: <info> Deactivating device eth1.
> NetworkManager: <info> Device eth1 activation scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) started...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): access point '14SC7' is encrypted, but NO valid key exists. New key needed.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network '14SC7'.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key for network '14SC7' received.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): access point '14SC7' is encrypted, and a key exists. No new key needed.
> NetworkManager: <info> supplicant_interface_init() - connect to global ctrl socket (0/10).
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'INTERFACE_ADD eth1 wext /var/run/wpa_supplicant4 '
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> supplicant_init() - connect to device ctrl socket (1/10).
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'AP_SCAN 1'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ADD_NETWORK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was '0'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 ssid 3134534337'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 key_mgmt NONE'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 wep_key0 <key>'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 wep_tx_keyidx 0'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ENABLE_NETWORK 0'
> NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
> Associated with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54

All fine up to this line. Association means you have a loose connection
with the AP. No data transfer yet.

> CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 completed (auth) [id=0 id_str=]
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Connected to access point '14SC7'.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Beginning DHCP transaction.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete.
> NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 12 (successfully started) for interface eth1
> Trying to associate with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 (SSID='14SC7' freq=2452 MHz)
> ioctl[SIOCSIWFREQ]: Operation not supported
> Association request to the driver failed
> CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - remove keys
> NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 1 (starting) for interface eth1
> Associated with 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54
> CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:0f:b3:bc:80:54 completed (reauth) [id=0 id_str=]
> NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 9 (fail) for interface eth1
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) scheduled...
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) started...
> NetworkManager: <debug> [1217288884.923604] real_act_stage4_ip_config_timeout(): Activation (eth1/wireless): could not get IP configuration info for '14SC7', asking for new key.

And this is where it asks for a key again. This really sounds like my
hunch in the first post. Can you please double-check that you entered
the key right? If it is wrong failing to get an IP address is used by NM
as an indication that the key is incorrect.
Or, alternatively, are you sure that there is a DHCP server running on
the access point? NetworkManager 0.6.x can only be used with automatic
networks not with a manually configured static IP.

> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network '14SC7'.
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) complete.
> NetworkManager: <info> DHCP daemon state is now 14 (normal exit) for interface eth1
> NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key request for network '14SC7' was canceled.