How To: Manual Network Configuration without the need for Network Manager

[fretnoise]

Doesn't work for my WPA setup (Atheros chipset).

Here's the commands I've run and their outputs:

--> lshw -C network

*-network:0 DISABLED
description: Ethernet interface
product: 82801DB PRO/100 VE (LOM) Ethernet Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 8
bus info: pci@0000:02:08.0
logical name: eth0
version: 81
serial: 00:07:e9:e9:96:f1
size: 10MB/s
capacity: 100MB/s
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e100 driverversion=3.5.17-k4-NAPI duplex=half firmware=N/A latency=64 link=no maxlatency=56 mingnt=8 module=e100 multicast=yes port=MII speed=10MB/s
*-network:1 DISABLED
description: Wireless interface
product: AR2413 802.11bg NIC
vendor: Atheros Communications, Inc.
physical id: c
bus info: pci@0000:02:0c.0
logical name: wifi0
version: 01
serial: 00:11:50:6f:a3:1e
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath_pci driverversion=0.9.4.5 (0.9.3.2) latency=168 maxlatency=28 mingnt=10 module=ath_pci multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g


so, from the how to, the logical interface is "wifi0".

next, I run:
--> ifconfig wifi0 down
--> dhclient -r wifi0

There is already a pid file /var/run/dhclient.pid with pid 134519120
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.5
Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/

wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
Listening on LPF/wifi0/
Sending on LPF/wifi0/
Sending on Socket/fallback


Next, created file /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

ap_scan=1
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

network={
ssid="Fretnoise"
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
psk="welcome"
pairwise=TKIP
group=TKIP
}


Next, I run
--> wpa_supplicant -w -Dmadwifi -iwifi0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
using "-Dmadwifi" because I have the ath_pci driver, and "-iwifi0" because that's the logical
name...

But, the output is:

ioctl[SIOCSIWPMKSA]: Invalid argument
ioctl[SIOCSIWMODE]: Invalid argument
Could not configure driver to use managed mode
ioctl[SIOCGIWRANGE]: Invalid argument
ioctl[IEEE80211_IOCTL_SETPARAM]: Invalid argument
ioctl[SIOCSIWAP]: Invalid argument
Failed to initialize driver interface


Hm... so, instead, I try
--> wpa_supplicant -w -Dmadwifi -iath0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

which gives:

ioctl[IEEE80211_IOCTL_SETMLME]: Invalid argument
Association request to the driver failed
Authentication with 00:00:00:00:00:00 timed out.
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Network is down
Failed to initiate AP scan.


Because it complains that network is down, I run
--> ifconfig ath0 up

and then again
--> wpa_supplicant -w -Dmadwifi -iath0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

which now shows

Trying to associate with 00:13:49:ee:7f:74 (SSID='Fretnoise' freq=2437 MHz)
ioctl[IEEE80211_IOCTL_SETMLME]: Invalid argument
Association request to the driver failed
Associated with 00:13:49:ee:7f:74
WPA: Key negotiation completed with 00:13:49:ee:7f:74 [PTK=TKIP GTK=TKIP]
CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:13:49:ee:7f:74 completed (auth) [id=0 id_str=]


seems to look good, but the wpa_supplicant command doesn't stop, so I have to hit
Control-C.

Before I hit control C, so while wpa_supplicant was running, I run the following on another
terminal:

--> iwconfig

lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wifi0 no wireless extensions.

ath0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"Fretnoise" Nickname:""
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:13:49:EE:7F:74
Bit Rate:1 Mb/s Tx-Power:9 dBm Sensitivity=1/1
Retry: off RTS thr: off Fragment thr: off
Encryption key:EF11-3FE9-DAA2-C8F1-AFD6-6A8C-C5CF-022E Security mode:restricted
Power Management: off
Link Quality=22/70 Signal level=-76 dBm Noise level=-98 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:10896 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0


after I've hit Control-C to stop wpa_supplicant, I run iwconfig on another terminal again, and
now I get:

ath0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"Fretnoise" Nickname:""
Mode:Managed Channel:0 Access Point: Not-Associated
Bit Rate:0 kb/s Tx-Power:9 dBm Sensitivity=1/1
Retry: off RTS thr: off Fragment thr: off
Encryption key: off
Power Management: off
Link Quality=0/70 Signal level=-99 dBm Noise level=-99 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:15241 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0



After this, I've followed with the other commands:
--> ifconfig wifi0 up
--> iwconfig wifi0 mode Managed
--> dhclient wifi0

For dhclient, the output was:

There is already a pid file /var/run/dhclient.pid with pid 134519120
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.5
Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/

wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
Listening on LPF/wifi0/
Sending on LPF/wifi0/
Sending on Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on wifi0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
DHCPDISCOVER on wifi0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11
DHCPDISCOVER on wifi0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 12
No DHCPOFFERS received.
No working leases in persistent database - sleeping.


same result for using ath0 as interface, and while wpa_supplicant has associated
access point, but hasn't stopped yet.



Here's some facts:

(1) I was able to connect using WPA before using Network Manager, then wasn't. After about 20
tries, it worked again, but now it doesn't work anymore.

(2) The HOWTO instructed me to use the logical name "wifi0" for <interface> - but that did not
work for wpa_supplicant's -i argument

(3) wpa_supplicant doesn't quick after it's associated the access point

(4) when I run wpa_supplicant in the background, it associates AP, but running dhclient doesn't
get a DHCHOFFER...

(5) When I do a scan, the output is:

Cell 03 - Address: 00:13:49:EE:7F:74
ESSID:"Fretnoise"
Mode:Master
Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
Quality=15/70 Signal level=-80 dBm Noise level=-95 dBm
Encryption keyn
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:bcn_int=100
IE: WPA Version 1
Group Cipher : WEP-40
Pairwise Ciphers (1) : WEP-40
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK



(6) wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801 --> is this really bad??



What am I doing wrong?

Thank's a bunch

[kevdog]

For madwifi -- the actual hardware address is wifi0, however the way the driver is made it creates virtual interfaces to talk with the physical device. The first virtual interface made is ath0. You can only physically change the settings in the device by working through the ath0 interface and not wifi0. Please note this is special to the madwifi driver.

Next there is one thing you posted that troubles me:

*-network:1 DISABLED
description: Wireless interface
product: AR2413 802.11bg NIC
vendor: Atheros Communications, Inc.
physical id: c
bus info: pci@0000:02:0c.0
logical name: wifi0
version: 01
serial: 00:11:50:6f:a3:1e
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath_pci driverversion=0.9.4.5 (0.9.3.2) latency=168 maxlatency=28 mingnt=10 module=ath_pci multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g

It states disabled. Does it still say this if you put
sudo ifconfig ath0 up

Does it still come back as disabled?

[fretnoise]

It comes up as enabled when I run ifconfig ath0 up.

After I sent this post, I rebooted later, and nm_applet and
Network Manager have automatically succeeded in setting up
wireless. But, it sporadically worked before, so I thought I was
just lucky.... but, after 4 reboots, it still connects fine. And I did
not run anything manually... confused but pleasantly surprised.

So, I guess I'm good for now. Thank's for writing the HOWTO, even
though it's confusing when configuring for ath0 and wifi0, since
the same interface name cannot be used as stated in the HOWTO.
Maybe the HOWTO could reflect this?

Thank's

[kevdog]

Yea I probably should change the instructions however with madwifi drivers they are the exception. Always exceptions to the rules which stick when trying to write a "general"tutorial

[archman]

when i do sudo dhclient it says cannot read or parse file /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf...
How can i solve that?

[fretnoise]

Ok, starting today it's not working again. Today I booted, logged in, and nm_applet connected me. After some hours, networking wasn't working, although nm_applet showed me the "staircaise". Trying to reconnect with nm_applet did not work. Reboot did not work (tried it twice).

Since I could not get manual configuration working either, I'm out in the cold. Could you let me know what I did wrong when I tried to configure it manually? Should I post any syslog here? (I have logs for both successful and failed wireless networking).

Thank's

[kevdog]

when i do sudo dhclient it says cannot read or parse file /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf...
How can i solve that?

Can you post your wpa_supplicant.conf file?

[kevdog]

Ok, starting today it's not working again. Today I booted, logged in, and nm_applet connected me. After some hours, networking wasn't working, although nm_applet showed me the "staircaise". Trying to reconnect with nm_applet did not work. Reboot did not work (tried it twice).

Since I could not get manual configuration working either, I'm out in the cold. Could you let me know what I did wrong when I tried to configure it manually? Should I post any syslog here? (I have logs for both successful and failed wireless networking).

Thank's

Just an idea since I see that you like the gui network manager gives you (a lot of people do). Uninstall network manager and try WICD. This provides a GUI, and I bet you will find this much more reliable.

[archman]

Can you post your wpa_supplicant.conf file?

ap_scan=1
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=0
eapol_version=1
ap_scan=0
network={
key_mgmt=IEEE8021X
eap=TTLS
anonymous_identity="xxx@yyy.yy"
phase2="auth=PAP"
identitctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interfy="xxx@yyy.yy"
password="xxx"
}

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=0
eapol_version=1
ap_scan=1
network={
ssid="eduroam"
proto=WPA WPA2
key_mgmt=WPA-EAP
group=CCMP TKIP
eap=TTLS
anonymous_identity="xxx@yyy.yy"
phase2="auth=PAP"
identity="xxx@yyy.yy"
password="xxx"
}

[ribbonsandbows]

stumped in this, I got as far as:
sudo iwconfig <interface> essid "name"
to be told its not supported - which is very nice, the wireless is connecting but I am not able to use firefox, or any other form of internet useage.

will carry on searching but any suggestions would be gratefully recieved as I have 5 more of these waiting for the same treatment.
driver is a b44, 1.01