HOWTO: ipw2200 + wpa

[luca_linux]

Wow. Thanks so much for this. Ever since I installed Hoary I was getting a Fatal Error message, and then I upgraded to the latest ipw drivers with another tutorial and it didn't solve the problem. I followed your tutorial and I didn't get one single error message, so, once again, thanks a lot.

Glad to have helped you out.

[megan at terrormachine]

Thanks for the suggestions Bryan and Luca but still no joy. This is what my iwconfig looks like

eth1      IEEE 802.11-DS  ESSID:"Transmatofluffer 5000"  Nickname:"HERMES I"
Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.457 GHz  Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00 
Bit Rate:11 Mb/s   Tx-Power=15 dBm   Sensitivity:1/3
Retry limit:4   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off

and here is my wpa_supplicant.conf

root@terrormachine:~# more /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=2
network={
ssid="Transmatofluffer 5000"
scan_ssid=1
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=TKIP
psk="supursekrutpassword"
}

I've tried with and without both ap_scan and pairwise options.
If anyone can point out what I'm doing wrong lemme know! Thanks!

[luca_linux]

Try to first take "ap_scan" out, then "pairwise" and then both of them.

[billeman]

Im getting an error because i cant delete one of the files:

troels@troels:~/download/ieee80211-1.0.3$ make
Checking in /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build/ for ieee80211 components...

/lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build/include/config/ieee80211

Above files found. Remove? [y],n y

Old ieee80211 references found. In order to build the ieee80211
subsystem, prior versions must first be removed. You can perform
this task by running this makefile as root via:

% sudo make check_old

and answering Y to remove the file references.

Aborting make.

make: *** [check_old] Fejl 1

all the prior steps have worked without errors..

What is wrong??

Billeman

[megan at terrormachine]

Im getting an error because i cant delete one of the files:
troels@troels:~/download/ieee80211-1.0.3$ make
Checking in /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build/ for ieee80211 components...
/lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build/include/config/ieee80211
Above files found. Remove? [y],n y
Old ieee80211 references found. In order to build the ieee80211
subsystem, prior versions must first be removed. You can perform
this task by running this makefile as root via:
% sudo make check_old
and answering Y to remove the file references.
Aborting make.
make: *** [check_old] Fejl 1
all the prior steps have worked without errors..
What is wrong??
Billeman

You'll need to remove that dir manually, as there is a bug with the script that causes it to not be removed (I can only guess it's because Ubuntu uses sudo to issue all root permissioned commands)
Try:

sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build/include/config/ieee80211

If you don't feel comfortable deleting it you can move it out of the /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build path.


As for my own problems, I have tried the config file all 3 ways and could not get this to work. Since in iwconfig it states my AP mac is 00:00:00:00:00:00 I was assuming it wasn't seeing my AP, possibly because I have my WPA config on the router to not broadcast my SSID. Anyhow, I've given up hope. I will just wait until the powers that be decide to listen to the suggestions and make WPA standard in future releases. Thanks for all input though!

[marstell]

Hi.
I have a Fedora Core 4. A few days ago I followed the instructions in the Luca_Linux's how-to and all was Ok. I installed ieee80211, ipw2200, wpa_supplicant (I use WPA) and I was able to connect regularly.

A few days later I had to reinstall the system, since I wasn't able to boot anymore.
I updated the kernel from 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 to 2.6.13-1.1526_FC4 (in the previous installation I didn't do that... so I installed the wireless card with the old kernel).

Well, I tried to follow the instructions in the how-to another time, but now, at the end of installation, after typing

# wpa_supplicant -B -i eth1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -D ipw -w -dd

nothing happens
if i type iwconfig i receive "Encryption keyff" when in the previous installation i could see the exadecimal format of my key and after typing

ifconfig eth1 up
dhclient eth1

i can't receive an ip address from DHCP....

I tried to follow the instructions reported here
which should be just for my kernel, but nothing...... I cant't connect anyway.....

I can't understand where I'm wrong! I'm sure to do the same things I did the previous time....

This is my /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf file:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
network={
ssid="3Com"
scan_ssid=1
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
psk="<my password>"
}

(the same information I wrote the previous time)

Here is what I get when I type

[root@localhost ~]# wpa_supplicant -B -i eth1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -D ipw -w -dd
Initializing interface 'eth1' conf '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' driver 'ipw'
Configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' -> '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
Reading configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
ctrl_interface='/var/run/wpa_supplicant'
Line: 2 - start of a new network block
ssid - hexdump_ascii(len=4):
33 43 6f 6d 3Com
scan_ssid=1 (0x1)
proto: 0x1
key_mgmt: 0x2
PSK (ASCII passphrase) - hexdump_ascii(len=31): [REMOVED]
PSK (from passphrase) - hexdump(len=32): [REMOVED]
Priority group 0
id=0 ssid='3Com'
Daemonize..
[root@localhost ~]#


And here is the output of iwconfig after typing the instruction above:

[root@localhost ~]# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

Warning: Driver for device eth1 has been compiled with version 18
of Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 17.
Some things may be broken...

eth1 unassociated ESSID:"3Com"
Mode:Managed Frequency=2.462 GHz Access Point: 00:0F:CB:A9B:B6
Bit Rate=0 kb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thrff
Encryption keyff
Power Managementff
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

sit0 no wireless extensions.


Are there any other information I have to post?
Have you got any idea?
Thank you

[marstell]

Hi. My problem must be about WPA.
In fact today I tried to disable security mode in my access point and then I was able to reach the network and connect to the Internet via Wireless.

Then I retried to set WPA-PSK in the wireless configuration, I retried to type

ifconfig eth1 up
sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i eth1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -D ipw -w -dd
dhclient eth1

but nothing. I can't reach the network.

I controlled in autoconf.h and i have:
CONFIG_CRYPTO
CONFIG_CRYPTO_ARC4
CONFIG_CRC32
CONFIG_CRYPTO_MICHAEL_MIC
CONFIG_CRYPTO_AES_586
regularly set to 1

Any idea? What can I control or do to be able to use WPA-PSK??
(I remember you that in the previous installation all was OK....)

Thanks in advance

P.S. Today I have updated wireless-tools to version 28 from 27, and wpa_supplicant to 0.4.5 from 0.3.9

[strawman]

I just want to thank you for this howto. I updated to "breezy badger" and it comes with the latest driver/firmware (ipw2100 for me), so i was able to install wpa_supplicant, follow the rest of the howto and now i'm using wpa in ubuntu on my hp nc8000 laptop. Thanks again!

[luca_linux]

@ Marstell: Does it work if you use static IP instead of DHCP?

[marstell]

Hi Luca_linux and thanks for you reply.

No. I tried typing
ifconfig eth1 192.168.1.8
but i can't reach the network .

But today I discovered a "nice" thing..
if I type
wpa_supplicant -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -i eth1 -D ipw -w -dd
instead of
wpa_supplicant -B -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -i eth1 -D ipw -w -dd

i get more information. This is the output:

Initializing interface 'eth1' conf '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' driver 'ipw'
Configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' -> '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
Reading configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
ctrl_interface='/var/run/wpa_supplicant'
Line: 2 - start of a new network block
ssid - hexdump_ascii(len=4):
33 43 6f 6d 3Com
scan_ssid=1 (0x1)
proto: 0x1
key_mgmt: 0x2
PSK (ASCII passphrase) - hexdump_ascii(len=31): [REMOVED]
PSK (from passphrase) - hexdump(len=32): [REMOVED]
Priority group 0
id=0 ssid='3Com'
Initializing interface (2) 'eth1'
EAPOL: SUPP_PAE entering state DISCONNECTED
EAPOL: KEY_RX entering state NO_KEY_RECEIVE
EAPOL: SUPP_BE entering state INITIALIZE
EAP: EAP entering state DISABLED
EAPOL: External notification - portEnabled=0
EAPOL: External notification - portValid=0
wpa_driver_ipw_init is called
ioctl[SIOCSIWPMKSA]: Operation not supported
SIOCGIWRANGE: WE(compiled)=18 WE(source)=16 enc_capa=0x0
capabilities: key_mgmt 0x0 enc 0x3
Own MAC address: 00:0e:35:67:88:81
wpa_driver_ipw_set_wpa: enabled=1
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
wpa_driver_ipw_set_key: alg=none key_idx=0 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_ipw_set_key: alg=none key_idx=1 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_ipw_set_key: alg=none key_idx=2 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_ipw_set_key: alg=none key_idx=3 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_ipw_set_countermeasures: enabled=0
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
wpa_driver_ipw_set_drop_unencrypted: enabled=1
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Setting scan request: 0 sec 100000 usec
Wireless event: cmd=0x8b06 len=8
RTM_NEWLINK, IFLA_IFNAME: Interface 'eth1' added
RTM_NEWLINK, IFLA_IFNAME: Interface 'eth1' added
State: DISCONNECTED -> SCANNING
Starting AP scan (specific SSID)
Scan SSID - hexdump_ascii(len=4):
33 43 6f 6d 3Com
Scan timeout - try to get results
Received 271 bytes of scan results (1 BSSes)
Scan results: 1
Selecting BSS from priority group 0
0: 00:0f:cb:a9:db:b6 ssid='3Com' wpa_ie_len=24 rsn_ie_len=0 caps=0x11
selected
Trying to associate with 00:0f:cb:a9:db:b6 (SSID='3Com' freq=0 MHz)
Cancelling scan request
WPA: clearing own WPA/RSN IE
Automatic auth_alg selection: 0x1
wpa_driver_ipw_set_auth_alg: auth_alg=0x1
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
WPA: using IEEE 802.11i/D3.0
WPA: Selected cipher suites: group 8 pairwise 8 key_mgmt 2
WPA: set AP WPA IE - hexdump(len=24): dd 16 00 50 f2 01 01 00 00 50 f2 02 01 00 00 50 f2 02 01 00 00 50 f2 02
WPA: clearing AP RSN IE
WPA: using GTK TKIP
WPA: using PTK TKIP
WPA: using KEY_MGMT WPA-PSK
WPA: Set own WPA IE default - hexdump(len=24): dd 16 00 50 f2 01 01 00 00 50 f2 02 01 00 00 50 f2 02 01 00 00 50 f2 02
No keys have been configured - skip key clearing
wpa_driver_ipw_set_drop_unencrypted: enabled=1
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
State: SCANNING -> ASSOCIATING
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
ioctl[IPW_IOCTL_WPA_SUPPLICANT]: Operation not supported
Setting authentication timeout: 5 sec 0 usec
EAPOL: External notification - EAP success=0
EAPOL: External notification - EAP fail=0
EAPOL: External notification - portControl=Auto
Wireless event: cmd=0x8b1a len=17
Authentication with 00:00:00:00:00:00 timed out.
Added BSSID 00:00:00:00:00:00 into blacklist
State: ASSOCIATING -> DISCONNECTED



It seems that the problem is in wpa_supplicant, or in the driver which is not enabled to wpa, or what other....
In fact the driver works well without wpa or wep encryption...

Where is the matter?

I've tried with wpa_supplicant 0.39 and 0.45
ipw2200 v. 1.0.6 and 1.0.7 (firmware 2.3 and 2.4)
ieee80211 1.0.3 and 1.1.4

I really don't know what to think...

Thanks
Marco