Fedora 41: Cannot connect to some WIFI networks

Ask Fedora
1

I recently updated to Fedora 41 from Fedora 39. There are many things that stopped working and one of them is the WIFI connection.

In the first place, instead of getting the real connection name, I get fhmesh_XXXXXXXXXXXX (where the X’s form a code for the network in hexadecimal). When I try to connect to this network using the Gnome Settings GUI nothing happens.

When I try to connect to this network using nmcli device wifi connect fhmesh_XXXXXXXXXXXX password "wifi-password" i get the following error

Error: Failed to add/activate new connection: 802-11-wireless-security.key-mgmt: 'wpa-psk' is not a valid value for 'mesh' mode connections

I can connect to other WIFI networks and use Tether, but this specific network (The main household network) doesn’t work.

This is the output of inxi -Fzxx

System:
  Kernel: 6.12.5-200.fc41.x86_64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 2.43.1-4.fc41
  Desktop: GNOME v: 47.2 tk: GTK v: 3.24.43 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM
    Distro: Fedora Linux 41 (Workstation Edition)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: VivoBook 15_ASUS Laptop X542UF v: 1.0
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: ASUSTeK model: X542UF v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: X542UF.306 date: 05/22/2019
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 8.5 Wh (36.0%) condition: 23.6/38.0 Wh (62.1%) volts: 7.7
    min: 7.7 model: ASUSTeK ASUS Battery serial: N/A status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: quad core model: Intel Core i5-8250U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Coffee Lake rev: A cache: L1: 256 KiB L2: 1024 KiB L3: 6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 900 min/max: 400/3400 cores: 1: 900 2: 900 3: 900 4: 900
    5: 900 6: 900 7: 900 8: 900 bogomips: 28800
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: ASUSTeK driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-9.5 ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5917
  Device-2: NVIDIA GM108M [GeForce MX130] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: nvidia
    v: 565.77 arch: Maxwell pcie: speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 4 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:174d
  Device-3: IMC Networks USB2.0 VGA UVC WebCam driver: uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-6:2 chip-ID: 13d3:5a01
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.14 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.4
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: intel,nvidia dri: i965 gpu: i915
    display-ID: :1 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1366x768 s-dpi: 96
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 mapped: eDP1 model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x15db res: 1366x768
    dpi: 102 diag: 394mm (15.5")
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 vendor: nvidia v: 565.77 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: NVIDIA GeForce MX130/PCIe/SSE2
  API: EGL Message: EGL data requires eglinfo. Check --recommends.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d71
  API: ALSA v: k6.12.5-200.fc41.x86_64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.2.7 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: pipewire-media-session status: active 3: pipewire-alsa
    type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: ASUSTeK driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1
    port: d000 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
  IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
    vendor: AzureWave driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s
    lanes: 1 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 168c:0042
  IF: wlp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: IMC Networks driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 1.1
    speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-8:3 chip-ID: 13d3:3496
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 4.2
    lmp-v: 8
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.36 TiB used: 401.83 GiB (28.8%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST1000LM035-1RK172 size: 931.51 GiB
    speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter>
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO M.2 500GB
    size: 465.76 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter>
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 464.76 GiB used: 115.17 GiB (24.8%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb2
  ID-2: /boot size: 973.4 MiB used: 417.7 MiB (42.9%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sdb1
  ID-3: /boot/efi size: 951.1 MiB used: 17.2 MiB (1.8%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1
  ID-4: /home size: 464.76 GiB used: 115.17 GiB (24.8%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/sdb2
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 55.0 C pch: 50.5 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia
    temp: 64 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 2800
Info:
  Memory: total: 16 GiB available: 15.49 GiB used: 2.88 GiB (18.6%)
  Processes: 331 Power: uptime: 10m wakeups: 0 Init: systemd v: 256
    target: graphical (5) default: graphical
  Packages: pm: rpm pkgs: N/A note: see --rpm pm: flatpak pkgs: 50
    Compilers: clang: 19.1.5 gcc: 14.2.1 Shell: Bash v: 5.2.32
    running-in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.3.36
2

I also tried editing /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf and adding the line

[device]
 wifi.scan-rand-mac-address=no

Then rebooting, but nothing happens. Now, this change has been removed.

3

That error from nmcli seems to suggest the issue is with the mesh node or router setup and how NetworkManager is handling it…

4

Does you network use an authentication server (wpa-eap)? It may help to have details of your network hardware.

5

Guys I’m sorry for being inactive. My computer broke and I had to buy another one. In the new computer I’m still having the same issue right out the box with Fedora 41. I believe it has nothing to do with the laptop but with the Network Manager client since it works on other versions of Fedora. This error is also reported to be present on the Nintendo Switch.

This is the new output of inxi -Fzxx

System:
  Kernel: 6.11.4-301.fc41.x86_64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 2.43.1-2.fc41
  Desktop: GNOME v: 47.0 tk: GTK v: 3.24.43 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM
    Distro: Fedora Linux 41 (Workstation Edition)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 83DX v: LOQ 15AHP9
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 v: LOQ 15AHP9
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216 v: SDK0T76464 WIN
    serial: <superuser required> part-nu: LENOVO_MT_83DX_BU_idea_FM_LOQ 15AHP9
    UEFI: LENOVO v: NZCN25WW date: 10/04/2024
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 61.8 Wh (100.0%) condition: 61.8/60.0 Wh (103.0%)
    volts: 17.5 min: 15.4 model: Sunwoda L23D4PK4 serial: <filter> status: full
CPU:
  Info: 8-core model: AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS w/ Radeon 780M Graphics bits: 64
    type: MT MCP arch: Zen 4 rev: 2 cache: L1: 512 KiB L2: 8 MiB L3: 16 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 400 min/max: 400/5100 boost: enabled cores: 1: 400
    2: 400 3: 400 4: 400 5: 400 6: 400 7: 400 8: 400 9: 400 10: 400 11: 400
    12: 400 13: 400 14: 400 15: 400 16: 400 bogomips: 121370
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA AD107M [GeForce RTX 4060 Max-Q / Mobile] vendor: Lenovo
    driver: nouveau v: kernel arch: Lovelace pcie: speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 8
    ports: active: none empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,eDP-1 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:28e0
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Phoenix3 vendor: Lenovo
    driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-3 pcie: speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports:
    active: eDP-2 empty: DP-2, DP-3, DP-4, DP-5, DP-6, DP-7, DP-8, DP-9,
    Writeback-1 bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:1900 temp: 41.0 C
  Device-3: Chicony Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-3:3 chip-ID: 04f2:b7b9
  Display: wayland server: Xwayland v: 24.1.3 compositor: gnome-shell
    driver: gpu: amdgpu display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-2 model: BOE Display 0x0c29 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 142
    diag: 395mm (15.5")
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 vendor: amd mesa v: 24.2.8 glx-v: 1.4 es-v: 3.2
    direct-render: yes renderer: AMD Radeon Graphics (radeonsi gfx1103_r1 LLVM
    19.1.0 DRM 3.59 6.11.4-301.fc41.x86_64) device-ID: 1002:1900
    display-ID: :0.0
  API: EGL Message: EGL data requires eglinfo. Check --recommends.
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA AD107 High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 8
    bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:22be
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor
    driver: snd_pci_ps v: kernel pcie: speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 05:00.5
    chip-ID: 1022:15e2
  Device-3: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 17h/19h HD Audio
    vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: speed: 16 GT/s
    lanes: 16 bus-ID: 05:00.6 chip-ID: 1022:15e3
  API: ALSA v: k6.11.4-301.fc41.x86_64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: JACK v: 1.9.22 status: off
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.2.5 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Lenovo driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1
    port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
  IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8852BE PCIe 802.11ax Wireless Network vendor: Lenovo
    driver: rtw89_8852be v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 2000
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:b852
  IF: wlo1 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Realtek Bluetooth Radio driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 1.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-4:4 chip-ID: 0bda:4853
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 4 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 5.2
    lmp-v: 11
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 476.94 GiB used: 7.44 GiB (1.6%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZAL8512HDLU-00BL2
    size: 476.94 GiB speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> temp: 29.9 C
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 475.35 GiB used: 7.1 GiB (1.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3
  ID-2: /boot size: 973.4 MiB used: 303.2 MiB (31.1%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-3: /boot/efi size: 598.8 MiB used: 51.3 MiB (8.6%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
  ID-4: /home size: 475.35 GiB used: 7.1 GiB (1.5%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: N/A mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 40.0 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
  Memory: total: 16 GiB note: est. available: 14.92 GiB used: 3.32 GiB (22.2%)
  Processes: 435 Power: uptime: 9h 7m wakeups: 1 Init: systemd v: 256
    target: graphical (5) default: graphical
  Packages: pm: rpm pkgs: N/A note: see --rpm pm: flatpak pkgs: 8
    Compilers: N/A Shell: Bash v: 5.2.32 running-in: ptyxis-agent inxi: 3.3.36
6

What happens when you run this command again?

7

Sorry for not answering soon, but I haven’t been able to connect to the internet since the last time I posted. Here’s the output of nmcli device wifi connect fhmesh_XXXXXXXXXXXX password "wifi-password"

Error: Failed to add/activate new connection: 802-11-wireless-security.key-mgmt: 'wpa-psk' is not a valid value for 'mesh' mode connections
8

Finally! I found that the issue was related to the wifi backend. Since Fedora 41 uses wpa_supplicant, it doesn’t support double node mesh networks for some reason. I changed the backend to iwd using the following commands:

sudo dnf install -y iwd
sudo cat >> /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/iwd.conf << EOF
[device]
wifi.backend=iwd
EOF
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

(If the cat command give Permission denied, use sudo su. Many thanks to Using iwd for WiFi in Fedora – nullr0ute's blog

1 Like
9

No worries and I’m glad you figured it out!

1 Like