Wifi does not connect to the network from router but connects to repeater

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1

Hi Fedora Community!

I am using only Fedora 39 on my Lenovo Thinkcentre m720 with an Intel Wireless network controller (details below) and I am facing an issue with Wifi.

I am not able to connect to the Wifi network of my router here at home. The network manager tries to connect but fails and asks me for the password everytime I try again and again. The password is 100% correct. The router is 100% working. Two iPhones and a Macbook in the house can connect to the same network without issues. I tried to connect via the UI or the nmcli but the effect is the same. Its trying to connect but fails and asks for the password again and again.

I also have a Wifi repeater in the house which repeats the Wifi network of that same router and I am able to connect to it with the Fedora machine BUT the problem here is that the connection is unstable and after a while it needs a reset. Every 2-4 hours it becomes very slow and I have to reconnect. Other devices in the house don’t have that issue with the repeater.

I have searched the web and the forum here (great forum by the way!) and tried a couple things already, like changing the network manager configuration, installing a different driver version and a couple of other things. Nothing helped. So I restored the default (current) configuration.

IPv6 is not in use in the router. The Wifi mode is 802.11b/g/n, 2,4Ghz, security is WPA2 (AES), SSID is visible.

Can you help me to fix the issue?

Here are the logs from the Network Manager with the failed connection:

Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.7301] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.7305] device (wlp2s0): Activation: starting connection 'HH40V_0FAF' (831f7e7b-7b1f-4fa8-bbed-b75685769147)
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.7335] device (wlp2s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.7341] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9713] device (wlp2s0): set-hw-addr: reset MAC address to 98:2C:BC:B1:37:E9 (preserve)
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9773] device (wlp2s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9778] device (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) access point 'HH40V_0FAF' has security, but secrets are required.
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9778] device (wlp2s0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9782] sup-iface[d92f22dc51f2aa9f,3,wlp2s0]: wps: type pbc start...
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9823] device (wlp2s0): state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9836] device (wlp2s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9842] device (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) connection 'HH40V_0FAF' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9843] Config: added 'ssid' value 'HH40V_0FAF'
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9843] Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9843] Config: added 'bgscan' value 'simple:30:-70:86400'
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9844] Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK WPA-PSK-SHA256 FT-PSK SAE FT-SAE'
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9844] Config: added 'psk' value '<hidden>'
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9918] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:09 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770989.9918] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.0270] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.0270] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.0451] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.0452] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.3943] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.3944] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.4908] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:10 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770990.4909] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:11 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770991.9126] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:11 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770991.9126] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.0296] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.0297] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.3783] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.3784] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.8751] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:12 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770992.8752] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.0272] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.0273] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.0397] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.0398] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.3939] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:16 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770996.3940] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:17 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770997.3902] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:17 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770997.3903] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:18 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770998.6991] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:18 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770998.6992] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:18 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770998.7105] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:18 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770998.7106] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:19 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770999.0625] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:19 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724770999.0625] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:24 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771004.0647] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:24 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771004.0648] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.4934] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.4935] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.5044] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.5044] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.8531] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:29 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771009.8532] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> disconnected
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <warn>  [1724771015.6115] device (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) association took too long
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771015.6117] device (wlp2s0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771015.6122] sup-iface[d92f22dc51f2aa9f,3,wlp2s0]: wps: type pbc start...
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <warn>  [1724771015.6128] device (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) asking for new secrets
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771015.6210] device (wlp2s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:35 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771015.6211] device (p2p-dev-wlp2s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 27 17:03:37 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <warn>  [1724771017.2337] device (wlp2s0): no secrets: User canceled the secrets request.
Aug 27 17:03:37 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771017.2338] device (wlp2s0): state change: need-auth -> failed (reason 'no-secrets', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Aug 27 17:03:37 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771017.2345] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
Aug 27 17:03:37 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <info>  [1724771017.2507] device (wlp2s0): set-hw-addr: set MAC address to 72:E9:20:58:B5:D4 (scanning)
Aug 27 17:03:37 fedora NetworkManager[994]: <warn>  [1724771017.2563] device (wlp2s0): Activation: failed for connection 'HH40V_0FAF'

I think this is the issue: Activation: (wifi) association took too long. But I don’t know how to fix it.

Here is some more info about the network controller I get with lspci:

02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8265 / 8275 (rev 78)

Here is the installed firmware version I get with sudo dnf list installed iwlwifi-mvm-firmware:

iwlwifi-mvm-firmware.noarch 20240709-1.fc39

Here is a sudo dmesg | grep iwlwifi output if that helps:

[    7.282379] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    7.293351] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: Detected crf-id 0xbadcafe, cnv-id 0x10 wfpm id 0x80000000
[    7.293370] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: PCI dev 24fd/1010, rev=0x230, rfid=0xd55555d5
[    7.354902] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: loaded firmware version 36.ca7b901d.0 8265-36.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[    7.711846] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless AC 8265, REV=0x230
[    7.769656] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: base HW address: 98:2c:bc:b1:37:e9, OTP minor version: 0x0
[    7.851349] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0 wlp2s0: renamed from wlan0
[    9.126958] iwlwifi 0000:02:00.0: Registered PHC clock: iwlwifi-PTP, with index: 1

Thank you for your support!

Best
Stanislav

2

Have you tried updating your router firmware?
Does rebooting the router help?

3

Router firmware is up to date. Its the latest.
No, rebooting the router does not help.

4

Someone with more experience with Wifi will need to help you.

5

Well, do you know anyone here? :slight_smile:

@gnwiii I saw you trying to help in anothe post. Maybe you can help me here? Thanks!

6

I am not an expert, but there are some things to consider.
Essentially a repeater is just an extension of the same SSID with hardware located at a different location and has a link back to the router. This means that a repeater has one connection to the laptop and another to the router which does inherently result in some lags, especially if there is a weak signal link anywhere.

The laptop picks the connection point based on what it perceives as the best signal. Or maybe the AP is the one to select the device to connect – I am not sure which controls that since it must be coordinated between the device connecting and the multiple associated APs

Is it possible to assign different SSIDs to the router and the repeater? If that can be done then you could select which device you attach to. If they use the same SSID then you are dependent upon the system to select which AP it connects to.

Note that the recent updates to NetworkManger result in a file located at /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/ for each AP that is connected. Once that file is created for that SSID then it always will use the same connection for that AP.

It may be possible to ‘forget’ the connection, which would remove that file, then move closer to the router and reconnect so it identifies that SSID with the router and not wirh the repeater.
This is an example of a wifi connection file for my laptop. I believe the connection stanza contains the id & uuid to identify the AP where it connects. Your router and your repeater should have different uuids even with the same SSID.

$ sudo cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/MySSID.nmconnection
[connection]
id=MySSID
uuid=b45ca123-9dc0-4b55-81cf-29c8f2b71468
type=wifi
interface-name=wlo1
timestamp=1714349346

[wifi]
cloned-mac-address=48:89:E7:C7:51:FF
mode=infrastructure
ssid=MySSID

[wifi-security]
key-mgmt=wpa-psk
psk=PASSWORD

[ipv4]
method=auto

[ipv6]
addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy
method=disabled

[proxy]
1 Like
8

Hi Jeff! Thanks for the suggestion. It seems not to be the issue.

The repeater and the router have different SSIDs, I configured them that way. They are also not very far apart and I have a good signal to both. See:

Screenshot from 2024-09-04 09-07-10
Screenshot from 2024-09-04 09-07-10753×722 38.3 KB

Screenshot from 2024-09-04 09-07-40
Screenshot from 2024-09-04 09-07-40753×722 28.9 KB

And in the connection config files they have different SSIDs and different uuids:

# Router
[connection]
id=HH40V_0FAF
uuid=0456c37b-c86b-4dbd-a9d9-849a577a9723
type=wifi
interface-name=wlp2s0

# Repeater
[connection]
id=Haus
uuid=483a9efb-28ac-463e-a051-4ffde29827ec
type=wifi
interface-name=wlp2s0
9

Same result Vladislav. Unfortunately it behaves as described in my original post. When I try to connect it asks for the password after a while again and again. The password was entered 100% correctly.

10

I am guessing that since in the images you show both have identical MAC addresses that it is switching back and forth between the units and requires a reconnect each time it does so.

Theoretically that should not require a new connection each time but if the router and repeater are not sharing the connection details it may happen. Overlapping coverage and fluctuating signal strength may cause the switching of APs in use.

I have not worked with a network covering an area that requires the remote AP repeater, but having different SSIDs and identical MAC addresses would appear to potentially be the cause. If the MAC was also different the switching would probably not happen.

It is my understanding that a true repeater would have the same SSID as well as the same MAC so the connection is seamless when switching between APs. At least that is the way it is configured here in my home with the hardware provided by Frontier internet. I do not manage the way the repeater is set up here. That is entirely part of the automatic config.

11

It would be useful to see if the WiFi problems are present running the F40 Live USB.

Apple Supports several “Assisted” WiFi Roaming technologies. Cisco has a bunch of documents for assisted roaming. I have a collection of metal-clad buildings, so each building gets a wired AP. Initially there was an Assisted WiFi Roaming technology that was supposed to reduce the time needed to switch AP’s (I think 802.11r) but was removed with an update several years ago “for security reasons”. We didn’t notice any difference from the change in protocols, but the only non-Apple moving device is this laptop whose lid gets closed when moving.

Some systems with F40 here often have problems establishing a WiFi connection when first booted after an update, but I think that is a power management issue.

802.11r be damned describes a roaming problem with an Ubiquiti AP and Intel linux WiFi due to a race condition. It was solved by disabling 802.11r (I presume with an AP setting).

12

This is the wi-fi card’s mac address. There is nothing wrong to use the same MAC address in this case. This is the only way to get the same IP address assigned by DHCP.

It’s not the BSSID.

@two-giants
I would disable auto connect to the repeater, connect to the router and then check router’s logfiles. Are you sure that there is no other device creating a network with the same SSID but with a different pw?
As a test you could add the BSSID to this configuration. This will tell the wi-fi card to connect only to the device (router/AP) with this specific BSSID.

13

Have you tried to connect to the router with the repeater powered off? A repeater brings two additional transmitters in the system which might interfere with the direct connection.

I can only speak about the one repeater I have, your’s could be different: Are you using MAC address filtering on the router to limit access to known devices? The MAC address of your laptop will be, at least with my repeater, mapped to another one, so you need two entries per device.

I get only significant improvement with the repeater using it as a 5GHz to 2.4GHz gateway, it’s close enough to the router to connect with 5GHz, en disabling the 2.4GHz connection from repeater to router gives significant improvement. But of course both router and repeater should support this.

14

Hey Jeff! As Mark (@anotheruser) said below the MAC address in the image is from the wifi card.

$ ip a    
3: wlp2s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state DOWN group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 98:2c:bc:b1:37:e9 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

The repeater is really not for the house. Inside the house I get a good signal to the router everywhere. The repeater is used to extend the signal to another house closeby. I connect to it only because I can’t connect to the router.

@anotheruser I tried disabling auto connect to the repeater and connect to the router. Same result as described in my original post. I have an alcatel linkhub hh40v and the manual does not say how to check the logs of that router and I can’t find it in the UI. Yes I am sure 100% sure here is no other device creating a network with the same SSID. Added the BSSID but it didn’t help. Same behaviour.

15

Thanks for the suggestion, will try and report.

The router does not support 802.11r. It’s set to 802.11b/g/n and I tried to deactivate n without any effect.

16

this device is quite old, my guess the settings are probably a little off.
pls check router’s settings and try with these settings:

Security WPA2 (not WPA/WPA2) with encryption AES (TKIP disabled)
Then make sure the PSK is printable ASCII in the range of 32 to 126 (decimal). If the PSK contains symbols < 65 (dec) than try temporarily to replace with alphanumeric only PSK as a test.

If you don’t have really old 802.11b only devices, than enable 802.11g/n only if possible.

DHCP service should be only active on the router(prefered) or the extender, not on both devices (assuming both devices are part of the same subnet 192.168.x.y/24 )

UPDATE: from experiance, some devices have horrible FW bugs. If nothing helps, reset device to default settings and configure the SSID and PSK only and see if the system can establish a valid connection.
IIRC I had to deal with a Alcatel router that had such a FW bug, changing a specific setting would prevent full functionality.

17

What I see since your first topic that you use wpa2. Have you tested WPA3?
What does the repeater use? Is it wpa2 too?

Just forget network and connect with wpa3 to see if it changes something.

What router do you use?

Have also a look on your wifi chanel most routers use auto. You can set it to a different channel manually. Some devices not operate correctly on the higher channels (~13). If there are neighbor networks select a unused channel. You can find this out with a mobile device and a wifi scanner.

18

Thats the settings I have. PSK is printable ASCII and alphanumeric. I also tried changing the PSK last week to a simple alphanumeric one. Same issues.

I have 802.11b/g/n enabled. I tried the other option which is 802.11b/g. It didn’t help.

Not sure if its activated on the repeater, but it is on the router. But even if the repeater is turned off (like now) I can’t connect to the router. The issue persists.

Will try as last resort after I have tried f40 live cd suggested by George.

No WPA3. The router doesn’t support it. Both, repeater and router use WPA2.

alcatel linkhub hh40v

Yes, its set to auto. Will try some fixed chanel but it shouldn’t be an issue. Here are no other networks.

Yes. It didn’t help.

No, not using MAC address filtering.

19

The only way to be sure is to scan for other networks. Even in isolated remote locations there may be distant neighbours using (illegal) high power wifi links that interfere with legal configurations and need to be reported to authorities (especially if there are sensitive government sites in your area – illegal wifi may be used to exfiltrate data).

20

I hear you George but its not the case here. I know my neighbours well enough and the probability of high power wifi links practically zero.

Here are none.

@gnwiii @ilikelinux In any case, what would you recommend for scanning? Any particuar (free) app for iphone or an ipad?

Do you think issue could be in Fedora or drivers or the wifi chip? All devices from my house except the Fedora machine can use the router network. All gests who ever been here were able to connect with their phones (Android and iOS), tablets and laptops (Macbooks and Windows PCs). Its the first time a Linux machine is trying to connect and fails.

@all thank you all for the suggestions and support :slight_smile: :+1:

21

I use android. There are a lot of free “advertised” apps you can use. I think same is for IOS. You need to be connected to your wifi to check it.

Just searching for your wifi card model and you will finde some of the problems related with this devices.
Is your Lenovo’s device firmware up to date?

There is also the linux section on Lenovos Website:
linux.lenovo.com