Problem with setting up WPA2 personal with wpa_supplicant

Question

System: archlinux (last updates)

I plugged in a USB wireless dongle and basic things seem to work out of the box, however I can't seem to be able to configure wpa_supplicant properly to get a connection. It always tells me I likely have a wrong key - which I know I don't as this is what I use with my other systems, so there is most certainly something I am missing.

I use MAC filtering but this is set-up correctly.

I can check my interface

> iw dev
phy#0
    Interface wlp0s29f0u1
        ifindex 3
        wdev 0x1
        addr <<mywirelessmac>>
        type managed

I can scan the available networks

> iw dev wlp0s29f0u1 scan

This command gives lots of results and information that matches my other systems. Including my ssid:

BSS <<mywirelessroutermac>>(on wlp0s29f0u1)
    TSF: 5596476527 usec (0d, 01:33:16)
    freq: 2412
    beacon interval: 200 TUs
    capability: ESS Privacy ShortSlotTime (0x0411)
    signal: -65.00 dBm
    last seen: 1430 ms ago
    Information elements from Probe Response frame:
    SSID: <<myssid>>
    Supported rates: 1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 6.0 9.0 12.0 18.0 
    DS Parameter set: channel 1
    Country: GB Environment: Indoor/Outdoor
        Channels [1 - 13] @ 20 dBm
    ERP: Barker_Preamble_Mode
    Extended supported rates: 24.0 36.0 48.0 54.0 
    HT capabilities:
        Capabilities: 0x1ad
            RX LDPC
            HT20
            SM Power Save disabled
            RX HT20 SGI
            TX STBC
            RX STBC 1-stream
            Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
            No DSSS/CCK HT40
        Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
        Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
        HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
    HT operation:
         * primary channel: 1
         * secondary channel offset: no secondary
         * STA channel width: 20 MHz
         * RIFS: 0
         * HT protection: non-HT mixed
         * non-GF present: 1
         * OBSS non-GF present: 1
         * dual beacon: 0
         * dual CTS protection: 0
         * STBC beacon: 0
         * L-SIG TXOP Prot: 0
         * PCO active: 0
         * PCO phase: 0
    Overlapping BSS scan params:
         * passive dwell: 20 TUs
         * active dwell: 10 TUs
         * channel width trigger scan interval: 300 s
         * scan passive total per channel: 200 TUs
         * scan active total per channel: 20 TUs
         * BSS width channel transition delay factor: 5
         * OBSS Scan Activity Threshold: 0.25 %
    Extended capabilities: HT Information Exchange Supported, 6
    WMM:     * Parameter version 1
         * u-APSD
         * BE: CW 15-1023, AIFSN 3
         * BK: CW 15-1023, AIFSN 7
         * VI: CW 7-15, AIFSN 2, TXOP 3008 usec
         * VO: CW 3-7, AIFSN 2, TXOP 1504 usec
    RSN:     * Version: 1
         * Group cipher: CCMP
         * Pairwise ciphers: CCMP
         * Authentication suites: PSK
         * Capabilities: 1-PTKSA-RC 1-GTKSA-RC (0x0000)

I have a basic profile:

> cat /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
update_config=1

network={
    ssid="<<ssid>>"
    psk=<<either "mypassphrase" or [the result of wpa_passphrase ssid passphrase] neither works>>
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK # I tried without, same result
    ieee80211w=1 # I tried without (both), same result
}

I tried two ways to start wpa_supplicant with exactly the same results:

> wpa_supplicant -B -Dnl80211 -iwlp0s29f0u1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf
Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant

(kill -9 and restart)

> wpa_supplicant -B -Dnl80211,wext -iwlp0s29f0u1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf
Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant

Now on to what happens in both cases:

> wpa_cli
> scan
> scan_results
<<mac>> 2412    -65 [WPA2-PSK-CCMP][ESS]    <<ssid>>
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-STARTED 
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-RESULTS 
<3>WPS-AP-AVAILABLE 
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SSID-REENABLED id=0 ssid="<<ssid>>"
<3>SME: Trying to authenticate with <<mac>> (SSID='<<ssid>>' freq=2412 MHz)
<3>Trying to associate with <<mac>> (SSID='<<ssid>>' freq=2412 MHz)
<3>Associated with <<mac>>
<4>WPA: Failed to set PTK to the driver (alg=3 keylen=16 bssid=<<mac>>)
<3>CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=<<mac>> reason=1 locally_generated=1
<3>WPA: 4-Way Handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="<<ssid>>" auth_failures=<x> duration=<xx> reason=WRONG_KEY
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-STARTED 
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-RESULTS 
<3>WPS-AP-AVAILABLE

There are two things that jump out:

<4>WPA: Failed to set PTK to the driver (alg=3 keylen=16 bssid=<<mac>>)
<3>CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="<<ssid>>" auth_failures=<x> duration=<xx> reason=WRONG_KEY

I believe the second is a symptom of the first.

So my real problem is understanding what is wrong with my set-up that it generates the first error message. That's where I am hoping for a bit of help.

Thanks.

Why do you have `device_name=wlan0` in your profile if you're using the interface `wlp0s29f0u1`? — grochmal, Jun 04 '16 at 02:12
@grochmal that's a good question, it was a question I answered about an alternative name to make it easy to remember, but to be honest I don't know the impact of this setting — asoundmove, Jun 04 '16 at 13:41
@asoundmove to be fair i never saw the parameter (`device_name`) being used in `wpa_supplicant`. It is not in `man wpa_supplicant.conf`, i guess i confused it with `netctl` config. After googling, i believe it is some P2P Wi-Fi parameter. I'd kill `device_name` from the config (i'd also kill `country=UK`, i'm currently in the UK connected to a UK band certified router and i do not need it). — grochmal, Jun 04 '16 at 14:02
@grochmal, I just removed the device_name and country code, the result is exactly the same, so you were right, they are not required, but my problem is still the same. — asoundmove, Jun 04 '16 at 14:13
@asoundmove - I know this will sound like the typical IT bullshit: but could you restart your router for a couple of seconds. I often found that `wpa_supplicant` is not very persistent and routers are very keen on giving cached messages back. Keep the router off for some 5s to clear its RAM cache. One extra thing i'd try would be to add `ctrl_interface_group=wheel` to the configuration (i do not believe it makes a difference but i always used it) — grochmal, Jun 04 '16 at 15:05
@grochmal switched router off and on, killed wpa_supplicant, restarted. Same problem. Will look into your other suggestion later. I think though, that I need to understand the PTK error message. — asoundmove, Jun 04 '16 at 15:15

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 04 '16 at 23:25

2

Oops, seems like rebooting my system cleared the problem.

Thanks for the help along the way.

answered Jun 04 '16 at 23:25

asoundmove

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Problem with setting up WPA2 personal with wpa_supplicant

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