# Different issues but at least one network related

## LIsLinuxIsSogood

I believe that I was recently modifying some of the files in my config files that may have had the not so great consequence of suddenly no wireless connectivity to my local wifi network.  

Unfortunately that is not where the problem ends either...as I believe I had made some system wide changes trying to switch from consolekit to elogind and had assumed that was why the nm was not working, so I tried reinstalling nm with global use flags changed back to the way I think they were before, -elogind consolekit policykit, and now I'm still stuck with the same problem in nm...the message says "Activation failed:  The Wi-Fi network could not be found"

I am fairly certain that I did not recently install or build kernel that would require me to have to undo any major work like that, but still can't really seem to figure out why the device interface is showing, as well as the ability to scan the various available signals but just when going to connect it doesn't like that.  

I may have "edited out" or changed something in the /etc/conf.d/net file, which I will go to my backups (hopefully I can find).

Any other suggestions?  I haven't tried rebuilding the broadcom drivers, but I don't see why I should have to if they are in the correct place they are supposed to be...but I'll give it a shot now too.

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## NeddySeagoon

LIsLinuxIsSogood,

dmesg is often useful.

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

Here it is, but also what could be the reason for a consistently "shifting" address for my wireless adapter, is that potentially harmful like a virus would do that?  The only thing I can think of is something like MAC spoofing, but I don't understand how or why a device would start to "register" various hardware addresses without me telling it to do so.

dmesg output

http://dpaste.com/1JK1MKQ

Here is an example of when I wait 5 seconds in between and type ifconfig twice:

```
jonathanr@playboy ~ $ ifconfig

wlp4s0: flags=4099<UP,BROADCAST,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500

        ether 46:e9:42:1d:2a:94  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)

        RX packets 0  bytes 0 (0.0 B)

        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 34

        TX packets 0  bytes 0 (0.0 B)

        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

        device interrupt 18  

jonathanr@playboy ~ $ ifconfig

wlp4s0: flags=4099<UP,BROADCAST,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500

        ether 0a:02:ec:5c:6b:95  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)

        RX packets 0  bytes 0 (0.0 B)

        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 34

        TX packets 0  bytes 0 (0.0 B)

        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

        device interrupt 18  
```

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## NeddySeagoon

LIsLinuxIsSogood,

You still have elogind running. Is that intended.

```
[  234.038405] elogind-daemon[2194]: Failed to fully start up daemon: Function not implemented

[  360.632569] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp4s0: link is not ready
```

and your Wifi never becomes ready, so nothing can start it.

The system tried for over 5 minutes.

What does rfkill say, or do you have some other way to disable the Wifi transmitter?

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

```
jonathanr@ ~ $ rfkill

ID TYPE DEVICE        SOFT      HARD

 0 wlan phy0     unblocked unblocked

 1 wlan brcmwl-0 unblocked unblocked

```

Removing the package for elogind now hopefully that does something to improve here.

[Moderator edit: added [code] tags to preserve output layout. -Hu]

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

Neddy, I can always try disconnecting it but then I won't see the device at all, but I don't know of any hardware switch to stop tranmission of receiver.

Also could this have something to do with it??

```
[    2.415926] console [netcon0] enabled

[    2.421708] netconsole: network logging started

[    2.427622] cfg80211: Loading compiled-in X.509 certificates for regulatory database

[    2.434482] cfg80211: Loaded X.509 cert 'sforshee: 00b28ddf47aef9cea7'

[    2.440642] platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2

[    2.441527] ALSA device list:

[    2.446927] cfg80211: failed to load regulatory.db
```

[Moderator edit: added [code] tags to preserve output layout. -Hu]

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

To take complete precautions I have removed that device completely by disconnecting it from my PC. I don't know of any malware specifically that does use the tactic of switching/spoofing the MAC address for a wireless card, but that kind of thing certainly doesn't seem too far out of reach to be impossible or anything so I want to be sure what is going on before I continue.

If the problem was a virus then I believe luckily I have a recent backup from a week or two ago that I can restore. But how does one begin to determine that it was something like that, and where might I go looking int he filesystem for other rational explanations for the misbehaving wireless card.

Of course I should have mentioned it but this problem was occurring before and after upgrading to the latest revision of the broadcom drivers, which I installed today, but so there is no possibility that it relates to that since the problem appeared before the upgrade and still afterwards as well.  I could try downgrading the driver package too if that could help, but I don't see how that would.

EDIT:

At least according to the Arch wiki I just looked up this factoid for while using NetworkManager... "Randomization during Wi-Fi scanning is enabled by default, but it may be disabled by adding the following lines to /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf or a dedicated configuration file under /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d"

Maybe it is worth a shot to see, and then I can look at why I can't connect to any of the local wifi spots in my house once I do that.  This sucks!

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

Going back to install elogind again, since I can't seem to manage other dependency conflicts without it.  What a weird life when dealing with software!  Hopefully once I install elogind it should be already properly configured.  Maybe there is some permission issue IDK with the wireless card, but I will attempt reconnecting it now just as soon as completed with building and installing.

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## LIsLinuxIsSogood

Honestly I am confused, is it just me or is the question about consolekit, elogind, or systemd really F*k up.  Since what I wanted was to remove elogind that somehow got installed about a month ago I am not sure why...but now I am able to enable consolekit and disable elogind.  Is this what will be required for me to be able to use the very important service of NetworkManager in order to manage my network connections.  I don't think there were any other packages that requires one of these three to be installed...

So I am confused about the need for it here as well.

Before I disables the elogind global USE flags

```
jonathanr@ ~ $ equery d elogind

 * These packages depend on elogind:

media-sound/pulseaudio-12.2-r1 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)

net-misc/modemmanager-1.8.2-r1 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)

net-misc/networkmanager-1.16.0 (elogind ? >=sys-auth/elogind-219)

sys-apps/dbus-1.12.16 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)

sys-auth/pambase-20150213-r2 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind[pam])

sys-auth/polkit-0.115-r4 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)

sys-fs/udisks-2.8.2 (elogind ? >=sys-auth/elogind-219)

sys-process/procps-3.3.15-r1 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)

x11-base/xorg-server-1.20.5 (elogind ? sys-auth/elogind)
```

Disabling elogind without enabling the consolekit use flag led to this predicament...

```

$ sudo emerge -DavNu @world

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

!!! The ebuild selected to satisfy ">=sys-auth/polkit-0.110" has unmet requirements.

- sys-auth/polkit-0.115-r4::gentoo USE="gtk introspection nls pam -consolekit -elogind -examples -jit -kde (-selinux) -systemd -test" ABI_X86="(64)"

  The following REQUIRED_USE flag constraints are unsatisfied:

    exactly-one-of ( consolekit elogind systemd )

(dependency required by "sys-fs/udisks-2.8.2::gentoo" [ebuild])

(dependency required by "media-sound/mpd-0.21.10::gentoo[udisks]" [installed])

(dependency required by "@selected" [set])

(dependency required by "@world" [argument])

```

Finally disablign and enabling consolekit, works...weirdly.

```

jonathanr@playboy ~ $ sudo emerge -DavNu @world

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

[ebuild   R    ] sys-auth/pambase-20150213-r2::gentoo  USE="cracklib nullok sha512 -consolekit -debug -elogind* -minimal -mktemp -pam_krb5 -pam_ssh -passwdqc -securetty (-selinux) -systemd" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] sys-process/procps-3.3.15-r1:0/6::gentoo  USE="kill ncurses nls (split-usr) unicode -elogind* -modern-top (-selinux) -static-libs -systemd -test" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] sys-apps/dbus-1.12.16::gentoo  USE="X -debug -doc -elogind* (-selinux) -static-libs -systemd -test -user-session" ABI_X86="32 (64) (-x32)" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] x11-base/xorg-server-1.20.5:0/1.20.5::gentoo  USE="glamor ipv6 suid udev xorg xvfb -debug -dmx -doc -elogind* -kdrive -libressl -minimal (-selinux) -static-libs -systemd -unwind -wayland -xcsecurity -xephyr -xnest" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] net-misc/modemmanager-1.8.2-r1:0/1::gentoo  USE="introspection qmi udev -elogind* -mbim -policykit -systemd -vala" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] net-misc/networkmanager-1.16.0::gentoo  USE="audit bluetooth connection-sharing dhclient introspection modemmanager ncurses nss ppp vala wext wifi -consolekit -dhcpcd -elogind* -gnutls (-iwd) -json -ofono -ovs -policykit -resolvconf (-selinux) -systemd -teamd -test" ABI_X86="32 (64) (-x32)" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] sys-auth/polkit-0.115-r4::gentoo  USE="consolekit* gtk introspection nls pam -elogind* -examples -jit -kde (-selinux) -systemd -test" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] sys-fs/udisks-2.8.2:2::gentoo  USE="acl introspection nls -debug -elogind* -lvm (-selinux) -systemd -vdo" 0 KiB

[ebuild   R    ] media-sound/pulseaudio-12.2-r1::gentoo  USE="X alsa alsa-plugin asyncns bluetooth caps dbus gdbm glib gtk ipv6 orc ssl tcpd udev webrtc-aec -doc -elogind* -equalizer -gconf -jack -libressl -libsamplerate -lirc -native-headset (-neon) -ofono-headset (-oss) -qt5 -realtime (-selinux) -sox (-system-wide) -systemd -test -zeroconf" ABI_X86="(64) -32 (-x32)" 0 KiB

Total: 9 packages (9 reinstalls), Size of downloads: 0 KiB

```

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## rpruen

 *LIsLinuxIsSogood wrote:*   

> To take complete precautions I have removed that device completely by disconnecting it from my PC. I don't know of any malware specifically that does use the tactic of switching/spoofing the MAC address for a wireless card, but that kind of thing certainly doesn't seem too far out of reach to be impossible or anything so I want to be sure what is going on before I continue.
> 
> 

 

Network manager uses a randomized mac address when scanning 

To make it not do this add the following to the configuration 

```

[device]

wifi.scan-rand-mac-address=no

```

I hope that helps

Regards

Richard

----------

## poe_1957

Ik heb hetzelfde issue. Mijns inziens ligt dit ook aan de dependencies in Gentoo. Heb hier al verschillende manuele interventies moeten uitvoeren om alles enigzins werkend te krijgen. Zowel op rc als op systemd. 

Oude versies verwijderen met  -Cav. Nieuwe versie opnieuw installeren vanaf nul. Lost al veel op.

Waarom ?  Ik kan enkel denken aan een scripting probleem bij de installatie die de oude  versie niet goed verwijderd.

Ook bij kde meta package heb ik veel problemen tegengekomen die ik normaal niet zou mogen hebben. 

Ik snap ook niet waarom men van /lib geen link maakt naar /lib64 resp /lib32 maar alles in /lib begint te zetten. Dit is een probleem als men ooit wilt naar 128 bit of meer overgaan.

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## NeddySeagoon

poe_1957,

English please.

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## NeddySeagoon

LIsLinuxIsSogood,

By not loading the regulatory database, you will be restricted to wifi channels that are permitted world wide.

If your AP is not on one of those channels, you won't be able to connect to it.

Apart from the restricted channel range, everything works.

Not all devices have a fixed MAC address. Its a design feature and nothing to worry about.

You can fix the MAC address if you wish.

Fixing the MAC address in the device requires a programmable memory device, since MAC addresses are required to be unique.

Not providing a programmable memory device reduces cost, size and power consumption.

When you use long leases and random MAC addresses, your DHCP server will assign a new IP address every time, if it can.

It keeps a record of valid leases and the MAC address they are assigned to.  Leaseholders do that too. They are expected to try to use the lease if its valid.

With randomised MAC addresses in good to use short lease times, so you don't use up all all the addresses in your dhcp pool.

Anyway, not loading the regulatory database nor random MAC addresses prevent your wifi becoming ready.

rfkill shows all the right things.

Hmm ... Thought.

Japan only permits the use of channel 14 in the 2.4 GHz band. Its not permitted anywhere else in the world, so without the regulatory database, you may not be able to use 2.4 GHz at all.

----------

