# wpa_supplicant can't connect with any hardware

## Gooberpatrol66

I can't connect with wpa_supplicant. I have tried this with THREE different models of wifi cards, so I'm sure this is not a hardware issue.

```
root@gentoolaptop / # wpa_supplicant -i wlan0 -M -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant-nl80211-wlp2s0.conf

Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode

nl80211: deinit ifname=lo disabled_11b_rates=0

lo: Failed to initialize driver interface

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode

nl80211: deinit ifname=eth0 disabled_11b_rates=0

eth0: Failed to initialize driver interface

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode

nl80211: deinit ifname=bond0 disabled_11b_rates=0

bond0: Failed to initialize driver interface

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode

nl80211: deinit ifname=anbox0 disabled_11b_rates=0

anbox0: Failed to initialize driver interface

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode

nl80211: deinit ifname=bond1 disabled_11b_rates=0

bond1: Failed to initialize driver interface

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 (SSID='TWolf' freq=2422 MHz)

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 (SSID='TWolf' freq=2422 MHz)

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 (SSID='TWolf' freq=2422 MHz)

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (SSID='TWolf-5G' freq=5765 MHz)

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (SSID='TWolf-5G' freq=5765 MHz)

wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="TWolf-5G" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=CONN_FAILED

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 (SSID='TWolf' freq=2422 MHz)

wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=1 ssid="TWolf" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=CONN_FAILED

^Cnl80211: deinit ifname=wlan0 disabled_11b_rates=0

wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING 
```

```
wlan0: State: DISCONNECTED -> SCANNING

wlan0: Starting AP scan for wildcard SSID

wlan0: Add radio work 'scan'@0x558e62144ae0

wlan0: First radio work item in the queue - schedule start immediately

wlan0: Starting radio work 'scan'@0x558e62144ae0 after 0.000052 second wait

wlan0: nl80211: scan request

nl80211: Scan SSID - hexdump_ascii(len=0): [NULL]

nl80211: Scan extra IEs - hexdump(len=10): 7f 08 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 40

Scan requested (ret=0) - scan timeout 30 seconds

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 33 (NL80211_CMD_TRIGGER_SCAN) received for wlan0

wlan0: nl80211: Scan trigger

wlan0: Event SCAN_STARTED (47) received

wlan0: Own scan request started a scan in 0.000199 seconds

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 34 (NL80211_CMD_NEW_SCAN_RESULTS) received for wlan0

wlan0: nl80211: New scan results available

nl80211: Scan probed for SSID ''

nl80211: Scan included frequencies: 2412 2417 2422 2427 2432 2437 2442 2447 2452 2457 2462 5180 5200 5220 5240 5260 5280 5300 5320 5500 5520 5540 5560 5580 5600 5620 5640 5660 5680 5700 5745 5765 5785 5805 5825

wlan0: Event SCAN_RESULTS (3) received

wlan0: Scan completed in 3.092436 seconds

nl80211: Received scan results (4 BSSes)

wlan0: BSS: Start scan result update 2

BSS: last_scan_res_used=4/32

wlan0: New scan results available (own=1 ext=0)

wlan0: Radio work 'scan'@0x558e62144ae0 done in 3.093304 seconds

wlan0: radio_work_free('scan'@0x558e62144ae0: num_active_works --> 0

wlan0: Selecting BSS from priority group 0

wlan0: 0: a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 ssid='TWolf-5G' wpa_ie_len=0 rsn_ie_len=20 caps=0x511 level=-59 freq=5765  wps

wlan0:    selected based on RSN IE

wlan0:    selected BSS a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 ssid='TWolf-5G'

wlan0: Considering connect request: reassociate: 0  selected: a0:63:91:7c:32:a4  bssid: 00:00:00:00:00:00  pending: 00:00:00:00:00:00  wpa_state: SCANNING  ssid=0x558e62143230  current_ssid=0x558e62143230

wlan0: Request association with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

wlan0: Re-association to the same ESS

WMM AC: Save last configured tspecs

wlan0: Add radio work 'sme-connect'@0x558e62144ae0

wlan0: First radio work item in the queue - schedule start immediately

RSN: Ignored PMKID candidate without preauth flag

wlan0: Starting radio work 'sme-connect'@0x558e62144ae0 after 0.000048 second wait

wlan0: Automatic auth_alg selection: 0x1

wlan0: Overriding auth_alg selection: 0x1

RSN: PMKSA cache search - network_ctx=0x558e62143230 try_opportunistic=0

RSN: Search for BSSID a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

RSN: No PMKSA cache entry found

wlan0: RSN: using IEEE 802.11i/D9.0

wlan0: WPA: Selected cipher suites: group 16 pairwise 16 key_mgmt 2 proto 2

wlan0: WPA: Selected mgmt group cipher 32

wlan0: WPA: clearing AP WPA IE

WPA: set AP RSN IE - hexdump(len=22): 30 14 01 00 00 0f ac 04 01 00 00 0f ac 04 01 00 00 0f ac 02 00 00

wlan0: WPA: using GTK CCMP

wlan0: WPA: using PTK CCMP

wlan0: WPA: using KEY_MGMT WPA-PSK

wlan0: WPA: not using MGMT group cipher

WPA: Set own WPA IE default - hexdump(len=22): 30 14 01 00 00 0f ac 04 01 00 00 0f ac 04 01 00 00 0f ac 02 00 00

FT: Stored MDIE and FTIE from (Re)Association Response - hexdump(len=0):

RRM: Determining whether RRM can be used - device support: 0x10

RRM: No RRM in network

wlan0: Cancelling scan request

wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (SSID='TWolf-5G' freq=5765 MHz)

wlan0: State: SCANNING -> AUTHENTICATING

EAPOL: External notification - EAP success=0

EAPOL: External notification - EAP fail=0

EAPOL: External notification - portControl=Auto

Not configuring frame filtering - BSS 00:00:00:00:00:00 is not a Hotspot 2.0 network

nl80211: Authenticate (ifindex=6)

  * bssid=a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

  * freq=5765

  * SSID - hexdump_ascii(len=8):

     54 57 6f 6c 66 2d 35 47                           TWolf-5G        

  * IEs - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]

  * Auth Type 0

nl80211: Authentication request send successfully

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 19 (NL80211_CMD_NEW_STATION) received for wlan0

nl80211: New station a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 20 (NL80211_CMD_DEL_STATION) received for wlan0

nl80211: Delete station a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 37 (NL80211_CMD_AUTHENTICATE) received for wlan0

nl80211: MLME event 37; timeout with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

wlan0: Event AUTH_TIMED_OUT (14) received

wlan0: SME: Authentication timed out

wlan0: Radio work 'sme-connect'@0x558e62144ae0 done in 0.006279 seconds

wlan0: radio_work_free('sme-connect'@0x558e62144ae0: num_active_works --> 0

BSSID a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 blacklist count incremented to 2

wlan0: Blacklist count 2 --> request scan in 500 ms

wlan0: Setting scan request: 0.500000 sec

nl80211: Data frame filter flags=0x0

wlan0: State: AUTHENTICATING -> DISCONNECTED

nl80211: Set wlan0 operstate 0->0 (DORMANT)

netlink: Operstate: ifindex=6 linkmode=-1 (no change), operstate=5 (IF_OPER_DORMANT)

EAPOL: External notification - portEnabled=0

EAPOL: External notification - portValid=0

EAPOL: External notification - EAP success=0

wlan0: State: DISCONNECTED -> SCANNING

wlan0: Starting AP scan for wildcard SSID

wlan0: Add radio work 'scan'@0x558e62144ae0

wlan0: First radio work item in the queue - schedule start immediately

wlan0: Starting radio work 'scan'@0x558e62144ae0 after 0.000026 second wait

wlan0: nl80211: scan request

nl80211: Scan SSID - hexdump_ascii(len=0): [NULL]

nl80211: Scan extra IEs - hexdump(len=10): 7f 08 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 40

Scan requested (ret=0) - scan timeout 30 seconds

nl80211: Event message available

nl80211: Drv Event 33 (NL80211_CMD_TRIGGER_SCAN) received for wlan0

wlan0: nl80211: Scan trigger

wlan0: Event SCAN_STARTED (47) received

wlan0: Own scan request started a scan in 0.000144 seconds

^Cwlan0: Removing interface wlan0

wlan0: Request to deauthenticate - bssid=00:00:00:00:00:00 pending_bssid=00:00:00:00:00:00 reason=3 state=SCANNING

nl80211: Data frame filter flags=0x0

wlan0: State: SCANNING -> DISCONNECTED
```

These appear in dmesg:

```
[32703.080188] wlan0: aborting authentication with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[32707.167231] wlan0: authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

[32707.168108] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (try 1/3)

[32707.169183] wlan0: authenticated

[32712.171175] wlan0: aborting authentication with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[32720.255206] wlan0: authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2

[32720.266718] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 (try 1/3)

[32720.269316] wlan0: authenticated

[32725.271924] wlan0: aborting authentication with a0:63:91:7c:32:a2 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[32775.512615] wlan0: authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

[32775.531237] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (try 1/3)

[32775.532263] wlan0: authenticated

[32780.536383] wlan0: aborting authentication with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[32783.731795] wlan0: authenticate with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4

[32783.732087] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (try 1/3)

[32783.732197] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (try 2/3)

[32783.732347] wlan0: send auth to a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 (try 3/3)

[32783.732418] wlan0: authentication with a0:63:91:7c:32:a4 timed out
```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Gooberpatrol66,

That dmesg usually means you have several things fighting to control wlan0. wpa_supplicant obeys the last command it received.

You may have at most, one network controller sending commands to wpa_supplicant.

The first thing to do is to look at your started services and stop everything that can control wlan0.

Reboot and check tha wlan0 does not attempt to start.

That proves that noting is starting wpa_supplicant.

Choose one network managing tool and start it.

It should all work now.

----------

## Gooberpatrol66

Tried with systemd-networkd and dhcpcd stopped. Don't know what else would be doing it.

```
root@gentoolaptop / # systemctl list-unit-files | grep enabled

btrfsmaintenance-refresh.path              enabled        

anbox-container-manager.service            enabled        

autovt@.service                            enabled        

cachefilesd.service                        enabled        

dbus-org.freedesktop.network1.service      enabled        

dbus-org.freedesktop.resolve1.service      enabled        

dbus-org.freedesktop.thermald.service      enabled        

dhcpcd.service                             enabled        

getty@.service                             enabled        

gpm.service                                enabled        

libvirtd.service                           enabled        

lm_sensors.service                         enabled        

smartd.service                             enabled        

startup.service                            enabled        

systemd-networkd-wait-online.service       enabled        

systemd-networkd.service                   enabled        

systemd-remount-fs.service                 enabled-runtime

systemd-resolved.service                   enabled        

systemd-swap.service                       enabled        

systemd-timesyncd.service                  enabled        

thermald.service                           enabled        

tlp-sleep.service                          enabled        

tor.service                                enabled        

xen-init-dom0.service                      enabled        

xenconsoled.service                        enabled        

xendomains.service                         enabled        

xenstored.service                          enabled        

systemd-networkd.socket                    enabled        

virtlockd.socket                           enabled        

virtlogd.socket                            enabled        

dev-loop1.swap                             enabled-runtime

machines.target                            enabled        

nfs-client.target                          enabled        

remote-fs.target                           enabled        

auto-share.timer                           enabled        

btrfs-scrub.timer                          enabled        
```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Gooberpatrol66,

dhcpcd.service can control wpa_supplicant.

I suspect that systemd-networkd.service can too but I'm not a systemd user.

----------

## Gooberpatrol66

Is there some way to explicitly check what's driving it?

----------

