# IPW2200 / WPA / wpa_supplicant - can't get it working!

## MorLipf

Hi,

here is my next problem. Every time I try to activate the wireless card I get this message:

```
 * Starting eth1

 *   Starting wpa_supplicant on eth1 ...                                  [ ok ]

 *   Starting wpa_cli on eth1 ...                                         [ ok ]

 *     Failed to configure eth1 in the background 
```

And here is my /etc/conf.d/net:

```
modules=( "wpa_supplicant" )

wpa_supplicant_eth1="-Dwext"

wpa_timeout_eth1=60

config_eth1=( "dhcp" )
```

My /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf:

```
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=0

eapol_version=1

ap_scan=1

fast_reauth=1

network={

   ssid="<hidden>"

   scan_ssid=1

   proto=WPA

   auth_alg=OPEN 

   psk="<hidden passphrase>"

   priority=5

}
```

I think my config files are correct. How can I fix this? The kernel is 2.6.14-gentoo-r4 and the ipw2200 is the newest version I've found in portage.

MorLipf

----------

## monsieur

hi, I have the same kernel and driver.

Try to be less specific in the network part of wpa_supplicant, here is mine:

```

#cat /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

[snip]

# Simple case: WPA-PSK, PSK as an ASCII passphrase, allow all valid ciphers

network={

        ssid="<ssid>"

        scan_ssid=1

        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

        psk="<psk>"

        priority=5

```

This way wpa_supplicant will figure shit out by itself.

It works for both WPA-TKIP and WPA-AES, also I read somewhere that you cannot have an hidden SSID (not saying you have but think about it), when using WPA...

You will probably want "options hwcrypo=0" in your /etc/modules.d/ipw2200 too.

good luck

----------

## Ateo

 *monsieur wrote:*   

> You will probably want "options hwcrypo=0" in your /etc/modules.d/ipw2200 too.

 

That should be "options ipw2200 hwcrypto=0"

----------

## aries

Maybe this helps a bit.

My system config:

- hidden SSID

- WPA-PSK

- kernel 2.6.14-gentoo-r4

For hidden SSID's set: eapol_version=2.

It was difficult for me to setup wpa_supplicant.conf, until I discovered wpa_gui: this makes it very easy. 

If you set "update_config=1" in wpa_supplicant.conf the chages are written to your config file.

With this settings my laptop automatically connect to the wireless router:

wpa_supplicant.conf:

```
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=0

eapol_version=2

fast_reauth=1

update_config=1

network={

        ssid="do_not_use"

        scan_ssid=1

        psk="abacadabra"

        proto=WPA

        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

        pairwise=TKIP

}
```

/etc/conf.d/net -wireless part only -

```

config_eth1=( "dhcp" )

modules=( "wpa_supplicant" )

wpa_supplicant_eth1="-Dwext"

wpa_timeout_eth1=60

dhcp_eth1="nodns nontp nonis -t -o 60 -N"

fallback_eth1=( "192.168.123.102" )
```

added this modules.autoload/kernel2.6:

```
ipw2200

ieee80211_crypt_wep

ieee80211_crypt_tkip

ieee80211_crypt_ccmp
```

inked net.eth1 andded it to runlevel default 

```

cd /etc/init.d

ln -s net.lo net.eth1

rc-update add net.eth1 default
```

----------

## beatryder

Sweet that worked for me! Thanks!

----------

