Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

chimeracoder · 2012-04-17 16:53:30

(First, I'll say that I'm 99% sure that this isn't a hardware/driver issue, because I have this issue on two of my computers which run Arch, and one of my friends runs Arch on a third computer (different model) and has the same problems there. However, even though I sometimes had issues on my old computer which ran Ubuntu, it was nowhere near as bad.

Second, my university would not be of much help in resolving this, *and* I have noticed similar problems, *mostly* on other large public networks with many access points (like conferences/wifi on trains/etc.) Since my friends using Windows or OS X have fewer problems, I presume there must be *something* that I can do on my end to help out, even if the problem is partly on the network side. Some networks, such as my personal home network, have no issues at all.)

The problem itself is self-explanatory: wicd-curses spends a long time obtaining the IP address, then says 'not connected'. If I use wicd-client, it will say 'Failed to get IP address'.

I've tried the troubleshooting tips on the Wicd wiki page, but the problem occurs with both dhclient and dhcpcd.

I don't know if there's a reason for this, but for me the proper path is /usr/sbin/iwconfig, not /sbin/iwconfig. I've tried putting a shell script that calls both in /etc/pm/power.d/wireless, but this isn't always the problem; sometimes I have problems even when "dmesg | grep reason" is empty.

I vaguely remember that there was at some point some bug with dhclient and ipv6 addresses, though I think that was recent, and I've had this problem for almost two years now. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's rather irritating to open up my laptop and have to spend up to five minutes trying to connect. (I don't have any particular 'magic' solution worked out... sometimes restarting the wicd daemon works, sometimes I've tried running dhclient manually, sometimes I've tried turning of powersaving, sometimes bringing wlan0 down and up in ifconfig). The fact that any combination/permutation of those has worked in the past makes me think that none is actually the solution, and it's just coincidence when it does work!

EDIT: I should add that, when I have cpufrequtils running and the powersave governor on, turning off the wlan powersaving doesn't seem to do anything (or it gets turned immediately back on)... this may be related, and if there's a way to fix that, it'd be useful too. That said, I had these problems long before I ever started using cpufrequtils, so I doubt it's the root problem.

Last edited by chimeracoder (2012-04-17 16:56:18)

ewaller · 2012-04-18 06:00:29

I would check to see whether the delay is with the NIC card associating with the access point, or whether you are associated and are waiting for the an address.

Trilby · 2012-04-18 11:40:57

I have similar problems here, but it seems it is only in highly "congested" network areas.

Our brilliant IT people (who have neither training nor experience) think that good wireless network coverage comes from having billions of tiny little access points all with different IDs and all on overlapping channels.

There are times I can see several dozen connection options for my universities wireless, many of them on the same channel. TBH, I don't know much about networking, but this seems like a bad idea. Somehow Win/Mac systems deal with this fine, but Wicd gives me problems just like yours.

I'd be happy to contribute more information if anyone wants to do just a bit of handholding as - while I'm rather good at some things - netorking I know *just* enough to manage to get connected. Otherwise I'll just keep an eye on this thread and hope those with more knowledge can make some headway.

Also, I move about quite a bit with my netbook and wicd connects quickly and flawlessly on a wide variety of networks. The only variable that seems consistent is what I've called the "congestion" of many overlappign wireless network signals leads to the delays and/or failures.

Last edited by Trilby (2012-04-18 11:44:11)

ewaller · 2012-04-18 13:27:51

Trilby wrote:

...good wireless network coverage comes from having billions of tiny little access points all with different IDs and all on overlapping channels.
There are times I can see several dozen connection options for my universities wireless, many of them on the same channel. TBH, I don't know much about networking, but this seems like a bad idea...

This is how that works, but it does raise the noise floor

chimeracoder · 2012-04-23 05:39:11

Trilby wrote:

I have similar problems here, but it seems it is only in highly "congested" network areas.
Our brilliant IT people (who have neither training nor experience) think that good wireless network coverage comes from having billions of tiny little access points all with different IDs and all on overlapping channels.

This is exactly the case at my university too (and, I believe, on the other few networks where I seem to have trouble).

Aside from dmesg, what would be the useful output/logs for me to post?

ANOKNUSA · 2012-04-23 18:49:07

I've long considered this a problem with the network and not wicd, as my school is the only place I've ever had problems connecting to any network. Yes, I end up with several access point choices that all give me trouble, and yes, I assume this is due to second-year undergrad students being left to set the damn thing up, since I'm currently at a third-rate community college. Don't they know that monkeys work for cheaper? Anyway, I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread as well, in case something comes of it.

mrzackbot · 2012-04-24 00:28:47

I have the same problem. A lot of the time, it takes several (dozens) of tries to connect, and often I just give up. When I can connect, it's fine most of the time, but occasionally my connection drops every once in a while. I never have this problem on smaller networks, and it's been fine at at least one other school.

The reason I think it's a wicd problem (or at least a local problem) is that people on OS/X and Windows can connect with few problems. I'm going to try to connect manually sometime in the next few days, and I'll see if that solves anything.

Trilby · 2012-04-24 00:37:43

FYI: I have no problem using wicd to connect in these congested areas to my own wireless AP that I set up. I can also readily connect to a wireless printer, and a collegues wireless network.

I have wondered whether the existence of several different networks (different ESSIDs) with the same name (BSSID) could be the problem as it is only when trying to connect to one of these that I have issues.

chimeracoder · 2012-04-24 05:52:12

Trilby wrote:

I have wondered whether the existence of several different networks (different ESSIDs) with the same name (BSSID) could be the problem as it is only when trying to connect to one of these that I have issues.

I highly suspect that that's the case too, since I have similar experiences.

And as mrzackbot said, even if the problem stems from the configuration of the network itself, Windows and OS X machines never seem to have these issues (and I don't really remember noticing anything when I ran Ubuntu). So there must be some way for us to fix it for our machines, since others can connect with no problem.

Is there anything aside from the dmesg output that would be helpful?

mrzackbot · 2012-04-24 21:55:17

After trying to connect with just iwconfig + dhcpcd on two separate networks where I usually encounter this problem and running into no issues, I'm beginning to suspect it's an issue with wicd or my wicd configuration. I ran into the same problem just now with wicd, in fact, and was able to reconnect manually just fine.

Could it be a problem with the wicd-dhcpcd interaction? There's nothing in the wicd logs of note. I'll grab them next time.

chimeracoder · 2012-04-25 01:39:34

mrzackbot wrote:

Could it be a problem with the wicd-dhcpcd interaction? There's nothing in the wicd logs of note. I'll grab them next time.

That's my suspicion.

Also, I should note that my solution when this happens is usually to connect my phone to the Wifi network, and then use that to reverse-tether the Wifi connection over the USB cable (dhcpcd never has trouble with that - it only times out with the Wifi connection). Kind of overkill, but it works... and if my phone has no trouble connecting, I'd like to think my computer should be able to too!

cfr · 2012-04-27 01:25:48

I'm not sure it is an error in network setup that you see multiple access points for the same ESSID. I see that on campus - not just my own but at least one other university campus, at least one hotel network etc. I also see it on my home network. I am not an expert at this but I was extremely careful in setting up my home network to follow the instructions etc. so I would be surprised if it was something which wicd cannot be expected to cope with.

I don't have problems connecting at home but then I only see two access points as it is a small network. But I shouldn't see two because one of those points is *only* a booster for the other. I forget the right term but it isn't a separate network at all. And of course it is on the same channel - it is supposed to be as it needs to repeat the main access point's settings to do its job. OS X sees a *single* network. wicd sees *two* but there really is only one. It should be managing the connection by realising which access points belong to the same network (provided you've checked "use these settings for all instances of this essid" or however it is worded).

chimeracoder · 2012-04-27 03:39:13

In our case, there really are separate channels, because of the way the network(s) is/are set up campus. So there are separate BSSIDs on different channels and different frequencies, with the same ESSID.

Yurlungur · 2012-04-27 05:34:32

I have the same problem at my university, but I assumed it was their DHCP server, since the issue is always that attaining an IP address takes a long time and times out. I'm sure schools don't update their hardware often. Couldn't it just be that the access points are old and overloaded by a bunch of people connecting to them?

I use wicd now, but I had the same problem when I ran connman.

ANOKNUSA · 2012-04-27 18:03:39

I haven't tried connman yet, or connecting manually. I've never really had the time; once classes end and I just have to work on campus, I'll be able to play around more. Anyhoo, there are two other issues I haven't seen from other posters: wicd frequently refreshes its list, sometimes while in the middle of trying to connect (so it just stops trying); and, on occasion, it will connect, but then my browser won't launch. Once I disconnect from the network, the browser window pops right up. I have no idea why that might be or how to find out.

ascendancy · 2013-10-06 21:55:42

cfr wrote:

It should be managing the connection by realising which access points belong to the same network (provided you've checked "use these settings for all instances of this essid" or however it is worded).

That's what i did, and it worked! If checking that box in the settings is a reproducible solution for others as well, then we may have solved the problem.
... I know how redundant redundant that sounds.

brrbrrbruno · 2014-06-16 09:39:07

Hello everybody!!! WELCOME to 2014

i can't connect to most public wifi hotspots ... but my android phone is doing just fine!!!
what is going on? this really sucks and i have no idea how to troubleshoot this!?
plz help!
i don't use wicd dont have it installed and wifi works fine in home networks ...

Last edited by brrbrrbruno (2014-06-16 09:39:56)

jasonwryan · 2014-06-16 10:21:17

Please don't necrobump: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … Bumping.27

..and if you are going to open a thread about your issue, read How To Ask Questions The Smart Way first.

Closing

Arch Linux

#1 2012-04-17 16:53:30

Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#2 2012-04-18 06:00:29

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#3 2012-04-18 11:40:57

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#4 2012-04-18 13:27:51

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#5 2012-04-23 05:39:11

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#6 2012-04-23 18:49:07

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#7 2012-04-24 00:28:47

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#8 2012-04-24 00:37:43

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#9 2012-04-24 05:52:12

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#10 2012-04-24 21:55:17

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#11 2012-04-25 01:39:34

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#12 2012-04-27 01:25:48

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#13 2012-04-27 03:39:13

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#14 2012-04-27 05:34:32

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#15 2012-04-27 18:03:39

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#16 2013-10-06 21:55:42

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#17 2014-06-16 09:39:07

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

#18 2014-06-16 10:21:17

Re: Problems connecting to public (ie, university) networks with wicd

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