Arch Linux

zsbutcher

Member

Registered: 2014-07-27

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

I've been baffled by this problem for the past few days now and so far I can't make any headway.  Additionally, I did what any other self-sufficient idiot would do and I used google which led me to Stack Overflow which I've used in the past.  Long story short, someone decided my post, unlike others before mine, was not within the topics of Stack Overflow and decided to not be of any help.  So I turn to the wise ones of the Arch Forums...please to be too rough...

I've had hit or miss success with connecting to wifi networks. I recently installed Arch on my Fujitsu Lifebook T-Series laptop hoping it would help give me a better understanding of Linux and fall more in love with it...so far it's been a partial success.

Anywho, when I first did the install I was able to connect to my parent's wireless and get everything up and running. I was also able to connect to the office wifi where I work. But those are the only two networks I've been able to connect to. I could not connect to 2 different networks at my girlfriends house, I was unable to find the network at my boss' home, and somehow magically I was able to find his network in my apartment (which I'm renting from him) after we beamed it across the street from his home. Even though I can find it now and generate a profile I still cannot connect.  And as of now I was able to connect to a Starbucks attwifi at my local Barnes & Nobles.

Below is the output of every bit of troubleshooting code that other posts request (as far as I've been able to find and use as troubleshooting guides) while trying to connect to my network at my apartment:

[root@4331 ~]# ip link show
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: enp0s25: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 00:23:26:61:dd:4f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: wlp24s0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 00:21:6a:58:bd:d8 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

When I try to connect via wifi-menu I get this error with the following outputs:

Job for netctl@Tumblebrook.service failed. See 'systemctl status netctl@Tumblebrook.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.

[root@4331 ~]# systemctl status netctl@Tumblebrook.service
● netctl@Tumblebrook.service - Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/netctl@Tumblebrook.service; enabled)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2014-07-27 11:49:04 EDT; 1min 6s ago
Docs: man:netctl.profile(5)
Process: 2150 ExecStart=/usr/lib/network/network start %I (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Main PID: 2150 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 network[2150]: Starting network profile 'Tumblebrook'...
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: netctl@Tumblebrook.service: main process exited,     code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: Failed to start Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu.
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service entered failed state.
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 network[2150]: The interface of network profile 'Tumblebrook' is already up

and

[root@4331 ~]# journalctl -xn
-- Logs begin at Mon 2014-07-14 21:30:15 EDT, end at Sun 2014-07-27 11:49:29 EDT. --
Jul 27 11:41:15 4331 network[2053]: The interface of network profile 'Tumblebrook' is already up
Jul 27 11:41:15 4331 systemd[1]: netctl@Tumblebrook.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 27 11:41:15 4331 systemd[1]: Failed to start Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu.
-- Subject: Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/li … temd-devel
--
-- Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service has failed.
--
-- The result is failed.
Jul 27 11:41:15 4331 systemd[1]: Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service entered failed state.
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 network[2150]: Starting network profile 'Tumblebrook'...
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: netctl@Tumblebrook.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: Failed to start Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu.
-- Subject: Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/li … temd-devel
--
-- Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service has failed.
--
-- The result is failed.
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 systemd[1]: Unit netctl@Tumblebrook.service entered failed state.
Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 network[2150]: The interface of network profile 'Tumblebrook' is already up
Jul 27 11:49:29 4331 kernel: perf interrupt took too long (2505 > 2495), lowering kernel.perf_event_max_sample_rate to 50100

and lastly, the contents of the profile:

[root@4331 ~]# cat /etc/netctl/Tumblebrook
Description='Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu'
Interface=wlp24s0
Connection=wireless
Security=wpa
ESSID=Tumblebrook
IP=dhcp
Key=Roberts1

I've tried stopping and starting dhcpcd.service, I've deleted and recreated the profile, I've used the wpa_supplicant method and wifi-menu numerous times hoping I'd get it to work by accident, and I've tried just about everything else I can think of.

I'm trying my best to learn how everything works and at this point I've got most of the commands cemented into my brain so I'm actually dreaming of typing "ip link show" and ip link set wlp24s0 up"...It's driving me nuts. I got an ethernet connection up and running so I can use the internet, but wifi would be a major plus at this point.

tl;dr I can only connect to some wifi networks, some I can't find, others I can find but cannot connect to after generating a profile. I've done as much reading and troubleshooting as I can but will continue as possible fixes are hopefully contributed, but I'm not sure how many more ways I can phrase my issue on Google...

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Zak

Last edited by zsbutcher (2014-07-29 12:13:53)

oktorok

Member

From: San Francisco, Ca

Registered: 2014-06-18

Posts: 70

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Hi zsbutcher, I've had success with doing things in this particular order.  Your profile file looks ok, so give this a shot:

ip link set wlp24s0 down 
netctl enable Tumblebrook
netctl start Tumblebrook

[edit] Now that I think about it, that last command, start, is probably redundant, once it's enabled it might recognize the network and connect.

Last edited by oktorok (2014-07-28 02:19:59)

zsbutcher

Member

Registered: 2014-07-27

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Thanks oktorok, I'll give that a shot when I get home today.  I've done each of those steps but I don't believe I've done them in that exact order so hopefully it'll work!  I'll post an update if it does.

iodine

Member

Registered: 2011-09-20

Posts: 16

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Might be a problem of dhcpcd, try using dhclient instead.
P. S. Also, it's probably better to hide your key.

Last edited by iodine (2014-07-28 14:35:21)

zsbutcher

Member

Registered: 2014-07-27

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

I thought about hiding it but I was feeling particularly lazy haha...The key will be getting changed regardless once I've got my laptop up and running with the wifi.  Thanks for the advice though.

oktorok

Member

From: San Francisco, Ca

Registered: 2014-06-18

Posts: 70

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Based on the output of journalctl,

Jul 27 11:49:04 4331 network[2150]: The interface of network profile 'Tumblebrook' is already up

I believe you are setting your device UP and then enabling the profile, which is itself trying to set the device UP, and then failing to do so since it is already UP, hence the output from above. That's why I suggested setting your device DOWN, then enabling.

zsbutcher

Member

Registered: 2014-07-27

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Hey guys I appreciate the help!  Yesterday when I got home I went ahead and tried iodine's tip about installing dhclient.  After installing I attempted to connect to the wifi and it worked!  If it stops working again though I'll use your method oktorok and see if that works.

Thanks again for the help!

iodine

Member

Registered: 2011-09-20

Posts: 16

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Only Connecting to Certain Networks

Hey guys I appreciate the help!  Yesterday when I got home I went ahead and tried iodine's tip about installing dhclient.  After installing I attempted to connect to the wifi and it worked!  If it stops working again though I'll use your method oktorok and see if that works.

Thanks again for the help!

No problem.