[Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

jstmax · 2025-09-13 17:33:09

A similar (almost the same) issue is described at: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=201944

The following description was provided by PBS in the aforementioned post.

"I am having a wi-fi problem which I know is the result of some simple misconfiguration, but cannot for the life of me figure out what it is.

When I try to connect to a certain wi-fi network within kde 5, well... what happens next is best described in pseudecode:

- Select wi-fi network from graphical menu.
- A passphrase is requested, which I enter correctly.

start:
- There is a pause of about 10 seconds, while the wi-fi indicator is stuck at "configuring interface".
- The indicator changes to "waiting for authorisation", and a dialog appears with the following message:
"For accessing the wireless network $SSID you need to provide a password below".
Note: the password I just typed is not already in the box.
- Enter same passphrase again. Press either OK or Cancel.

- if (pressed OK) goto start:

- Kde pops up a notification: "Connection $SSID deactivated".
- Immediately another notification: "No secrets were provided".

Some important points: I excluded these because they do not relate to me

Looking in KWalletManager, the passphrase has been stored with all the other wi-fi passwords under Network Management > Maps.

I have also tried connecting using nmcli. Following the Wiki,

$ nmcli dev wifi connect $SSID

This however results in exactly the same loop as above. After exiting the loop, nmcli also prints

        Error: Connection activation failed: (7) [b]Secrets were required, but not provided.[/b]

After this, the journal is full of interesting things. I have snipped what I think is most relevant:

        NetworkManager[19805]: <info>  (wlp2s0): device state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0]
        NetworkManager[19805]: <info>  (wlp2s0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
        NetworkManager[19805]: <info>  (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) connection '$SSID' has security, and [b]secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.[/b]
        ...
        NetworkManager[19805]: <warn>  (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) association took too long
        NetworkManager[19805]: <info>  (wlp2s0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0]
        NetworkManager[19805]: <warn>  (wlp2s0): Activation: (wifi) [b]asking for new secrets[/b]
        kernel: wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
        ...
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="$SSID" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=CONN_FAILED
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e (SSID='$SSID' freq=2437 MHz)
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: Trying to associate with 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e (SSID='$SSID' freq=2437 MHz)
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: Associated with 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: Authentication with 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e timed out.
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e reason=3 locally_generated=1
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="$SSID" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=CONN_FAILED
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-REENABLED id=0 ssid="$SSID"
        wpa_supplicant[527]: wlp2s0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e (SSID='$SSID' freq=2437 MHz)
        ...
        kernel: wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 34:8a:ae:e4:d6:2e by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
        kernel: cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain

Notice the apparent contradiction between the parts in bold.

Any ideas?"

I did not replace the logs because they are *roughly* the same.
Maybe I'm wrong though, so please let me know and I will provide them.

Additional info:
- Device: ThinkPad L460, got it recently, I tried using a Windows PE and networking worked just fine, so I tried ArchBang (called GreenBang or something now) and it worked too, so this is why I (too) think it is a misconfiguration by my side.

A very important note is that I already tried doing what the original poster said worked for him but it did not work.
His solution was:

$ pacman -S crda
$ nano /etc/conf.d/wireless-regdom
$ ...
$ WIRELESS_REGDOM="GB"

This fixed the dmesg errors, and my original problem was also fixed as a side effect. So it seems that BT Home Hubs reject connections coming from devices using the wrong regulatory domain, and the messages from NetworkManager were not relevant.
Hope this helps someone else."

Also, I live in Italy and I already set my WIRELESS_REGDOM to IT.

Thanks ahead and sorry if my english is not polished but I'm not a native.

Last edited by jstmax (2025-09-24 19:19:25)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-13 17:50:37

Do you have multiple networking services enabled?

Check with

tree /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants

You might have to clear the KDE wallet as well: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=198606

EDIT: your English is great!

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2025-09-13 17:51:20)

jstmax · 2025-09-13 19:19:34

Sorry for the late reply;
This is the output of the command:

max@~ => tree /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants                    [0]
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants
├── firewalld.service -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/firewalld.service
├── NetworkManager.service -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/NetworkManager.service
├── remote-fs.target -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/remote-fs.target
├── tailscaled.service -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/tailscaled.service
└── waydroid-container.service -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/waydroid-container.service

1 directory, 5 files

If I am not mistaken then there only is NetworkManager as a networking service.
Also, to clear my KWallet, do I just delete

~/.local/share/kwalletd/

and

~/.config/kwalletrc

?
Also, there are some GitHub and Chromium (even though I use Librewolf - probably because of Geckium, I am not sure though) keys in the Json file in .local

Also, for the time being I created this stupid service and it kinda works too:

[Unit]
Description=Reset wifi after suspend because [REDACTED lol]
After=suspend.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/bin/sh -c 'nmcli radio wifi off && sleep 2 && nmcli radio wifi on'

[Install]
WantedBy=suspend.target

BTW, thanks a lot! ^^

Head_on_a_Stick · 2025-09-13 19:32:50

Not sure about the wallet stuff, sorry. You could try https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/KDE_Wa … le_KWallet for testing purposes.

If you add "KDE" to the thread title it might help attract the attention of those familiar with the desktop.

jstmax · 2025-09-13 19:35:42

Don't worry, thanks for the help, it's not solved and the service is a stupid workaround but it works (for now)

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

If you add "KDE" to the thread title it might help attract the attention of those familiar with the desktop.

Did that, thanks for the recommendation.

jstmax · 2025-09-24 19:18:39

I forgot to update this thread, sorry:

I solved this issue creating a simple systemd service and enabled it.

[Unit]
Description=Reset wifi after suspend
After=suspend.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/bin/sh -c 'nmcli radio wifi off && sleep 2 && nmcli radio wifi on'

[Install]
WantedBy=suspend.target

Closing the thread, thanks to Head_on_a_Stick for the replies earlier.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-09-13 17:33:09

[Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

#2 2025-09-13 17:50:37

Re: [Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

#3 2025-09-13 19:19:34

Re: [Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

#4 2025-09-13 19:32:50

Re: [Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

#5 2025-09-13 19:35:42

Re: [Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

#6 2025-09-24 19:18:39

Re: [Solved] Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks: "No secrets provided"

Board footer