Arch Linux

Berengal

Member

Registered: 2019-07-28

Posts: 2

[Solved] netctl-auto fails on boot

I recently repurposed an old laptop (HP Spectre 13) as a server, but I'm having some issues with the wireless network.

I have set up netctl with two profiles (same network but different receivers). Either profile works when started manually with netctl or with the netctl-auto@ systemd service on an already running computer. However during boot it fails. The service hangs and times out after 120 seconds with no network, though the interface is brough up.

To solve it it's enough to bring the interface down again (with ip link set wlo1 down) and restart netctl-auto@, but this is quite inconvenient since it requires physical access.

Here's the output of 'journalctl -eb --unit netctl-auto@wlo1'

juli 28 14:12:49 munin systemd[1]: Starting Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles...
juli 28 14:12:49 munin netctl-auto[435]: Included profile 'wlo1-Telenor5502sot'
juli 28 14:12:49 munin netctl-auto[435]: Included profile 'wlo1-Telenor5502sot-5GHz'
juli 28 14:14:20 munin systemd[1]: netctl-auto@wlo1.service: Start operation timed out. Terminating.
juli 28 14:14:20 munin systemd[1]: netctl-auto@wlo1.service: Control process exited, code=killed, status=15/TERM
juli 28 14:14:20 munin systemd[1]: netctl-auto@wlo1.service: Failed with result 'timeout'.
juli 28 14:14:20 munin systemd[1]: Failed to start Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles.
juli 28 14:19:25 munin systemd[1]: Starting Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles...                 # systemctl restart netctl-auto@wlo1
juli 28 14:19:25 munin netctl-auto[512]: The interface 'wlo1' is already up
juli 28 14:19:25 munin systemd[1]: netctl-auto@wlo1.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
juli 28 14:19:25 munin systemd[1]: netctl-auto@wlo1.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
juli 28 14:19:25 munin systemd[1]: Failed to start Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles.
juli 28 14:19:48 munin systemd[1]: Starting Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles...                 # ip link set wlo1 down && systemctl restart netctl-auto@wlo1
juli 28 14:19:48 munin netctl-auto[526]: Included profile 'wlo1-Telenor5502sot'
juli 28 14:19:48 munin netctl-auto[526]: Included profile 'wlo1-Telenor5502sot-5GHz'
juli 28 14:19:48 munin systemd[1]: Started Automatic wireless network connection using netctl profiles.
juli 28 14:19:52 munin dhcpcd[572]: DUID 00:04:57:e6:d1:74:19:1f:64:11:36:81:a0:03:ba:b1:c6:b7
juli 28 14:19:52 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: IAID 91:3c:58:89
juli 28 14:19:52 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: rebinding lease of 10.0.0.107
juli 28 14:19:53 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: probing address 10.0.0.107/24
juli 28 14:19:59 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: leased 10.0.0.107 for 86400 seconds
juli 28 14:19:59 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: adding route to 10.0.0.0/24
juli 28 14:19:59 munin dhcpcd[572]: wlo1: adding default route via 10.0.0.138
juli 28 14:19:59 munin dhcpcd[572]: forked to background, child pid 622

Last edited by Berengal (2019-07-28 14:15:32)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,423

Re: [Solved] netctl-auto fails on boot

You probably lack early boot entropy, install and enable haveged or add

random.trust_cpu=on

to your kernel parameters.

Berengal

Member

Registered: 2019-07-28

Posts: 2

Re: [Solved] netctl-auto fails on boot

I installed haveged and it worked. Thank you!

Edit: Also tried adding the kernel parameter, and that too worked. However, I'm struggling to find any information on what the problem is and why this solves it.

Last edited by Berengal (2019-07-28 15:12:09)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,423

Re: [Solved] netctl-auto fails on boot

See https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 6#p1783766 and the links therein for some on information on when and why this originally surfaced. Also something I forgot to mention, the kernel parameter only works if your CPU supports the RDRAND instruction ( lscpu | grep rdrand should give you output )

Last edited by V1del (2019-07-29 07:59:51)