WiFi software glitch

[Ted Shellhamer]

Greetings, forum users.

I've been using Kubuntu 21.10 for some time now and suddenly I cannot connect to my WiFi network. Normally the system connects to my T-Mobile gateway automatically (the password was saved after the initial install), but recently, a pop-up window came up and asked for the password again. I re-entered it, but it refused to connect. Now I get the message "Wireless Interface (wlp2s0) Authorization supplicant failed" - this message pops in a small dialog box above the system tray icon about once every 10 minutes now. Attempting to troubleshoot within the message only brings up the Configuration Notification dialog box, not the configuration or network interface tools.

I do believe this to be a software issue. My system is set up with a dual-boot partition with both Kubunto and Windows 11, and when other users on the computer boot to Windows, they are able to find the wireless network without problems. I am connected to the internet now with a wired connection, but it would be nice to fix this issue without re-installing the entire operating system. If someone here can give me some pointers, like the files that control wireless network configuration and password settings, that would be greatly appreciated.

[claydoh]

Why would you need to reinstall an entire OS over this?
A little research should reveal a solution

delete the connection and re-create it, see if this fixes things.

system tray icon about once every 10 minutes now.

This seems to maybe be a power saving issue, perhaps?
You can change settings in System Settings for this to leave wifi unchanged, or turned on.

Also you might need to adjust the wifi's power saving settings, though this will require some minor manual work

Edit /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf with Kate or Kwrite and change it from 3 to 2.
You likely have to reboot for this to take effect.


https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...-kubuntu-20-04
https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...nt-permanently

[DoYouKubuntu]

Ted, welcome to KFN!

Now, get windows and its ridiculous 'fixes'--like reinstalling the OS to fix a minor problem--out of your head! This is *not* windows. We only reinstall the OS under very dramatic circumstances--like when a new version comes out! There is almost nothing in Linux that can't be fixed by some method besides reinstallation of the OS.

The problem you're having reminds me of various Wi-Fi issues I've had over the years. In one case, it turned out to be a flaky electrical connection, some kind of wiring issue...though I don't really recall what. Another time simply rebooting the router and modem solved the problem. Another time, there was a loose connection up a pole where the cable from my house connects to Spectrum's wiring. In other words, it could be all sorts of stuff, none of which requires reinstalling the OS!

Let's do some troubleshooting and see what happens. Before following claydoh's excellent advice, just turn off the router and modem. Let them sit for 30 seconds or so. Turn the router back on, let it fully come back up, then turn the modem on. See if that fixes it. If not, proceed as above.

[Ted Shellhamer]

Thank you Claydoh and DoYourKubuntu for checking out the forum and replying to my post so quickly. I'll definitely go thru the troubleshooting steps before blowing up the operating system and starting all over. In fact, I have an ethernet cable that I can attach to the gateway as a backup to maintain an internet connection.

So, I'm definitely sure that the WiFi from the source is working. My smart phone is connected, as is my TV, my son's laptop, and my tablet all are connected wirelessly thru the gateway. I've reset the gateway and my phone and the Kubuntu machine (an HP all-in-one that we bought last year just when Windows 11 was released). I've also gone into KDE Plasma Configuration and deleted the Wi-Fi connection and re-scanned the area. My Gateway is listed first - along with dozens of other Wi-Fi networks in my apartment complex that the computer detects - and I'm able to get a connection screen, as it asks for a password. I've typed in the password, and after a few seconds the system asks for the password again. When I click on the cancel button, the password dialog box goes away and two helpful messages appear above the system tray. 1) "Connection T-Mobile deactivated, and 2) "Wireless Interface (wlp2s0) No secrets were provided." So with this information, I know that there is definitely communication between the routers and gateways all around me and the hardware and Kubuntu software. It's just a matter of restoring the connection with the proper credentials, I suppose.

[DoYouKubuntu]

You're welcome, Ted.

Here's a super easy way to narrow things down: create a new user, log in with it and see if you have the same problem. If the problem goes away while logged in as a different user....well, let us know and we'll take it from there!