Re: [SOLVED] Re: Cannot connect to WiFi

[David Wright]

On Fri 17 Nov 2017 at 02:35:22 (+), Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Nov 2017 16:56:39 -0600, David Wright wrote:
> 
> > On Thu 16 Nov 2017 at 20:11:18 (+), Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> >> 
> >> On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:48:00 +, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> >> 
> >> > Hi folks,
> >> > 
> >> > My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
> >> > Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made
> >> > Network Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new
> >> > WiFi but I cannot connect to it.
> >> > 
> >> > When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
> >> > entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is
> >> > no way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
> >> > 
> >> > I'm running Debian Stretch.
> >> > 
> >> > Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.
> >> 
> >> 
> >> The problem is solved. It was Bob Weber post that led me to solution,
> >> though the problem was a kind of different.
> >> 
> >> Here what I mean. Just by looking at my password, as entered into NM, I
> >> did not find any weird characters or trailing spaces in it. A typo was
> >> exclued since I copy-pasted it from my password manager storage. I was
> >> in loss and just for no reason, when in GNOME "Authentication required"
> >> dialog pressed Backspace once... All at a sudden I get through and
> >> connected!..
> >> 
> >> Then I copied the password I uncessfully tried to use in Network
> >> Manager and pasted it bellow a password copied from my modem/router (or
> >> as David rightfully called it "gateway" device).
> >> 
> >> That was it. The original password was 64 characters and the one in my
> >> modem was only 63 characters. Aparantly the modem has a limitation on
> >> the password length,
> > 
> > The protocol sets the limits, not the router.
> 
> I agree. But I've meant quite a different thing. 
> 
> Whoever or whatever sets the limit, if the user makes a mistake and 
> enters into appropriate router field oversized password, it is a 
> responsibility of a good programmer to let the user know that the 
> password is going to be truncated. 
> 
> A user has a right to make a mistake, not have enough knowledge, even to 
> be dumb at the end. A good GUI programmer is expected to oversee such 
> things.
> 
> Silently truncating an entry IS a silly programming technic.

My intention was not to question your judgement on your experience,
but only to explain the significance of the strings you mentioned,
with lengths of 63 and 64. That wasn't apparent from your description
of both as "passwords" when only the shorter one is. Being aware of
the difference might help save the time of some future reader of
this thread.

Cheers,
David.

Re: [SOLVED] Re: Cannot connect to WiFi

[Juan R. de Silva]

On Thu, 16 Nov 2017 16:56:39 -0600, David Wright wrote:

> On Thu 16 Nov 2017 at 20:11:18 (+), Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>> 
>> On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:48:00 +, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>> 
>> > Hi folks,
>> > 
>> > My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
>> > Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made
>> > Network Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new
>> > WiFi but I cannot connect to it.
>> > 
>> > When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
>> > entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is
>> > no way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
>> > 
>> > I'm running Debian Stretch.
>> > 
>> > Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.
>> 
>> 
>> The problem is solved. It was Bob Weber post that led me to solution,
>> though the problem was a kind of different.
>> 
>> Here what I mean. Just by looking at my password, as entered into NM, I
>> did not find any weird characters or trailing spaces in it. A typo was
>> exclued since I copy-pasted it from my password manager storage. I was
>> in loss and just for no reason, when in GNOME "Authentication required"
>> dialog pressed Backspace once... All at a sudden I get through and
>> connected!..
>> 
>> Then I copied the password I uncessfully tried to use in Network
>> Manager and pasted it bellow a password copied from my modem/router (or
>> as David rightfully called it "gateway" device).
>> 
>> That was it. The original password was 64 characters and the one in my
>> modem was only 63 characters. Aparantly the modem has a limitation on
>> the password length,
> 
> The protocol sets the limits, not the router.

I agree. But I've meant quite a different thing. 

Whoever or whatever sets the limit, if the user makes a mistake and 
enters into appropriate router field oversized password, it is a 
responsibility of a good programmer to let the user know that the 
password is going to be truncated. 

A user has a right to make a mistake, not have enough knowledge, even to 
be dumb at the end. A good GUI programmer is expected to oversee such 
things.

Silently truncating an entry IS a silly programming technic.

Re: [SOLVED] Re: Cannot connect to WiFi

[David Wright]

On Thu 16 Nov 2017 at 20:11:18 (+), Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:48:00 +, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> 
> > Hi folks,
> > 
> > My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
> > Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network
> > Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I
> > cannot connect to it.
> > 
> > When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
> > entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
> > way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
> > 
> > I'm running Debian Stretch.
> > 
> > Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.
> 
> 
> The problem is solved. It was Bob Weber post that led me to solution, though 
> the problem was a kind of different.
> 
> Here what I mean. Just by looking at my password, as entered into NM, I did 
> not find any weird characters or trailing spaces in it. A typo was exclued 
> since I copy-pasted it from my password manager storage. I was in loss and 
> just for no reason, when in GNOME "Authentication required" dialog pressed 
> Backspace once... All at a sudden I get through and connected!..
> 
> Then I copied the password I uncessfully tried to use in Network Manager and 
> pasted it bellow a password copied from my modem/router (or as David 
> rightfully 
> called it "gateway" device).
> 
> That was it. The original password was 64 characters and the one in my modem 
> was only 63 characters. Aparantly the modem has a limitation on the password 
> length,

The protocol sets the limits, not the router.

> which it neither shows to a user. Instead it sighlently cuts off any 
> excessive characters.
> 
> Silly programmed device wasted 2 days of my time. Anyway I'm a happy bunny 
> now, since it solved. :-)
> 
> Thanks folks. And the bigest credit goes to Bob.

The 64 character item is a different animal from anything with 63 or
fewer chars. A key of up to 63 ASCII printables will get encrypted
along with the SSID to produce a 64 character hexadecimal string which
is what actually gets used.

The 63 char limit is to allow a device to distinguish between the two
types of string if the unencrypted key were to contain only hexadecimal
characters, like beadedface18005551234 (the well-known tattoo parlour),
though many devices don't in fact allow direct entry of the encrypted
(64) string.

Cheers,
David.

Re: [SOLVED] Re: Cannot connect to WiFi

[Cindy-Sue Causey]

On 11/16/17, Juan R. de Silva <juan.r.d.si...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:48:00 +, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>>
>> My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
>> Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network
>> Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I
>> cannot connect to it.
>>
>> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
>> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
>> way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
>>
>> I'm running Debian Stretch.
>>
>> Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.
>
>
> The problem is solved. It was Bob Weber post that led me to solution, though
>
> the problem was a kind of different.
>
> Here what I mean. Just by looking at my password, as entered into NM, I did
>
> not find any weird characters or trailing spaces in it. A typo was exclued
> since I copy-pasted it from my password manager storage. I was in loss and
> just for no reason, when in GNOME "Authentication required" dialog pressed
> Backspace once... All at a sudden I get through and connected!..
>
> Then I copied the password I uncessfully tried to use in Network Manager and
>
> pasted it bellow a password copied from my modem/router (or as David
> rightfully
> called it "gateway" device).
>
> That was it. The original password was 64 characters and the one in my modem
>
> was only 63 characters. Aparantly the modem has a limitation on the password
>
> length, which it neither shows to a user. Instead it sighlently cuts off any
>
> excessive characters.
>
> Silly programmed device wasted 2 days of my time. Anyway I'm a happy bunny
> now, since it solved. :-)
>
> Thanks folks. And the bigest credit goes to Bob.


Yay!

AND a word I couldn't think of earlier just came to mind while reading
your success:

Tooltip.

LOTS of packages and websites are using those for text fields these
days. It's REALLY nice when they appear in many instances. In this
case, it would advise that we are to use yada-yada number of
characters that can be selected from numbers, alphabet, and sometimes
certain punctuation marks.

To accommodate those who don't like or need tooltips, there is often
some way of turning them off universally, too. Speaking firsthand, I
can't *stand* those oversized tooltips that are sometimes available
for browser tabs. :)

Tooltips are a handy usability feature. To me, they fall under
accessibility, too, because they're very *cognitively friendly*.

Cindy :)
-- 
Cindy-Sue Causey
Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA

* runs with duct tape *

[SOLVED] Re: Cannot connect to WiFi

[Juan R. de Silva]

On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:48:00 +, Juan R. de Silva wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
> Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network
> Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I
> cannot connect to it.
> 
> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
> way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
> 
> I'm running Debian Stretch.
> 
> Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.


The problem is solved. It was Bob Weber post that led me to solution, though 
the problem was a kind of different.

Here what I mean. Just by looking at my password, as entered into NM, I did 
not find any weird characters or trailing spaces in it. A typo was exclued 
since I copy-pasted it from my password manager storage. I was in loss and 
just for no reason, when in GNOME "Authentication required" dialog pressed 
Backspace once... All at a sudden I get through and connected!..

Then I copied the password I uncessfully tried to use in Network Manager and 
pasted it bellow a password copied from my modem/router (or as David rightfully 
called it "gateway" device).

That was it. The original password was 64 characters and the one in my modem 
was only 63 characters. Aparantly the modem has a limitation on the password 
length, which it neither shows to a user. Instead it sighlently cuts off any 
excessive characters.

Silly programmed device wasted 2 days of my time. Anyway I'm a happy bunny 
now, since it solved. :-)

Thanks folks. And the bigest credit goes to Bob.

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[David Wright]

On Thu 16 Nov 2017 at 10:21:57 (-0500), Cindy-Sue Causey wrote:
> On 11/16/17, Jeroen Mathon  wrote:
> >
> > On 11/16/2017 11:28 AM, Eric S Fraga wrote:
> >> On Wednesday, 15 Nov 2017 at 19:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> >>
> >>> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
> >>> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
> >>> way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
> >> What type of security are you using?  WEP or WPA?  I had this problem
> >> with a WEP using access point. Switched to WPA and was fine.

You should be using WPA2 (AES) with no fallback, as attached.

> > A good thing to also note is the length of the key.
> >
> > I think that the minimal length for the key was something arround 8
> > characters.
> 
> 
> That's a good one. One of them is 13 characters. I only know that from
> messing around with it a couple years ago.
> 
> While doing the same earlier this year, nothing reminded that you need
> that odd amount. It seems like that occurred in multiple unrelated
> places, too, while I was "grasping at straws". :)
> 
> If I come across my specific case use again, it's at least wishlist
> worthy to have some kind of advisement/reminder, e.g. at least a
> cursor hover triggered tip, there in your face when you're first
> setting that up..

Perhaps the attached is what you mean.

Cheers,
David.

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Jeroen Mathon]

Have you tried using a different interface to configure the network
instead of using the GUI one?

Like `nmtui` < Highly reccomend this as fallback for when the gui acts up.


On 11/16/2017 04:21 PM, Cindy-Sue Causey wrote:
> On 11/16/17, Jeroen Mathon  wrote:
>> On 11/16/2017 11:28 AM, Eric S Fraga wrote:
>>> On Wednesday, 15 Nov 2017 at 19:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>>>
 When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
 entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
 way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
>>> What type of security are you using?  WEP or WPA?  I had this problem
>>> with a WEP using access point. Switched to WPA and was fine.
>>
>> A good thing to also note is the length of the key.
>>
>> I think that the minimal length for the key was something arround 8
>> characters.
>
> That's a good one. One of them is 13 characters. I only know that from
> messing around with it a couple years ago.
>
> While doing the same earlier this year, nothing reminded that you need
> that odd amount. It seems like that occurred in multiple unrelated
> places, too, while I was "grasping at straws". :)
>
> If I come across my specific case use again, it's at least wishlist
> worthy to have some kind of advisement/reminder, e.g. at least a
> cursor hover triggered tip, there in your face when you're first
> setting that up..
>
> Cindy :)




signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Cindy-Sue Causey]

On 11/16/17, Jeroen Mathon  wrote:
>
> On 11/16/2017 11:28 AM, Eric S Fraga wrote:
>> On Wednesday, 15 Nov 2017 at 19:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>>
>>> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
>>> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
>>> way to get through but pressing Cancel button.
>> What type of security are you using?  WEP or WPA?  I had this problem
>> with a WEP using access point. Switched to WPA and was fine.
>
>
> A good thing to also note is the length of the key.
>
> I think that the minimal length for the key was something arround 8
> characters.


That's a good one. One of them is 13 characters. I only know that from
messing around with it a couple years ago.

While doing the same earlier this year, nothing reminded that you need
that odd amount. It seems like that occurred in multiple unrelated
places, too, while I was "grasping at straws". :)

If I come across my specific case use again, it's at least wishlist
worthy to have some kind of advisement/reminder, e.g. at least a
cursor hover triggered tip, there in your face when you're first
setting that up..

Cindy :)
-- 
Cindy-Sue Causey
Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA

* runs with duct tape *

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Jeroen Mathon]

A good thing to also note is the length of the key.

I think that the minimal length for the key was something arround 8
characters.


On 11/16/2017 11:28 AM, Eric S Fraga wrote:
> On Wednesday, 15 Nov 2017 at 19:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
>
> [...]
>
>> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is 
>> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no 
>> way to get through but pressing Cancel button. 
> What type of security are you using?  WEP or WPA?  I had this problem
> with a WEP using access point. Switched to WPA and was fine.
>




signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Eric S Fraga]

On Wednesday, 15 Nov 2017 at 19:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:

[...]

> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is 
> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no 
> way to get through but pressing Cancel button. 

What type of security are you using?  WEP or WPA?  I had this problem
with a WEP using access point. Switched to WPA and was fine.

-- 
: Eric S Fraga
: in Emacs 27.0.50 + Gnus v5.13 + evil-git-5d040cd
: BBDB version 3.1.2 (2017-01-30 14:47:26+00:00)


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Description: PGP signature

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Bob Weber]

On 11/15/17 2:48 PM, Juan R. de Silva wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi 
> Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network 
> Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I 
> cannot connect to it.
>
> When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is 
> entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no 
> way to get through but pressing Cancel button. 
>
> I'm running Debian Stretch.
>
> Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
I had a similar problem with a new wifi router.  Under KDE I set the network
manager settings dialog to set up a wifi connection including a password for
WAP2.  It wouldn't connect.  You can view the password in NM and it looked
correct ... I checked several times but no luck.  I wiped out the password by
holding down the backspace key and I noticed I might have entered a leading
space by mistake.  So try to put the password in the network manager settings
dialog paying close attention to what you entered.  If that fails go back to the
router and re-enter the password again just in case you have some invisible
characters there.  This might also happen with the SSID.  If all else fails I
would set the SSID to something simple (say 3 characters) and the same for the
password just for a test to see if you can connect.  Also make sure the WPA2 is
set to AES encryption.  This is the recommended setting and I know it works with
my NM in debian testing.

-- 


*...Bob*

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Jeroen Mathon]

Try the CLI version called nmtui

On Wed, 15 Nov 2017, 21:30 Charles Kroeger, 
wrote:

> you can edit the:
>
> #  /etc/network/interfaces
>
> file and put your key there in the appropriate place
>
> if it does not start on its own try:
>
> #service networking restart
>
> see if you can connect that way.
>
> sorry I don't use 'network manger,' I never like it.
>
> --
> CK
>

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[David Christensen]

On 11/15/17 11:48, Juan R. de Silva wrote:

My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi
Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network
Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I
cannot connect to it.

When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is
entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no
way to get through but pressing Cancel button.

I'm running Debian Stretch.

Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.


I assume your ISP provided a combination "gateway" device, rather than 
just a modem (which would require you to provide a firewall/router 
and/or WiFi access point) (?).



I assume you are using a laptop (?).  What desktop environment are you 
using (Gnome, KDE, Xfce, etc.)?



I assume the laptop WiFi interface was working correctly with the 
previous ISP device (?).



Try deleting all wireless entries in your "Network Manager", rebooting, 
and making a fresh wireless connection.



If all else fails, does your laptop have an Ethernet port?  Do you have 
a long Ethernet cable?  (You might need a crossover cable if your laptop 
or gateway has 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Ethernet ports.)  Power down, connect 
the cable, boot, and use your network manager to configure (if the 
laptop does not connect automatically).



David

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Zoltán Herman]

Or test with wired connection.


2017. nov. 15. 21:30 ezt írta ("Charles Kroeger" <
ckro...@frankensteinface.com>):

> you can edit the:
>
> #  /etc/network/interfaces
>
> file and put your key there in the appropriate place
>
> if it does not start on its own try:
>
> #service networking restart
>
> see if you can connect that way.
>
> sorry I don't use 'network manger,' I never like it.
>
> --
> CK
>

Re: Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Charles Kroeger]

you can edit the:

#  /etc/network/interfaces

file and put your key there in the appropriate place

if it does not start on its own try:

#service networking restart

see if you can connect that way.

sorry I don't use 'network manger,' I never like it.

-- 
CK


pgpTzbktm3yMv.pgp
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

Cannot connect to WiFi.

[Juan R. de Silva]

Hi folks,

My ISP replaced my old modem with the new one. I changed my WiFi 
Authentication key and the name of the WiFi network. Then I made Network 
Manager to "forget" my old WiFi. Network Manager finds my new WiFi but I 
cannot connect to it.

When "Authentication Key is required" dialog pops up and the key is 
entered,j Connect button remains grayed out/disabled. Thus there is no 
way to get through but pressing Cancel button. 

I'm running Debian Stretch.

Could somebody help. It's quite urgent now.

Thanks.