After an evaluation, GNOME has moved from Bugzilla to GitLab. Learn more about GitLab.
No new issues can be reported in GNOME Bugzilla anymore.
To report an issue in a GNOME project, go to GNOME GitLab.
Do not go to GNOME Gitlab for: Bluefish, Doxygen, GnuCash, GStreamer, java-gnome, LDTP, NetworkManager, Tomboy.
Bug 337556 - nm doesn't list or auto-reconnect to wireless networks with hidden ESSID
nm doesn't list or auto-reconnect to wireless networks with hidden ESSID
Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE
Product: NetworkManager
Classification: Platform
Component: general
0.6.6
Other All
: Normal normal
: ---
Assigned To: Dan Williams
Dan Williams
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
 
Reported: 2006-04-06 22:44 UTC by Thomas M Steenholdt
Modified: 2009-01-19 19:53 UTC
See Also:
GNOME target: ---
GNOME version: ---



Description Thomas M Steenholdt 2006-04-06 22:44:00 UTC
Please describe the problem:
For wireless networks that does not broadcast ESSID, you need to manually
connect using the "Connect to other wireless network" option in the applet. This
is fine and works like it should. Upon entering credentials, my otherwise hidden
network is shown in the list and my computer connects to the network -
credentials are stored in keyring.

Now if i reboot or suspend resume or something else that causes NM to restart,
my newly added network is gone from the list and NM does not auto-connect to the
network.

This means that in order to use my wireless non-essid-broadcasting wireless
network, i have to manually type in essid and wep key every time.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Use NM to connect to a wireless network that has ESSID broadcasting disabled.
2. Reboot and check if it works upon restart
3. It doesn't


Actual results:
I have to manually connect, providing credentials etc. again, to gain access to
the network.

Expected results:
NM should scan for known networks (AP MAC?) and try to connect to it.

Does this happen every time?
Yes

Other information:
I'm using the orinoco_pci driver
Comment 1 Russell Harrison 2006-04-08 20:43:15 UTC
I am seeing the same problem.  I see all of information for these networks in gconf but they don't show in my list of available networks to reconnect.

Whats even stranger is that if the network connection is lost I cannot reconnect by selecting my network from the list.  However if I recreate the network (even though its already in my list) it will connect.
Comment 2 Paul Done 2006-05-04 18:42:46 UTC
I get this problem too in Fedrora Core 5 - Network Manager version 0.6.0-3. This problems partly negates the otherwise excellent add-value that the applet provides for my roaming laptop. See the following Fedora Forum entry for more information:

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?p=520984#post520984

Ta

Paul
Comment 3 Scott James Remnant 2006-05-10 17:29:35 UTC
Also see: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/39707
Comment 4 Darius Mažeika 2006-10-03 06:05:13 UTC
I still can observe this behaviour on my machine (Debian sid), Network Manager version 0.6.4

I am sure this is related to ESSID broadcast, since after Network Manager has stopped working, the only change was on a wireless Access Point side - it does not broadcast ESSID anymore. No system updates, network interface configuration was not changed either.

This is not important in home network, where you can controll wireless network settings yourself, but is unbearable in business environment.
Comment 5 Thomas M Steenholdt 2006-10-03 06:29:18 UTC
This is not a problem here anymore. Actually it hasn't been for a while.
I'm using both hidden and non-hidden ESSID APs, depending on where I am, and they all work with regards to this.
You should probably try to re-create the connection now that the ESSID is hidden - Perhaps NM needs something reflecting the fact that it's looking for a hidden ESSID - I don't know!
Comment 6 dp_wiz 2007-06-19 13:32:10 UTC
Network-manager version 0.6.4-6 (ubuntu 7.04 feisty)

Have hidden wep wlan here and must create new connection every time.
Our wlan does not appear on the list and no autoconnection.
Comment 7 James Martin 2007-06-28 19:13:22 UTC
Same here: Network-manager 0.6.4-6ubuntu7 (7.04 feisty).

Have tested using two APs, one hidden ESSID and one broadcast.
- Connect to hidden AP
- Switch to offline mode
- Switch to online mode
- Observe hidden AP missing from available networks
- Options -> Show Networks
- Observe hidden AP is visible in the history of trusted networks, just can't be connected to.

"Connect to other Wireless Network" option and manually entering ESSID and WEP key enables reconnection to the hidden AP.
Comment 8 dp_wiz 2007-09-14 05:53:34 UTC
Any chances to get hidden SSIDs remembered in reasonable time? That's too bothersome to set up network every time. And to know that there was no such bug at Jan'07.
Comment 9 Thomas M Steenholdt 2007-09-14 09:25:36 UTC
Current version 0.6.5 (and probably even older releases too) should really not have any issues with this. It's been working fine for me in a loong time.
Comment 10 dp_wiz 2007-09-14 10:41:26 UTC
Mine is 0.6.5-0ubuntu8 - have to point NM applet to my network for each time.
Comment 11 Richard Cross 2007-11-16 11:01:02 UTC
Every time I restart Ubuntu, I have to manually connect to my office netowkr, as Network Manager prefers to automatically connect to an unsecured wireless network on the floor below me (which belongs to another company!).  

Is this problem perhaps related to this bug?  Network Manager appears not to have any concept of a default or preferred connection.
Comment 12 Henrik Brink 2007-11-21 12:19:56 UTC
Using ubuntu Gutsy and Network Manager 0.6.5, I have the same problem.

Since the network is a WPA Enterprise, I have to fill in 4-5 fields each time I disconnect. It gets tiresome, but in the end you can type pretty fast :-)
Comment 13 Dan Williams 2008-01-24 19:17:15 UTC
What drivers do people have?

Also, is the access point's BSSID listed in GConf in the seen-bssids field?  Poke around in /system/networking/wireless/networks/<your network> and see if you can find the BSSID there.
Comment 14 Christoph Wurm 2009-01-19 19:53:52 UTC
Closing this bug report as no further information has been provided. Please feel free to reopen this bug if you can provide the information asked for.
Thanks!