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nutty about natty
Asked: 2011-06-08 07:43:34 +0800 CST

Need instructions on how to create wpa_supplicant.conf and add fast_reauth=0 to it

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Like many other natty users on a university/academic network, I'm experiencing annoying frequent disconnects/hangs/delays.

See, for instance here.

I would like to learn how to add fast_reauth=0 to the wpa_supplicant.conf file.

This file, it seems, does not exist by default, and needs to be manually created first: README

You will need to make a configuration file, e.g. /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf, with network configuration for the networks you are going to use.

Further, I installed wpa_gui which probably needs to be launched with parameters, else it's pretty blank...

What I'm hoping for is this:

That creating a wpa_supplicant.conf file with fast_reauth=0 in it, saving it to the relevant path, will work and make my uni wireless (more or even completely) stable.

I read mixed reviews about wicd (as an alternative to the network manager).

Also note that on my basic wlan at home (with bog-standard wpa encryption) the connection is stable.

Thanks!

11.04

5 Answers

  1. Steps:

    1. uninstall network-manager (and reboot)
    2. install package wpasupplicant

    3. add file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf with information about your networks, e.g.:
      ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
      ap_scan=1
      fast_reauth=0
      network={
      ssid="myssid"
      psk=12345
      }

    4. edit the wlan section in /etc/network/interfaces :
      auto wlan0
      iface wlan0 inet dhcp
      wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

    Your wireless interface might also be called something else e.g. wlan1. You can restart the networking with sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

    hope it helps,
    christian

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  2. Switching to another driver is very unlikely to solve your problems but as always this is an opinion. I've had too many people complain at me to make definitive statements...

    The previous comment about a Fedora setup applies to Ubuntu too. Here is what fi.epitest.hostap.WPASupplicant.service looks like on Fedora:

    Exec=/usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf -B -u -f /var/log/wpa_supplicant.log -P /var/run/wpa_supplicant.pid

    The issue is the time it would take to write a good, clear explanation of how to do what you want is large and worse there are no guarantees that this would even fix your problem (worst case scenario is that things are made worse and a half working install is rendered inoperable). Most likely you will get short/difficult or cookie cutter answers because that's all the time someone else could spare. It's not that you're doing anything wrong - it's that what you are trying to do is only easy for experts. Hopefully someone with more time will help you piece things together...

    As a technical user I really would like to help but it is clear that this is going to take up quite a bit of time but perhaps I'm just slow :-) My advice to you is set a time limit - say "I'm going to spend 45 minutes on this problem in total" and if you find yourself taking even a minute more than that please stop! I hate it when I see new Linux users chew up hours of their life on nasty issues :( Good luck!

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  3. try this

    it is written for ethernet eduroam but it might work with wireless too. You should change few things (dont have time right now to tell you what) but you will be able to see that on your own. if You cant post it here!

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  4. The best source is probably your system's very own online reference. From a terminal, type:

    man wpa_supplicant.conf

    Use Page Up and Page Down to navigate it, and press q to quit.

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  5. It is not necessary to uninstall network manager. If you ever look at a Fedora setup and do ps axww | grep [w]pa_supplicant you will see that wpa supplicant makes use of a configuration file because it is launched with a command line option setting one. Since it is launched via dbus the file you will need to edit /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/fi.epitest.hostap.WPASupplicant.service and add a -c option to the config file. As mentioned in an earlier comment you will need to add fast_reauth=0 to the .conf file. For the change to be picked up you will need to relaunch wpa_supplicant (the "easiest" thing to do is reboot) then run the ps command to see that the option has been picked up. Note that for me fast_reauth=0 did not fix my problems on eduroam...

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