Regression: NM now incapable of reconnecting to same Wi-Fi network after connection interrupted; restarting network-manager fixes it -- Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG iwl3945

[Max Bowsher]

Binary package hint: network-manager

I have a somewhat unreliable AP which sometimes fails and requires rebooting.

After a reboot of the AP, NetworkManager used to happily reconnect.

Recently, by my estimation probably since the upgrade from network-manager 0.8~a~git.20090804t185522.4bab334-0ubuntu1 to 0.8~a~git.20090820t182117.cb60390-0ubuntu2, NetworkManager no longer reconnects - attempting to stimulate it to do so by reselecting the network via nm-applet just results in the "disconnected" notification being re-shown repeatedly. I have to kill and restart the NetworkManager process before it is willing to reconnect.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Date: Mon Aug 24 23:10:24 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
IpRoute:
 192.168.42.0/24 dev wlan0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.42.3 metric 2
 169.254.0.0/16 dev wlan0 scope link metric 1000
 default via 192.168.42.1 dev wlan0 proto static
Package: network-manager 0.8~a~git.20090820t182117.cb60390-0ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
 LC_COLLATE=C
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-6.26-generic
SourcePackage: network-manager
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-6-generic x86_64
WpaSupplicantLog:

[sid (skattoju)]

network manager fails to reconnect after a connection drop. It repeatedly displays the network disconnected notification on attempts to reconnect. Upon toggling the wireless switch it fails to locate wireless networks reporting "device is not ready"

[Tony Espy (awe)]

Max, can you can you re-test with the RC ( or wait till tomorrow an re-test with final ) as a lot of development on NM and the kernel has occurred since you originally reported this bug.

Siddhartha, it sounds like you're describing a similar, but separate issue. If so, can you please open a separate bug that we can track? Please run the following command from a terminal or via Alt+F2 ( Run Application ):

ubuntu-bug network-manager

[Brian Rogers (brian-rogers)]

I can confirm this with up-to-date Karmic. I just reproduced it on the latest LiveCD to rule out configuration issues, and what I found was it only happens with system-level connections (where 'available to all users' is enabled).

To reproduce:
1. Right-click the nm-applet icon and choose 'edit connectinos'
2. Go to the wireless tab and find your router, click edit, and make sure 'available to all users' is enabled. Click apply.
3. While connected to your router, unplug it or switch it off.
4. After a timeout Network Manager will realize the connection is dropped and try to reconnect. Wait until it gives up. A popup will tell you that you are disconnected at this time.
5. Plug your router back in. Network Manager will not try to reconnect. If you try to pick your router from the list, the 'Disconnected' notification will immediately pop up and nothing more will happen.

One interesting thing I noticed is that the 'available to all users' checkbox on my router was grayed out after doing this, and I couldn't uncheck it again until after I did a 'sudo restart network-manager'.

[Andrew Manson (real_ate) (real-ate)]

I have the same problem, my wireless card worked perfect in 9.04 but now I disconnect frequently ( I think because i'm a little bit far away from the AP ) and cannot reconnect. If i restart the computer I can connect instantly, I will have to try just restarting NM next time

[mike (ubuntu-holmesfamily)]

I can confirm that turning off "available to all users" allows it to reconnect and that sudo restart network-manager cures most issues either way.
However I often get weird dialog states with grayed out buttons or a request to enter the network key when it knows it full well. Disconnect are due in my case to the house phone on 2.4 Mhz ringing.
My Wife is not happy when I disable her network access though, so I have to live with "available to all users" on

[Thomas Hood (jdthood)]

Compare bug #489588.

[Thomas Hood (jdthood)]

Does this problem persist in Ubuntu 12.04?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for network-manager (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]