Comment 81 for bug 572777

This is crazy, and unacceptable. I have just the same, authentication keeps failing. I was working on this for many hours mostly trying simple things and trying to reconnect (at that time not knowing about this bug) and in 3 hours basically of retrying, it accepted authentication but it did not last more than 30 seconds. In addition to the 3 hours, I previously checked in detail the function and settings of the modem router, and the wireless access point. I am not fluent in all this, it is a friends system I help with, and it took a very long time for me to re-learn how to do the checks and test with a third machine.

Detail:
Two identical Lenovo N500 laptops of a friend have suddenly stopped connecting to the wireless access point after working apparently faultlessly for over 6 months.
Ubuntu 10.04, broadcom chip (not sure which just now) B43 (not sta) driver, cutter, DLink wireless access point. WPA2 security, long pass string.

The machines were previously running ok. And ubuntu 9.10 was ok also. When I installed 10.04 on them, I did not make use of a keyring for the password.

The problem started, coincided with a power outage of the modem router for a couple of days, so I guess that the laptops were attempting to connect without success for a while, I do not know if that is relevant, but I thought the connection management responds to what it sees, maybe reconfigures in some way (?) After the power outage was fixed (bad power socket), then no connection with wireless!

My ubuntuforums post before I found this bug entry
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1739853

These are not my own machines, I am helping a friend, I am not experienced technically with the type of suggestions given in this thread (grateful though) so I cannot do much experimenting without careful preparation (and time), these machines are 'in the wild'.

This is the sharp end of Ubuntu being used instead of Windows by ordinary people, and is what we aspire to. Ubuntu in the wild, 'on a street near you', and suddenly NOT working with wireless! It is making these mobile laptops into wire bound desk machines.

It warrants a *high* priority