Comment 13 for bug 458290

Proloque: I started writing this 4.3.2010 while expecting similar but not same behaviour as described in this bug. Therefore this post is in "real time" format and I have added some comments (edit:) at the time of posting.

Comment:
Gnome / Ubuntu / 9.10 Karmic has similar behaviour and I experienced this also in 8.10

To replicate the behavior follow these steps

1. Make sure your wireless connection is set to autoconnect (i.e. attempt to connect automatically)
2. Turn off wireless router
3. Wait for network manager to search for missing autoconnect network
4. After a period of time the network manager will prompt for authentication for the autoconnect network
5. If user supplies password for network the password is stored
6. If the password was wrong, the correct password is over written and connection settings are wrong after this.

In my opinion the problem is not that the password field is not populated, but that the networkmanager asks for password even though the network is missing. In order to avoid problems with this the user must be avare of the incorrect behaviour and press cancel when the network manager asks for the password. Otherwise the network manager will keep on asking the password. (Edit: And as you later on the post find I am probably horribly wrong)

(Edit: At this point behaviour differed from what I was expecting and to what I was used)
Now that I am writing this while following the steps above I also notice that after restoring the power to the router the computer does not connect to the wireless network but keeps on detecting the network. In order to connect I must select the network icon from the bar, select the network (which shows good connection). After this the network manager asks for password with black field. I select cancel, and the network manager stops detecting the network (i.e. the rotating symbol disappears and and the symbol switches to zero signal strength.) Now I need to select network again and wait for reconnect.

(Edit: following chapter is complete nonsense)
Now something behaves differently than usually, the manager does not connect, but asks for authentication. It seems that I can not connect to my network even though I see the router lights flashing. This behaviour may now be caused by the fact that I clicked show key box before pressing cancel or that I cheked the autoconnect setting while the network was reconnecting.

Reboot

I reconfigured the network passworf (key) and network connected. I have trouble remembering weather I need to supply key or passphrase. Correct option is key, but I allways mix up those.

retry

1. Turn off wireless from ap
2. Disconnected message appears
3. Authentication dialog appears
4. Press cancel, network is now disconnected
5. Turn on ap
6. Wait until wireless is certain to be online
7. Select network from menu (note, did not autoconnect)
8. Network asks for authentication even though the keyring is unlocked.
9. Network does not reconnect, even though correct key is supplied

log out log in
10 Wireless does not connect

Reboot
11. System asks for keyring password -> wireless connects

Now this was interesting exercise since I clearly remember that previously the system was able to connect to network after cancel. I can not set dates but it may be that the upgrade 8.10 -> 9.10 (i newer used 9.04) has changed behavior or the recent installation of xinet.d, samba or rsync daemon are causes of this new behavior (i.e. unable to reconnect after ap comes online.)

Hawdware
- HP550 laptop
- Broadcom STA wireless driver.
- Autologin enabled to Ubuntu Gnome session
- Network uses shared key 128 bit wep encryption
- Origal installation with 8.10, upgraded to 9.04 , 9.10

Second laptop, acer 5020, nm applet version from about dialog 0.7.996
synaptic reports 0.8~a~git200091014....

1. Turn off router
2. Wait for authorization dialog (first manager spins a while)
3. Select cancel
4. System displays message: you are now offline
5. Turn on router
6. Network does not automatically connect
7. Select network from menu
8. System tries to reconnect
9. System reconnects succesfully.

Broadcom B43 driver

I'll run mentioned apport collect also on this bug for the problematic machine.