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After two years and countless hours of trying to fix this issue, I was finally able to connect to eduroam (Enterprise WPA) from Arch. I was able to do this by ignoring NetworkManager entirely and using wpa_supplicant explicitly. Today I have learned of the existence of systemd-networkd and it allows me to connect to the internet.

As I use NetworkManager on other machines for home WiFi connections, VPNs, etc., I would like to also get eduroam working with my original NetworkManager setup.

Here is my current (working) setup:

> cat /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant-wlan0.conf` network={ ssid="eduroam" key_mgmt=WPA-EAP eap=PEAP identity="username@domain" password="********" phase2="auth=MSCHAPV2" } > systemctl stop NetworkManager.service > systemctl start [email protected] systemd-networkd.service systemd-resolved.service dhcpcd.service

I have the (to my eyes) equivalent NetworkManager config, which doesn't work:

> cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/eduroam.nmconnection [connection] id=eduroam uuid=95580564-0352-438d-9804-364636618a28 type=wifi [wifi] mode=infrastructure ssid=eduroam [wifi-security] key-mgmt=wpa-eap [802-1x] eap=peap; identity=username@domain password=******** phase2-auth=mschapv2 [ipv4] method=auto [ipv6] method=auto [proxy] > nmcli con up eduroam Error: Connection activation failed: The Wi-Fi network could not be found Hint: use 'journalctl -xe NM_CONNECTION=95580564-0352-438d-9804-364636618a28 + NM_DEVICE=wlan0' to get more details. > journalctl -xe NM_CONNECTION=95580564-0352-438d-9804-364636618a28 + NM_DEVICE=wlan0 Jun 18 16:15:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720103.7090] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning Jun 18 16:15:08 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720108.2210] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> disconnected Jun 18 16:15:18 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720118.2758] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning Jun 18 16:15:22 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720122.7869] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> disconnected Jun 18 16:15:25 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <warn> [1718720125.1830] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) association took too long, failing activation Jun 18 16:15:25 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720125.1831] device (wlan0): state change: config -> failed (reason 'ssid-not-found', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:15:25 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <warn> [1718720125.1843] device (wlan0): Activation: failed for connection 'eduroam' Jun 18 16:15:25 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720125.1845] device (wlan0): state change: failed -> disconnected (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:15:44 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720144.8036] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> inactive Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7364] device (wlan0): Activation: starting connection 'eduroam' (95580564-0352-438d-9804-364636618a28) Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7364] device (wlan0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7369] device (wlan0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7372] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) access point 'eduroam' has security, but secrets are required. Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7372] device (wlan0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7382] device (wlan0): state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7385] device (wlan0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7387] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) connection 'eduroam' has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed. Jun 18 16:17:03 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720223.7461] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: inactive -> disconnected Jun 18 16:17:13 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720233.7945] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning Jun 18 16:17:18 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720238.3069] device (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> disconnected Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2291] device (wlan0): state change: config -> deactivating (reason 'new-activation', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2300] device (wlan0): disconnecting for new activation request. Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2312] device (wlan0): state change: deactivating -> disconnected (reason 'new-activation', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2323] device (wlan0): Activation: starting connection 'eduroam' (95580564-0352-438d-9804-364636618a28) Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2330] device (wlan0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2335] device (wlan0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2338] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) access point 'eduroam' has security, but secrets are required. Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2338] device (wlan0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2350] device (wlan0): state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2353] device (wlan0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed') Jun 18 16:17:23 kim-xps13-9343 NetworkManager[10930]: <info> [1718720243.2355] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) connection 'eduroam' has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed.

What could be happening here?

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  • askubuntu.com/a/800431 Commented Jan 6 at 17:53
  • @user202311 It seems that that config is mostly the same as mine with the exception of using TTLS instead of PEAP. As my systemd-networkd config works with PEAP, I doubt that is the issue, but I will try once I am near an eduroam network again Commented Jan 7 at 10:21
  • Not sure if it is important but they also have security=802-11-wireless-security in the 802-11-wireless section. Commented Jan 7 at 12:37
  • @user202311 the docs say the option is deprecated and has no effect, so unfortunately not networkmanager.dev/docs/api/latest/…. But I will try changing wifi to 802-11-wireless Commented Jan 7 at 13:59
  • nvm, those two are aliases Commented Jan 7 at 14:05

1 Answer 1

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EDIT: Before doing anything below, try changing the NetworkManager backend from wpa_supplicant to iwd. ArchWiki reference. To prevent link rot, here's what it should be:

Install the iwd package, then configure NM appropriately:

> sudo tee /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/wifi_backend.conf <<EOF [device] wifi.backend=iwd EOF

Apologies beforehand, this should be a comment, but I don't have the required reputation. There are no logs of consequence, so prepare for a very generic answer, but since you've been having this issue for years, it might be something that's worth opening a bug report.

According to the ubuntu wiki, which should probably be relevant even if on another distro, you should open the debug logs for NetworkManager, and edit the logs you've just posted:

By default, the NetworkManager log level is set to info. You can use nmcli to modify the logging level:

$ sudo nmcli general logging level DEBUG domains ALL # open debug logs $ sudo journalctl -f -u NetworkManager # view logs

Afterwards . . .

I'm going to go ahead and assume you've already tried connecting with a clean Arch install.

The following scenarios are possible; we're either dealing with:

  • an incomplete package (that lacks the correct optional dependencies)
  • a broken package (bad patches)
  • a 'blessed configuration' issue
  • or very simply a clean-cut NetworkManager bug.

Have you considered connecting using the default oob (out-of-the-box) configuration of another distribution, a.k.a. does this work under Debian, Fedora (and/or their derivatives)? The closer the package is to upstream, the more reliable this check will be. You can try overriding the system install with the latest official stable release of NetworkManager if you'd rather not toy around with other distributions instead.

A. If it does work, please confirm the NetworkManager arch package is close to upstream (e.g. there are no patches applied to the package by the maintainer).

Aa. If the package isn't close to upstream, open an issue with the package maintainer. Clearly, some patch is causing issues/grievances for you. This is worth opening an issue for.

Ab. If the package is close to upstream, you are missing critical packages. I'm unaware of how optional package dependencies are resolved under Arch, but I'd start with installing the relevant package group for it (if one exists), otherwise I'd go full ham and all optional dependencies -- and go from there.

Aba. If the package is close to upstream, and you've installed all possible dependencies, yet it stil ldoesn't work, you might have to cross-reference possible optional dependencies from another distribution (whose configuration works) compared to yours. But honestly, I'd just open a detailed ticket on NetworkManagers bug tracker at this point.

B. if it isn't, refer to E.

E. Open an issue to the project bug tracker.

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