NetworkManager (Applet) doesn't use previously saved connections

User Support General
1

Obviously I’m missing something.

After disconnecting Wi-Fi network (external 5 GHz USB adapter Realtek RTL88x2bu still connected to sys-netVM Fedora, but it’s the same if I change to internal adapter Intel 7256) I always have to edit/set-up a completely new connection. This only takes 1 minute, but, of course, it’s annoying.

Why NetworkManager (Applet) doesn’t use the existing, previously working connection (which is still present/saved in ›Network Connections‹)?

Thanks!

2

We don’t know anything about your sys-net in order to help you better. Is it disposable? Based on fedora… which? Where do you create connection, etc…
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

3

If you encounter variances in your networking (this applies to a lot more than Qubes BTW) you possibly could benefit from going to your network manager & limiting the device for your WiFi connection (the one you stated was present still - so that you can simplify this to one data point that works) to the MAC of the device without the device name (for example if you get a fresh connection that states wls7 plus MAC & the older no longer working connection is stating wls6 plus MAC, just reduce to only the network device’s MAC without the device name). This is a guess, but it may help your case if correct.

4

Hey, kysstfafm,

thanks a lot for trying to help me out.

Unfortunately, your — smart — proposal didn’t solve the issue.

I also disconnected the internal Intel WiFi module from sys-net — didn’t change anything, as expected.

I suppose it’s »just«: NetworkManager isn’t able to save or remember the Wi-Fi connection password, no matter if I chose ›only for this user‹ or ›for all users‹ (there’s only one user, me, ›user‹).

Detailed set-up

  • Qubes 4.1, templates Debian-11 and Fedora-34, dom0 Fedora-32; everything always updated.
  • sys-netVM: template Fedora-34, not disposable, not minimal.
  • Connection via NetworkManager Applet in panel.
  • I’m using sys-usbVM and connecting the USB antenna to sys-netVM after it has started.
  • Mode: Client; Band: 5 GHz; Channel: 5520 MHz; BSSID specified: yes; Device MAC specified (without device name): yes; Wi-Fi Security: WPA&WPA2 Personal, Password: ›store the password only for this user‹; IPv4 Settings: Automatic (DHCP) addresses only; IPv6 Settings: Ignore.

This set-up works perfectly, it’s »just« … [see above].

Thanks again.

5

I have read that some routers don’t like TKIP&AES encryption mode, but just AES, so maybe you should try that and reboot router and Qubes and then try from the scratch.
Also, I would try fedora-35 template.
Also, try to use sys-usb as netVM directly (check if it provides network in Settings)

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6

Small point of order - did you test my solution on both or only on the USB device (your primary area of interest I understand)? The USB device could add a wrinkle so please also make certain that you tested the non-USB as that could help us maybe narrow things down a bit.

7

Thanks for your smart hint(s).

Meanwhile, I tested you MAC-only setting on the (slow) internal Intel device 7256 as well. Same disappointing result. (And yes, the USB device is my primary area of interest because it’s blazingly fast ;))

But see my recent answer to ›enmus‹.

8

My router, Turris Omnia, likes WPA&WPA2 personal encryption mode — if I read Turris’ information about »WPA2 preshared key«, which is, among others, used there, correctly.

So I tried your next step, installing the fedora-35 template (in-place upgrade), and — success! The USB device/antenna connects automatically within 3 seconds, using the saved connection setting.

[Everything now based on fedora-35 works better and faster now, but that’s another topic …]

Thanks a lot!

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