Unable to Connect to Open Network

Cy Schubert Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com
Tue Jun 21 14:50:26 PDT 2022


My testing has exposed a buggy router. In other words I was not able to 
reproduce the user's connection issue.

But the original problem remains. This and other users cannot connect to 
various open unprotected university or hotel networks.


-- 
Cheers,
Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
NTP:           <cy at nwtime.org>    Web:  https://nwtime.org

			e**(i*pi)+1=0


Cy Schubert writes:
> So the plot thickens.
>
> Golden_Pond, is an open guest network I created on my DMZ AP. Removing the 
> guest SSID and opening up the DMZ AP entirely resolves the problem. So, 
> what does this mean?
>
> An open network will not have an IE. However an AP which has a primary WPA 
> SSID and a secondary (like a guest SSID) which is open will broadcast a WPA 
> IE. And, wpa_suppliant uses that to communicate its WPA IE. wpa_supplicant 
> takes that to mean it's WPA protected.
>
> So the question is, what in wpa_supplicant changed tfor an open network 
> with key_mgmt=NONE for it to override key_mgmt?
>
>
> -- 
> Cheers,
> Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
> FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
> NTP:           <cy at nwtime.org>    Web:  https://nwtime.org
>
> 			e**(i*pi)+1=0
>
>
> Cy Schubert writes:
> > While under hostap-2.9 I can connect to the AP.
> >
> > wpa_driver_bsd_associate: ssid 'Golden_Pond' wpa ie len 0 pairwise 1 group 
> > 1 key mgmt 4
> >
> > Notice that there is no IE for this open unprotected network.
> >
> >
> > -- 
> > Cheers,
> > Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
> > FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
> > NTP:           <cy at nwtime.org>    Web:  https://nwtime.org
> >
> > 			e**(i*pi)+1=0
> >
> >
> > Cy Schubert writes:
> > > I've been able to reproduce the problem locally.
> > >
> > > The difference between an open AP that I can associate to and one I canno
> t 
> > > is:
> > >
> > > associates:
> > > wpa_driver_bsd_associate: ssid 'KQNGN3' wpa ie len 0 pairwise 1 group 1 k
> ey
> >  
> > > mgmt 4
> > >
> > > Does not associate:
> > > wpa_driver_bsd_associate: ssid 'Golden_Pond' wpa ie len 13 pairwise 1 gro
> up
> >  
> > > 1 key mgmt 4
> > >
> > > The Information Element appears to cause it to use WPA on an open network
> .
> > >
> > >
> > > -- 
> > > Cheers,
> > > Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
> > > FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
> > > NTP:           <cy at nwtime.org>    Web:  https://nwtime.org
> > >
> > > 			e**(i*pi)+1=0
> > >
> > >
> > > Cy Schubert writes:
> > > > I have a user with AR9285 who was able to associate with and use an ope
> n 
> > ne
> > > tw
> > > > ork
> > > > (WHU-STU in the list below).
> > > >
> > > > % ifconfig wlan0 scan
> > > > SSID/MESH ID                      BSSID              CHAN RATE    S:N  
>   
> >  I
> > > NT
> > > >  CAPS
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:0e:5e:20    1   54M  -81:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > CU_3n2r                           80:ee:25:a7:af:c8    6   54M  -93:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EP   RSN WPS HTCAP WME BSSLOAD
> > > > HUAWEI-4QGNEY                     5c:03:39:dd:2e:7c   11   54M  -87:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EPS  HTCAP WME ATH WPS RSN
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:03:06:40   13   54M  -92:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:03:19:e0   13   54M  -93:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > Xiaomi_102                        50:d2:f5:87:7a:5a    2   54M  -91:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EP   APCHANREP APCHANREP WPA RSN WPS HTCAP WME BSSLOAD
> > > > ChinaNet-r6xR                     ec:f0:fe:71:ea:53    3   54M  -93:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EPS  WPA RSN HTCAP WME BSSLOAD
> > > > ChinaNet-wqSx                     6c:d2:ba:94:73:d3    4   54M  -93:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EPS  WPA RSN HTCAP WME BSSLOAD
> > > > WHU-STU                           fc:b6:98:f5:cc:00    5   54M  -85:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:0e:2c:00    5   54M  -73:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH   # <-------- the one supposed to work
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:0e:19:20    5   54M  -86:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           fc:b6:98:f6:01:a0    5   54M  -88:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:0e:1b:e0    5   54M  -94:-96
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > CMCC-UKg3                         14:ad:ca:ce:ea:fe    8   54M  -94:-96
>   
> >  1
> > > 00
> > > >  EPS  APCHANREP APCHANREP WPA RSN HTCAP WME BSSLOAD
> > > > WHU-STU                           fc:b6:98:f6:0a:20    9   54M  -81:-95
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           70:d9:31:12:9b:80    9   54M  -85:-95
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           fc:b6:98:f5:cc:80    9   54M  -85:-95
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > > WHU-STU                           fc:b6:98:f6:22:80    9   54M  -92:-95
>   
> >  3
> > > 00
> > > >  ES   HTCAP WME ATH
> > > >
> > > > When using wpa_supplicant 2.9 they are able to associate and dhclient i
> s 
> > ab
> > > le
> > > >  to
> > > > obtain an IP address:
> > > >
> > > > wlan0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 
> 15
> > 00
> > > >         ether 1c:4b:d6:ca:3e:ac
> > > >         inet 10.134.135.167/17 broadcast 10.134.255.255
> > > >         groups: wlan
> > > >         ssid WHU-STU channel 13 (2472 MHz 11g ht/20) bssid fc:b6:98:f6:
> 12
> > :8
> > > 0
> > > >         regdomain 96 indoor ecm authmode OPEN privacy OFF txpower 20 bm
> is
> > s 
> > > 7
> > > >         scanvalid 60 protmode CTS ampdulimit 64k shortgi -stbctx stbcrx
>  -
> > ld
> > > pc
> > > >         -uapsd wme burst roaming MANUAL bintval 300
> > > >         parent interface: ath0
> > > >         media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet MCS mode 11ng
> > > >         status: associated
> > > >         nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
> > > >
> > > > However using wpa_supplicant 2.10 they associate 50% of the time but 10
> 0%
> >  o
> > > f 
> > > > the
> > > > time are unable to communicate with the AP:
> > > >
> > > > wlan0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 
> 15
> > 00
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         ether 1c:4b:d6:ca:3e:ac                                        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         inet 0.0.0.0 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 255.255.255.255      
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         groups: wlan                          
> > > >         ssid WHU-STU channel 5 (2432 MHz 11g ht/20) bssid 70:d9:31:0e:2
> c:
> > 00
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         regdomain 96 indoor ecm authmode WPA privacy MIXED deftxkey UND
> EF
> >   
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         txpower 20 bmiss 7 scanvalid 60 protmode CTS ampdulimit 64k sho
> rt
> > gi
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         -stbctx stbcrx -ldpc -uapsd wme burst roaming MANUAL bintval 30
> 0 
> >   
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         parent interface: ath0                
> > > >         media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet DS/1Mbps mode 11ng        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >    
> > > >         status: associated                    
> > > >         nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Wpa_supplicant 2.10 configures the device with:
> > > > 	authmode WPA privacy MIXED deftxkey UNDEF
> > > >
> > > > While with wpa_supplicant 2.9 the following are correctly set:
> > > > 	authmode OPEN privacy OFF
> > > >
> > > > It appears that wpa_supplicant has configured WPA even though the follo
> wi
> > ng
> > >  a
> > > > re in wpa_supplicant.conf.
> > > >
> > > > network={                                                              
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                                                        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                  
> > > >  ssid="WHU-STU"                                                        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                                                        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                 
> > > >  key_mgmt=NONE                                                         
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                                                        
>   
> >   
> > >   
> > > >                                  
> > > > }
> > > >
> > > > The same drivers are in use.
> > > >
> > > > What am I missing? Or is there something else going on?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -- 
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
> > > > FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
> > > > NTP:           <cy at nwtime.org>    Web:  https://nwtime.org
> > > >
> > > > 			e**(i*pi)+1=0
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>





More information about the Hostap mailing list