New install and wifi is not working

[TooShyTom]

I am a newbie to the world of Linux. I installed Linux Lite 7.6 on my old laptop Dell Latitude D830. During the installation, the wifi driver was recognized and installed, as well as my network. However, the wifi network won't connect. I checked the password several times and after 3 tried, it disconnected. Using inxi -N from the tutorial, I received the information below:
Device-1: Broadcom and subsidiaries NetXtreme BCM57755M Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express
driver: tg3
Device-2: Broadcom and subsidiaries BCM4311 802.11a/b/g
driver: b43-pci-bridge
Device-3: Dell Wireless 360 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb

The wifi was working in windows 7 before I wiped it to install Linux Lite 7.6. Any help to get the wifi working will greatly be appreciated it.

Tom

[stevef]

Welcome Tom
Debugging wifi issue over the forum can be frustrating but given your description we stand a good chance of getting it working.

Which tutorial did you follow ?

Please can you confirm my understanding of your description is correct, if incorrect, please provide more details.

1) While booted from the live media (before installation), the wifi was detected, connected to your network and worked.
2) During the installation, between setting the keyboard and choosing whether or not to apply updates, the wifi was detected, connected to your network and worked.
3) After installation completed, the wifi hardware can 'see' your network, but fails to establish a working connection.

I checked the password several times and after 3 tried, it disconnected.

Can you clarify what this means please ?

Once we have a mutual understanding I'll provide some commands to run.

[TooShyTom]

Hello,
Please allow me to clarify.

My wifi was working when the computer was on Windows 7. I created the linux installation USB using Rufus and downloaded the ISO copy of Linux Lite 7.6. During the boot up to install Linux Lite, a dialog box asked me to pick my network from all the detected networks. I picked mine and it asked me for the password. I entered it and clicked Connect. I checked "Show Password" to make sure I entered it correctly. It took several minutes, then the dialog box asking for the network password came up again, the second time. I entered the password again (same one) and clicked connect. It took several minutes, then the dialog box asking for the network password came up again, the third time. I entered the password again and clicked connect again, then it took several minutes and a dialog box came up saying network disconnected. The installation continued and was successful.

After rebooted, Linux Lite came up, but no wifi. I tried to connect following the Linux Lite Help Manual (https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/) to no avail.

To answer your questions
1) While booted from the live media (before installation), the wifi was detected, connected to your network and worked.
TNB: When I booted from the USB, I got option 1 to go to live media or option 2 to direct install. I chose option 2 to direct install.
2) During the installation, between setting the keyboard and choosing whether or not to apply updates, the wifi was detected, connected to your network and worked.
TNB: During installation, the wifi network was detected and asked for password (I entered the password, it tried, then it asked for the password again, then it tried, then it asked for the password again, then it disconnected), but it didn't connect to my network and it didn't work.
3) After installation completed, the wifi hardware can 'see' your network, but fails to establish a working connection.
TNB: After installation completed and rebooted, I saw my network, but it kept asking for password and after 3 tried, it said disconnected. I tried to connect to the network 3 times (entered and checked the password 9 times).

I found the command inxi -N via the tutorial and from searching the web. I also clicked on the Install Drivers GUI and it didn't show anything and it said something like no proprietary or third party drivers found.

Appreciate your help! Thank you!
Tom

[stevef]

Does your wifi password - the wpa authentication key - contain any characters that are not either numbers or letters ?

Test the typing by using a text editor.
Click 'Menu' and begin typing 'text editor' into the search box
When you see 'Text Editor' offered as a choice, click on it to open the Mousepad application.

Type your wifi password into the Mousepad window and carefully check that what appears on screen in the editor matches the key presses.

[TooShyTom]

Hello,

My wifi password uses WPA2 and my password has 24 numbers + one upper case letter + one lower case letter. I will try to boot up with live version to see if the wifi works. I checked the Show Password, so I saw exactly what I entered, and it was correct. Very strange.

Thank you!
Tom

[FullyLadenSwallow]

Having a similar issue. As of right now, this issue occurs only when I connect to my home wifi router.

I've successfully connected to my phone's hotspot for Internet so I know it's not the hardware in my PC.

I'm using wpa_supplicant and NetworkManager. I tried swapping out wpa_supplicant with iwd since I have an Intel board, but that didn't fix the issue either. The issue may rest with NetworkManager.

I'm able to connect to my home wifi router with other devices such as my phone and various other windows computers. This pushes my next point.

Either this is some crazy mass anti-Linux Mac filter from ISPs or NM had a bad update. I'm convinced it's the latter. I experimented with changing the Mac address on my Linux PC and I was able to connect to my home wifi router for a bit until I changed something else. Now, whether I change the Mac address or not, the connection will not work.

I'll post some journal bits later, but most of the entries looked like blatant refusals to connect by the access points. Failure to complete 4-way handshake.

My wifi router supports the following:
2.4G band - WPA2 and down
5G band - WPA3-Transition and down
6G band - WPA3 (Personal only)

---

I just downgraded NetworkManager, and that seems to have fixed the issue. I don't know what happened with that, but NetworkManager may have been the culprit. I'll look through the diffs between the last couple weeks and let you know if they did anything major.

[stevef]

Hello,

My wifi password uses WPA2 and my password has 24 numbers + one upper case letter + one lower case letter.  I will try to boot up with live version to see if the wifi works.  I checked the Show Password, so I saw exactly what I entered, and it was correct.  Very strange.

Thank you!
Tom

Tom,
Thank you, your answers to whether or not the wifi connected at the various possible stages of installation suggest the problem is apparent in any LL7.6, but testing with the live boot will confirm.  Let us know please.

---

Having a similar issue. As of right now, this issue occurs only when I connect to my home wifi router.

I've successfully connected to my phone's hotspot for Internet so I know it's not the hardware in my PC.

I'm using wpa_supplicant and NetworkManager. I tried swapping out wpa_supplicant with iwd since I have an Intel board, but that didn't fix the issue either. The issue may rest with NetworkManager.

I'm able to connect to my home wifi router with other devices such as my phone and various other windows computers. This pushes my next point.

Either this is some crazy mass anti-Linux Mac filter from ISPs or NM had a bad update. I'm convinced it's the latter. I experimented with changing the Mac address on my Linux PC and I was able to connect to my home wifi router for a bit until I changed something else. Now, whether I change the Mac address or not, the connection will not work.

I'll post some journal bits later, but most of the entries looked like blatant refusals to connect by the access points. Failure to complete 4-way handshake.

My wifi router supports the following:
2.4G band - WPA2 and down
5G band - WPA3-Transition and down
6G band - WPA3 (Personal only)

---

I just downgraded NetworkManager, and that seems to have fixed the issue. I don't know what happened with that, but NetworkManager may have been the culprit. I'll look through the diffs between the last couple weeks and let you know if they did anything major.

FullyLadenSwallow,
Thank you. It is a bit confusing because your post appears as a quote from TooShyTom which may be an error.  For clarity, it may be best to keep your input separate.

[FullyLadenSwallow]

Hello,

My wifi password uses WPA2 and my password has 24 numbers + one upper case letter + one lower case letter.  I will try to boot up with live version to see if the wifi works.  I checked the Show Password, so I saw exactly what I entered, and it was correct.  Very strange.

Thank you!
Tom

Tom,
Thank you, your answers to whether or not the wifi connected at the various possible stages of installation suggest the problem is apparent in any LL7.6, but testing with the live boot will confirm.  Let us know please.

---

Having a similar issue. As of right now, this issue occurs only when I connect to my home wifi router.

I've successfully connected to my phone's hotspot for Internet so I know it's not the hardware in my PC.

I'm using wpa_supplicant and NetworkManager. I tried swapping out wpa_supplicant with iwd since I have an Intel board, but that didn't fix the issue either. The issue may rest with NetworkManager.

I'm able to connect to my home wifi router with other devices such as my phone and various other windows computers. This pushes my next point.

Either this is some crazy mass anti-Linux Mac filter from ISPs or NM had a bad update. I'm convinced it's the latter. I experimented with changing the Mac address on my Linux PC and I was able to connect to my home wifi router for a bit until I changed something else. Now, whether I change the Mac address or not, the connection will not work.

I'll post some journal bits later, but most of the entries looked like blatant refusals to connect by the access points. Failure to complete 4-way handshake.

My wifi router supports the following:
2.4G band - WPA2 and down
5G band - WPA3-Transition and down
6G band - WPA3 (Personal only)

---

I just downgraded NetworkManager, and that seems to have fixed the issue. I don't know what happened with that, but NetworkManager may have been the culprit. I'll look through the diffs between the last couple weeks and let you know if they did anything major.

FullyLadenSwallow,
Thank you. It is a bit confusing because your post appears as a quote from TooShyTom which may be an error.  For clarity, it may be best to keep your input separate.

Edited. Thanks for catching that.