wireless DHCPDISCOVER : failure ..sometimes..

[bcostacurta]

Hello,

I use my laptop (with Ubuntu Netbook Remix) in a public place.
Same laptop, same place (precisely all saturdays morning and even same table...).

However some days the wireless will never connect, whatever I tried to re-start ..etc..
This happens around once per month.
And the week after it'll connect and work immediately.

Can this be link to the wireless router ?
DHCP leasing or other ?

I found following logging wireless ..etc.. in daemon.log about dhcpdiscover and networkmanager :

....
Jun 5 10:31:11 eeepc avahi-daemon[2817]: Registering new address record for fe80::215:afff:feb6:6b6e on wlan0.*.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: scanning -> associating
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associating -> associated
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state: associated -> completed
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Connected to wireless network 'EXKiGARE1'.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started...
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 7
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Beginning DHCP transaction.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.1.1
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: Copyright 2004-2008 Internet Systems Consortium.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: All rights reserved.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: For info, please visit DHCP | Internet Systems Consortium
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient:
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: wmaster0: unknown hardware address type 801
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: wmaster0: unknown hardware address type 801
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> dhclient started with pid 3889
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete.
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> DHCP: device wlan0 state changed (null) -> preinit
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: Listening on LPF/wlan0/00:15:af:b6:6b:6e
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: Sending on LPF/wlan0/00:15:af:b6:6b:6e
Jun 5 10:31:12 eeepc dhclient: Sending on Socket/fallback
Jun 5 10:31:13 eeepc dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 4
Jun 5 10:31:18 eeepc dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
Jun 5 10:31:26 eeepc dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11
Jun 5 10:31:37 eeepc dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 12
Jun 5 10:31:49 eeepc dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 14
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Device 'wlan0' DHCP transaction took too long (>45s), stopping it.
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> wlan0: canceled DHCP transaction, dhcp client pid 3889
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) scheduled...
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) started...
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 7 -> 9
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) failed for access point (EXKiGARE1)
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Marking connection 'EXKiGARE1' invalid.
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) failed.
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 4 of 5 (IP Configure Timeout) complete.
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 9 -> 3
Jun 5 10:31:57 eeepc NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 0).

.....

Thanks for attention.
Bye,
Bruno

[rokytnji]

I can't speak for the Ubuntu Netbook Remixes or even Network Manager since I don't use wither one.

On my wireless Netbook and Wireless Laptop I run AntiX instead using Wicd instead of Network manager. On my setup. I have in Wicd preferences the choice of running Automatic (which is like your auto dhcp I guess in Network manager).
Another option in Wicd preferences is I can run just straight dhclient.

I get dropped connections running Automatic. But since I switched to just straight dhclient. No more dropped connections. So I stick with straight dhclient instead of Automatic. But I run Wicd in AntiX. YMMV.

[bcostacurta]

What is the difference between 'automatic' and 'straight client' in wicd ?

Does the straight client still use dhcp from the router to gain the IP address of the laptop ?
Or is it related to the use of static address ?

Bye,
Bruno

[rokytnji]

Does the straight client still use dhcp from the router to gain the IP address of the laptop ?

Yes

Or is it related to the use of static address ?

No


I can see I am confusing you because I am from the South. When I say straight dhclient. It is my hillbilly way of just saying dhclient option.

[MASONTX]

Glad you clarified that, I was going to ask you what the difference was between a straight client and a gay one.