can't connect to hidden access point

[router.exe]

my school doesn't broadcast the ssid. In ubunut 9.10, the network manager had no problem accepting me providing the ssid for the hidden network, and it would connect. in kubuntu this is not happening, i've tried searching this sub-forum for an answer, and have not found one yet. what am i doing wrong ?

[Snowhog]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

Should work just fine. Remember, case (upper/lower) matters.

[router.exe]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

i know it "should work" but it just flat out isn't. when i have it scan for networks, it picks up the multiple AP's on campus with no ssid. I set it up to automatically connect, and even "tell it" to connect to them, but it still isn't.

[Clicky]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

Yeah, it doesn't. Hopefully this will get fixed at some point.

But for now, since you know the gnome stuff works, you can just install that. It's exactly what I did and I can verify it works just fine. Mostly copied from my previous post - this is assuming a fresh install of Kubuntu 9.10 and a working wired network connection:

from Konsole:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install network-manager-gnome
sudo apt-get remove plasma-widget-networkmanagement

Now find system settings in the K menu, select the advanced tab, and click autostart. add a program, type nm-applet, and hit OK. Now reboot. It should come back up and reconnect to your wired connection.

Konsole again:

sudo apt-get upgrade

You need this or your wireless settings will not stick. Took me a while to figure that out...
Once it's done unplug your wired connection, and reboot again.

When it comes back up, you can left click the network icon and set up your connection. You will be asked for a password, type one. Once you're done, right click the icon and 'edit connection'. Find your wifi connection and select EDIT. You might be asked for the password again, enter it. Now make sure 'connect automatically' and 'enable for all users' are selected and hit APPLY. Type the password again, your settings should be stored, and all should be well.

[wizard10000]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

You're not doing anything wrong. Neither networkmanager nor wicd will connect to a hidden SSID without a little scripting even though the options appear to be available - it's a known bug.

Here's how I do it - and I'm using wicd.

First I use a short script to manage the connection - must be run as root so sudo works just fine.

#!/bin/bash

wpa_supplicant -Dwext -ieth1 -c/home/wizard/scripts/work_wpa.conf -B

dhclient eth1

and the configuration file looks like this -

network={
ssid="SSID"
scan_ssid=1
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
#psk="my-wpa-key"
psk=734d625b915c5d73797abdd06699411febe94ea81ff2c1 5da56207b0584e90ce
}

You use wpa_passphrase to generate the hex key to go in the config file like this -

wpa_passphrase SSID my-wpa-key

which will give you something like this -


network={
ssid="SSID"
#psk="my-wpa-key"
psk=734d625b915c5d73797abdd06699411febe94ea81ff2c1 5da56207b0584e90ce
}

Note that you have to add

scan_ssid=1
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

to the configuration if the SSID is hidden. Your proto= and key_mgmt= may be different but the scan_ssid=1 is required. You can get the protocol and key management information by using

sudo iwlist eth1 scan

Good luck -

[router.exe]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

you folks are awesome. thanks, i'll give the script a try first. if that doesn't work, i'll switch over to gnome network manager.

[d4v1dv00]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

just buzz to confirm the bug in KNetworkManager on this matter

[wizard10000]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

just buzz to confirm the bug in KNetworkManager on this matter

Yeah, I fought with this one off and on for about a week on my work network. Neither knetworkmanager nor wicd would connect although both offered the option to do so.

[d4v1dv00]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

somehow 4.4.1 also not been fixed

[wba072]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

I think I may have a simpler solution which worked for me. Right-click the wireless icon in your tray and go to Manage Connections. Go the the Wireless tab and add the details of you connection, apply and close.

Open Terminal and type the following line:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan essid HIDDEN_SSID

where HIDDEN_SSID is the SSID of the network you want to connect.

You should then be able to pick up the hidden signal. You may still have to click on your wireless icon in the tray and click the network to tell it to connect, but it should be there.

[wba072]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

Go vote to get this bug resolved in the next KDE release!

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=209464

[wizard10000]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

I think I may have a simpler solution which worked for me. Right-click the wireless icon in your tray and go to Manage Connections. Go the the Wireless tab and add the details of you connection, apply and close.

Open Terminal and type the following line:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan essid HIDDEN_SSID

where HIDDEN_SSID is the SSID of the network you want to connect.

You should then be able to pick up the hidden signal. You may still have to click on your wireless icon in the tray and click the network to tell it to connect, but it should be there.

Interesting. I'll try this when I'm back in the office with the hidden SSID tomorrow.

[Guest]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

I think I may have a simpler solution which worked for me. Right-click the wireless icon in your tray and go to Manage Connections. Go the the Wireless tab and add the details of you connection, apply and close.

Open Terminal and type the following line:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan essid HIDDEN_SSID

where HIDDEN_SSID is the SSID of the network you want to connect.

You should then be able to pick up the hidden signal. You may still have to click on your wireless icon in the tray and click the network to tell it to connect, but it should be there.

Thank you for your great solution. It worked!!!

[Arkad]

Re: can't connect to hidden access point

I think I may have a simpler solution which worked for me. Right-click the wireless icon in your tray and go to Manage Connections. Go the the Wireless tab and add the details of you connection, apply and close.

Open Terminal and type the following line:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan essid HIDDEN_SSID

where HIDDEN_SSID is the SSID of the network you want to connect.

You should then be able to pick up the hidden signal. You may still have to click on your wireless icon in the tray and click the network to tell it to connect, but it should be there.

It still works with Natty! Thanks a lot