Ubuntu 20.10 Wifi authentication required infinite loop problem

[KingofChips]

Hi,

I am completely new to Linux. I recently got an old 2011 macbook pro to try Linux with. I decided to dual boot OSx high sierra and Ubuntu 20.10.

After i have installed the version, I could not connect to the internet. It allows me to select and insert my wifi password, but after a short processing time, it returns me an 'authentication required' pop up where I need to fill in my password again. 

I have tried to reboot my device, reinstall linux and reinstall two different wifi drivers without success. The wifi works fine when I run OSx so I don't think it is the wifi chip in the laptop.

As I mentioned previously, I am a newbie at linux and all my online troubleshooting searches in google yielded for me not understandable jargon. 

I am eager to learn and would appreciate any attempt or suggestion the community could give. 

I just ask that the solutions you may devise to be simple enough that with a couple minutes spent searching on the internet, I can decipher what jargon you may throw at me;)

 

Thanks for your time

[Helpful Tech Witch]

Could you try another distro like xubuntu? 

[KingofChips]

23 hours ago, HelpfulTechWizard said:

Could you try another distro like xubuntu? 

Well I was told that plain Ubuntu would be a great introduction to Linux, so I chose that. Are there other distributions you recommend? My computer is very old has 16 gb ddr3 of ram and a new ssd and I would like to have the most fluid experience.

[Helpful Tech Witch]

16 minutes ago, KingofChips said:

Well I was told that plain Ubuntu would be a great introduction to Linux, so I chose that. Are there other distributions you recommend? My computer is very old has 16 gb ddr3 of ram and a new ssd and I would like to have the most fluid experience.

Xubuntu. It's very similar to Ubuntu TBH.

But you might need to install Compton, I'm not sure if xubuntu 21.04 uses xfce, but it sucks, the stock composter gave me diagnoal tearing.

[10leej]

On 6/10/2021 at 7:17 PM, HelpfulTechWizard said:

Could you try another distro like xubuntu? 

There's literally no difference in the network stack between Ubuntu and Xubuntu since they both use NetworkManager. So unless it's a bug with gnome 3.38 I doubt XFCE will do any better.

 

OP could try a different network management tool other than NetworkManager like ConnMan, or IWD but I have no idea how difficult that would be to setup on Ubuntu since that distro doesn't enjoy being hacked on like most debian bases.

That said it could very well be a driver issue. But as I've never used a Mac before I have no experience in installing linux on them.

 

OP if you want to learn linux, I would personally use a yard sale PC or a virtual machine than try to use a macbook. I get the appeal behind them, but Apple just makes it a PItA to boot anything not called MacOS 10 on them.

[Alexeygridnev1993]

Do you have any possibility to get a usb-to-Ethernet dongle? You can connect to the Internet in this way once, give this system a full upgrade, which may just fix your problem.

[KingofChips]

Update: Thanks for the responses, I have not been able to resolve the issues.

What I have tried:

(Note: All I am doing is trial and error since I don't have any previous knowledge about this topic.)

After extensive search I learned that macbooks generally have many driver issues especially with the wifi card. 

To be precise, I have a Broadcom BCM4331 Chip and according to this help page :  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx

there are a couple of driver reinstallations I could try which unfortunately did not resolve my issue.

I also tried various distributions of linux. I did Ubuntu 20.04, 21.04; latest version of elementary Os, Linux mint Xfce, Pop-os, Xubuntu and Manjaro.

Nothing to my avail but I think this information could help narrow down the problem. Because all distributions were able at least to scan and find my network, but connecting was the issue. I also want to mention that one week prior I replaced my hard drive with a new ssd. When the hardrive was inserted I could use the wifi with no issues, but now with the ssd they are present.( Not sure if its just a correlation)

[KingofChips]

3 hours ago, 10leej said:

There's literally no difference in the network stack between Ubuntu and Xubuntu since they both use NetworkManager. So unless it's a bug with gnome 3.38 I doubt XFCE will do any better.

 

OP could try a different network management tool other than NetworkManager like ConnMan, or IWD but I have no idea how difficult that would be to setup on Ubuntu since that distro doesn't enjoy being hacked on like most debian bases.

That said it could very well be a driver issue. But as I've never used a Mac before I have no experience in installing linux on them.

 

OP if you want to learn linux, I would personally use a yard sale PC or a virtual machine than try to use a macbook. I get the appeal behind them, but Apple just makes it a PItA to boot anything not called MacOS 10 on them.

Thanks for the info, yea unfortunately i did not do my research before purchasing it.  I hope I can somehow fix it, if not I need to get a different compact windows machine.

[KingofChips]

3 hours ago, Alexeygridnev1993 said:

Do you have any possibility to get a usb-to-Ethernet dongle? You can connect to the Internet in this way once, give this system a full upgrade, which may just fix your problem.

Yes, Luckily the Macbook itself still has an ethernet connection, so that I was able to update the machine but still to no avail

[KingofChips]

On 6/11/2021 at 3:44 PM, HelpfulTechWizard said:

Xubuntu. It's very similar to Ubuntu TBH.

But you might need to install Compton, I'm not sure if xubuntu 21.04 uses xfce, but it sucks, the stock composter gave me diagnoal tearing.

Can you explain what compton is and how did that help you?

[Alexeygridnev1993]

7 hours ago, KingofChips said:

Yes, Luckily the Macbook itself still has an ethernet connection, so that I was able to update the machine but still to no avail

I see. After some googling, multiple instructions exist to fix this problem (it's a driver issue), and I obviously cannot test which one would work, but try the easiest one first, outlined here:

https://www.amirootyet.com/post/how-to-get-wifi-to-work-after/

 

Basically, it tells you to try to install the drivers for that Wifi chip you have from the repositories first (using apt), and, if that fails, find a driver and install it manually. The instruction seems straightforward to me but do let me know if you have any problems.

[10leej]

12 hours ago, KingofChips said:

Can you explain what compton is and how did that help you?

Compton is what referred to as a compositor. Here's a write up on them

https://passthroughpo.st/linux-desktop-compositors-performance-functionality/

[KingofChips]

On 6/13/2021 at 12:38 AM, Alexeygridnev1993 said:

I see. After some googling, multiple instructions exist to fix this problem (it's a driver issue), and I obviously cannot test which one would work, but try the easiest one first, outlined here:

https://www.amirootyet.com/post/how-to-get-wifi-to-work-after/

 

Basically, it tells you to try to install the drivers for that Wifi chip you have from the repositories first (using apt), and, if that fails, find a driver and install it manually. The instruction seems straightforward to me but do let me know if you have any problems.

Hi, another update. I was not able to amend my wifi connection. I tried, as the website suggested and also through other instruction websites, to "fix" the wifi problem with my Broadcom chipset. I think these guides are there to install wifi drivers in order for the computer to recognize the chip within the macbook or enable the macbook to use the chip. This, as I found out, is not my problem. The software recognizes and lets me use my wifi chip, but the the issue occurs when I try to connect to my network. I will try and connect it to a different network, but again when I access my network with Osx it runs fine. If anyone has any suggestion on how to proceed please don't hesitate to reach out, I'm almost at the end of my wits. 

[Nayr438]

Can you run this script with a Ethernet connection and post the "wireless-info.txt" it generates.

wget -N -t 5 -T 10 https://github.com/UbuntuForums/wireless-info/raw/master/wireless-info && chmod +x wireless-info && ./wireless-info

 

If you don't have a Ethernet connection.

Download (Right click save as)  https://github.com/UbuntuForums/wireless-info/raw/master/wireless-info

copy it to your macbook and then open a terminal in it's directory

chmod +x wireless-info && ./wireless-info

 

[YamiYukiSenpai]

Did you try resetting/"forgetting" the WiFi connection.

 

And I suggest updating to 21.04.   That might fix your issue.

 

Forgot to mention to check if `bcmwl-kernel-source` is installed.

[KingofChips]

On 6/19/2021 at 5:32 PM, Nayr438 said:

Can you run this script with a Ethernet connection and post the "wireless-info.txt" it generates.

wget -N -t 5 -T 10 https://github.com/UbuntuForums/wireless-info/raw/master/wireless-info && chmod +x wireless-info && ./wireless-info

 

If you don't have a Ethernet connection.

Download (Right click save as)  https://github.com/UbuntuForums/wireless-info/raw/master/wireless-info

copy it to your macbook and then open a terminal in it's directory

chmod +x wireless-info && ./wireless-info

 

Hi, is there a certain section you specifically had in mind? I don't really feel comfortable to post all my information.

As an update, I actually found an old thinkpad T61 and installed linux mint onto it. But this also warrants the same "authentication required" infinite loop. This makes me guess it is my network?

[KingofChips]

On 6/20/2021 at 10:56 PM, YamiYukiSenpai said:

Did you try resetting/"forgetting" the WiFi connection.

 

And I suggest updating to 21.04.   That might fix your issue.

 

Forgot to mention to check if `bcmwl-kernel-source` is installed.

Yessir, those were actually the first methods I tried, but they unfortunately did not work out.

[Zingiber]

Just something to rule out, I'm wondering if the keyboard layout is set wrong? Try opening up a text editor and entering the password there, see if it's being entered correctly?

[KingofChips]

On 6/30/2021 at 3:15 PM, Zingiber said:

Just something to rule out, I'm wondering if the keyboard layout is set wrong? Try opening up a text editor and entering the password there, see if it's being entered correctly?

Just checked, no its standard set to the standard American layout and is fully functional.

[Zingiber]

Have you tried connecting to another network, perhaps try setting up a hotspot on your phone and connecting to that?

[Oliverm98]

I managed to solve the problem for myself:

 

When you can access a Wifi connection but you receive an error (either failure to authenticate or wrong password), then try the following: 

 

If your wifi is automatically on 5GHz, then go into the ISP's page (where you change your wifi password) and activated the 2.4GHz as well. Both the 2.4 and 5GHz can be present at the same time, just give them slightly different names. 

Then, try connecting to the 2.4GHz. Of course, 2.4GHz will be slower internet, but at least it works. 

I installed manjaro and this solution worked for me.

 

Hope it helps.