NetworkManager Stopped Connecting Wi-Fi Network: Troubleshooting Guide
If you have recently encountered an issue where your laptop intermittently fails to connect to two different Wi-Fi networks (regular 802.11a/b/g/n/ac home and eduroam), despite having valid configuration files, you're not alone. This can be a frustrating issue, but it's usually solvable with some troubleshooting. In this guide, we will take an in-depth look at the key concepts surrounding this issue and the steps you can take to resolve it.
Understanding the Issue
NetworkManager is a popular networking service used by many Linux distributions to manage network connections. This issue could be caused by a variety of factors, such as conflicting settings in configuration files, connectivity issues with the Wi-Fi networks, or bugs in the NetworkManager service. In this guide, we will walk through the steps you can take to troubleshoot these issues and get your Wi-Fi connections working again.
Checking the Basics
Let's start by checking the basics. Make sure the Wi-Fi on your laptop is enabled and that you are in range of the Wi-Fi network you're trying to connect to. If you're still having issues, try restarting your laptop and your router to see if that resolves the problem. If not, let's move on to the next step.
Checking the NetworkManager Service
Check if the NetworkManager service is running on your system by using the following command:
systemctl status NetworkManager
If it's not running, start the service using the following command:
systemctl start NetworkManager
If the service starts, but the issue persists, try restarting the service using the following command:
systemctl restart NetworkManager
Checking the Configuration Files
Check the configuration files for both Wi-Fi networks to make sure they're properly set up. The configuration files for Wi-Fi networks are usually stored in the /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections directory and are named after the SSID of the Wi-Fi network they correspond to. Make sure the authentication settings and the security type are properly configured for both Wi-Fi networks.
Checking the Kernel Logs
You can use the kernel logs to check for any messages related to the Wi-Fi connections. To view the kernel logs, use the following command:
dmesg | grep wifi
This will display all the messages in the kernel logs related to Wi-Fi. Look for any messages that may be related to the issue you're experiencing.
Additional Troubleshooting Steps
If the issue persists, you can try the following additional troubleshooting steps:
- Check if there are any updates available for your Linux distribution. Updating the system may resolve any bugs or issues with the NetworkManager service.
- Try resetting the NetworkManager service by removing its configuration files and then restarting the service. On Ubuntu, you can do this by running the following commands:
sudo rm -rf /etc/NetworkManager/*
systemctl restart NetworkManager
- Consider switching to a different networking service, such as Wicd or ConnMan. This is a more extreme solution and should only be considered if the