Got a new laptop after 10 years of excellent stable ancient debian, and my wireless works from gnome, and only from gnome. Unfortunately I find that gnome3 is not for me. I've been trying dwm.
No combination of nmcli ifconfig iw ip rfkill unblock wpa_supplicant /etc/network/interfaces etc. that I've tried makes wireless work outside of gnome, and I've googled much and tried many of them. It seems like a waste of time, since clearly nm-applet and/or NetworkManager knows the magic spell. I'm posting here both in hope of a solution, and because this seems like a bug. How come this only works from gnome? nmcli in particular looks like it's trying to be a general-purpose solution, but somehow it too only works from gnome. Here's what NetworkManager puts in syslog when bringing wireless up: May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> enable requested (sleeping: no enabled: no) May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> re-enabling... May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (eth0): device state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed') [10 20 2] May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (eth0): preparing device May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed') [10 20 2] May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): preparing device May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0) supports 5 scan SSIDs May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: starting -> ready May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant-available') [20 30 42] May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: ready -> disconnected May 22 20:26:11 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0) supports 5 scan SSIDs May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Auto-activating connection 'dlink_223_dome_rd'. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'dlink_223_dome_rd' May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none') [30 40 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'dlink_223_dome_rd' has security, but secrets are required. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> inactive May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'dlink_223_dome_rd' has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Config: added 'ssid' value 'dlink_223_dome_rd' May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1' May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK' May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>' May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1 May 22 20:26:15 debian wpa_supplicant[2420]: wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 (SSID='dlink_223_dome_rd' freq=2437 MHz) May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: authenticate with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: inactive -> authenticating May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: send auth to ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 (try 1/3) May 22 20:26:15 debian wpa_supplicant[2420]: wlan0: Trying to associate with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 (SSID='dlink_223_dome_rd' freq=2437 MHz) May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: authenticated May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: associate with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 (try 1/3) May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating May 22 20:26:15 debian wpa_supplicant[2420]: wlan0: Associated with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=2) May 22 20:26:15 debian kernel: wlan0: associated May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> 4-way handshake May 22 20:26:15 debian wpa_supplicant[2420]: wlan0: WPA: Key negotiation completed with ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 [PTK=CCMP GTK=TKIP] May 22 20:26:15 debian wpa_supplicant[2420]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to ec:22:80:b6:f4:e0 completed [id=0 id_str=] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: 4-way handshake -> completed May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Connected to wireless network 'dlink_223_dome_rd'. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started... May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none') [50 70 0] May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Beginning DHCPv4 transaction (timeout in 45 seconds) May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> dhclient started with pid 15408 May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete. May 22 20:26:15 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): DHCPv4 state changed nbi -> preinit May 22 20:26:15 debian dhclient: DHCPREQUEST on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 May 22 20:26:16 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface wlan0.IPv6 with address fe80::a634:d9ff:fec0:1ff7. May 22 20:26:16 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: New relevant interface wlan0.IPv6 for mDNS. May 22 20:26:16 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: Registering new address record for fe80::a634:d9ff:fec0:1ff7 on wlan0.*. May 22 20:26:16 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) starting DHCPv6 as requested by IPv6 router... May 22 20:26:16 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Beginning DHCPv6 transaction (timeout in 45 seconds) May 22 20:26:16 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> dhclient started with pid 15412 May 22 20:26:17 debian dhclient: XMT: Info-Request on wlan0, interval 1070ms. May 22 20:26:18 debian dhclient: XMT: Info-Request on wlan0, interval 2160ms. May 22 20:26:20 debian dhclient: XMT: Info-Request on wlan0, interval 4530ms. May 22 20:26:23 debian dhclient: DHCPREQUEST on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 May 22 20:26:23 debian dhclient: DHCPACK from 192.168.1.1 May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): DHCPv4 state changed preinit -> reboot May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> address 192.168.1.113 May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> plen 24 (255.255.255.0) May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> gateway 192.168.1.1 May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> server identifier 192.168.1.1 May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> lease time 86400 May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> nameserver '209.193.0.2' May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> nameserver '216.67.0.2' May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> nameserver '192.168.1.1' May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 5 of 5 (IPv4 Configure Commit) scheduled... May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 5 of 5 (IPv4 Commit) started... May 22 20:26:23 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface wlan0.IPv4 with address 192.168.1.113. May 22 20:26:23 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: New relevant interface wlan0.IPv4 for mDNS. May 22 20:26:23 debian avahi-daemon[1994]: Registering new address record for 192.168.1.113 on wlan0.IPv4. May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: ip-config -> ip-check (reason 'none') [70 80 0] May 22 20:26:23 debian NetworkManager[1959]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 5 of 5 (IPv4 Commit) complete. May 22 20:26:23 debian dhclient: bound to 192.168.1.113 -- renewal in 36261 seconds.
