WPA_GUI can't load wpa_supplicant

Question

I am new to the raspberry pi and can't quite seem to figure this one out.

The wpa_gui is blank in the adapter and network field and reporting the error "Could not get status from wpa_supplicant"

Content of /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf:

#Needed for wpa_gui to work
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev

#Needed for wpa_gui to alter the configuration file
update_config=1

network={
ssid=spl-public
psk=""

#Protocal type can be: RSN(for WP2) and WPA(for WPA1)
proto=WPA

#Key managment type can be: WPA-PSK or WPA-EAP (Pre-Shared or Enterprise)
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

#Pairwise can be CMMP or TKIP(for WPA2 or WPA1)
pairwise=TKIP

#Authorization option should be OPEN for both WPA1/WPA2 (in less commonly used are SHARED and LEAP)
auth-alg=OPEN
}

Content of /etc/network/interfaces:

auto lo
iface lo inet lopback
iface eth0 inet dhcp

allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet manual
wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
iface default inet dhcp

The wpa_supplicant.conf file references to a directory /var/run/wpa_supplicant, this does not exist on my system. What should be here?

sudo ifup --force wlan0

Returns:

wpa_supplicant: /sbin/wpa_supplicant daemon failed to start run-parts: 
/etc/network/if-pre-up.d/wpasupplicant exited with return code 1 

Failed to connect to wpa_supplicant - wpa_ctrl_open: No such file or directory 
wpa_supplicant: /sbin/wpa_cli daemon failed to start run-parts:
/etc/network/if-up.d/wpasupplicant exited with return code 1

Answer 1

I got same messages and solved. It caused by wrong text description.

In wpa_supplicant.conf file:

1. auth-algalg=OPEN -> auth_alg=OPEN

"_"UNDERBAR should be right. ( It should work without it )

2. ssid=spl-public -> ssid="spl-public"

"" DOUBLE-QUOTE would be required for SSID text.

In my case, the following line was wrong,

ssid ="" -> ssid=""

because it contains one SPACE after the word "ssid"

Answer 2

The major problem that was preventing the configuration file from loading was this key:

auth-alg=OPEN --> auth_alg=OPEN

It says it is not valid. I got it from a tutorial might be outdated.

Thanks to everyone in the comments who helped out.

Answer 3

I run into a similar issue due to a botched interface file (should have backed it up first!)

Heres a default file for rasberry pi's /etc/network/interfaces

auto lo

iface lo inet loopback
iface eth0 inet dhcp

allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet manual
wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
iface default inet dhcp

You can test your configuration by running /sudo/etc/init.d/networking restart.

If you are finding that your wifi dongle does not reconnect to your wifi network after your Raspberry Pi reboots add: auto wlan0 to the bottom of your config and restart the service or reboot (this is what fixed it for me).

Answer 4

I encounter the problem by power supply too low.

I using a usb-hub as power.

Direct connect to laptop usb port, wpa_cli will work.

Please check that too.

Answer 5

I am on Raspi 2 and I have been having the same problem for the last few days, just solved this a few minutes ago. It seems that wpa_supplicant.conf has a very strict format. In my case, the problem just the spaces between 'network' and '=' and '{'. By deleting the spaces it just work (of course after restarting it by 'sudo ifdown wlan0' and 'sudo ifup wlan0'.

Hope this helps.

originally:

network = {
...
...
...
}

remove space between 'network' and '=' and '{'

network={
...
...
...
}