Librem 5: Using self compiled wpa_supplicant

Hardware Librem 5
1

Hi!
I am trying to bring WPA3 to life on Librem 5.

For that reason I uninstalled the old wpa_supplicant, compiled a new wpa_supplicant with the necessary changes for WPA3 and installed the new wpa_supplicant.

There are a several problems that I observe.
The LTE modem disappeared as well. At least in the Gnome GUI. The management for the WiFi disappeared from the Gnome GUI as well. I guess this could be as the networkmanager seem to have been uninstalled together with the old wpa_supplicant and did not come back with the new one.

Do you have any comments on this and advice on how to proceed in order to bring the modem and WiFi back to life?

Could Purism deliver wpa_supplicant with all one needs for WPA3 out of the box in order to avoid such pain?
As far as I understand one needs to have in the configuration for the building the following parameters set:
CONFIG_IEEE80211W=y
CONFIG_DPP=y
CONFIG_SAE=y
CONFIG_SUITEB=y

2 Likes
2

If and probably related (on PureOS for sure):
apt list wpasupplicant

While originally wpasupplicant package having installed/automatic marking:
sudo systemctl status wpa_supplicant

perhaps is what needed based around:
sudo systemctl --now disable wpa_supplicant
sudo systemctl start wpa_supplicant −− of yours one.

IMO, this link should serve as good orientation point: https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse, at least.

1 Like
3

When I do this I get:
wpasupplicant/byzantium,now 2:2.9.0-21

Which is already suspicious as the one I compiled is based on version 2.10.

1 Like
4

2:2.10-9 package belongs to bookworm (as you’ve noticed: 2:2.9.0-21 is current one within bullseye/byzantium repos).

P.S. I do not have solution for you, just following your thoughts/work. For upgrading to the 2:2.10-9 package bullseye-backports usage might serve the purpose there, etc. It is really up to your preference, but sticking with the 2:2.10-9 number sounds good to me.

5

Actually my problem is not simply upgrading to version 2.10 of the wpa_supplicant.
WPA3 would work with 2.9. as well.

My problem is:

  1. For WPA3 to work I need apparently a version of the wpa_supplicant where in the config for the built the above mentioned parameters are set. As they are unfortunately not all set in the version coming from the PureOS repo.

  2. I want to get the LTE modem working again.
    And I am wondering:
    a) Best Case: If I can get what is needed for the modem to work and still continue with the experiments with the custom wpa_supplicant.
    b) Middle Case: If I can recover the functions of the LTE Modem and WiFi by just installing the wpa_supplicant from the PureOS repo.
    c) Worst Case: Or if I have already caused too much damage and need to reflash the Librem 5 and start clean. Not a nice perspective as I don’t have a x86/amd64 computer at hand and I am not sure how nice a flashing of Librem 5 out of Raspberry Pi 4 would work.

6

Update:

I tried 2.b) by reinstalling wpa_supplicant and network-manager and now LTE works again and Wi-Fi most likely also work again.
So at least the damage was apparently recoverable without reflashing :slight_smile:
Now the problem is again in changing the wpa_supplicant to a version with the needed parameters set.

Am I the only one interested in bringing WPA3 to life?

1 Like