How to Connect to the eduroam Wireless Network - Linux - Ubuntu

The instructions below work with all Linux-Ubuntu devices.

1. From your computer’s home screen, click on the battery icon under the System menu in the top right corner of the screen. In the drop-down menu, click on Select Network.

   Open

   

    

2. Select eduroam network and Click Connect
   
   

   Open

   

    

3. Enter the following details in the screen that is presented.

   1. Authentication: Protected EAP(PEAP)

   2. Anonymous Identity: [Leave Blank]

   3. Domain: eduroam.uwaterloo.ca

   4. CA Certificate & CA certificate password: leave as is and check the box next to “No CA certificate is required”

   5. Inner Authentication: MSCHAPv2

   6. Username: username@uwaterloo.ca (your 8-character UWaterloo, i.e. youruserna@uwaterloo.ca)

   7. Password: your password

4. Click Connect
   
   

    

5. A window will pop up asking for your password again. Type in your password again and you should then be connected to eduroam.
   
   

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If the standard connection steps don’t work, try these solutions before proceeding to advanced troubleshooting.

1. Verify Your Configuration

• Ensure all connection settings match the instructions above, especially:

  • Authentication: Protected EAP (PEAP)

  • Inner Authentication: MSCHAPv2

  • Domain: eduroam.uwaterloo.ca

  • Username and password are entered correctly.

2. Install Required Packages

• Check that essential networking tools are installed on your Linux system:

  • wpa_supplicant

  • network-manager Install missing packages using your distribution's package manager. For example:

sudo apt install wpasupplicant network-manager

3. Update Your System

• Outdated software can cause compatibility issues. Update your system using:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

4. Use a CA Certificate

• If “No CA certificate is required” doesn’t work, manually download the eduroam CA certificate from your institution’s website and select it when configuring the connection.

5. Use a Different Network Manager

• If the graphical interface doesn’t work, try connecting via the command line:

nmcli dev wifi connect "eduroam" password "yourpassword"

Advanced Troubleshooting: WPA Supplicant Errors

If you encounter a WPA Supplicant failed message or errors in the logs (e.g., "EAP-MSCHAPV2: Failed to derive response"), you may need to adjust your OpenSSL configuration. This can occur on some Linux distributions after an update.

1. Check for Errors: Open a terminal and run:

journalctl --boot --unit wpa_supplicant.service --follow

• If you see errors like:

OpenSSL: EVP_DigestInit_ex failed: error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported

2. Edit OpenSSL Configuration: Modify the openssl.cnf file to enable the legacy provider.

• Open the file in a text editor:

sudo nano /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf

• Locate the [provider_sect] section and ensure this line is uncommented:

legacy = legacy_sect

• Locate the [legacy_sect] section and ensure these lines are uncommented:

activate = 1

3. Save Changes and Restart: Save the file and restart your network or reboot your system.

4. Reconnect to eduroam: Try connecting again using the standard instructions above.

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