use process monitor to find wifi connection issue

This information is also used in case MAC filtering is implemented. Here, the authentication request and response exchange is only used to register the client’s MAC address. That function is implemented by the 4-way handshake. Important to note is that the authentication request and response probes exchanged in this phase don’t provide encryption. When the client finds an SSID that matches its configuration, it will send an authentication request probe. Access points in proximity reply with probe response frames that contain the SSID and BSSID, which corresponds to the access point’s MAC address. The client sends probe request frames which contain supported data rates and 802.11 capabilities. 802.11 Authentication and AssociationĪt the beginning of the 802.11 Authentication and Association process, the client scans all of the available frequencies in search of SSIDs to join. Once that step is completed, the DHCP client requests a dynamic IP address that is used to connect to the network and exchange communication with the outside world.

The 802.11 Authentication and Association is then followed by the 4-way handshake, which establishes a secure and authenticated channel between the client and the access point. The WPA supplicant process handles the 802.11 Authentication and Association of the client with a BSSID. Let’s see how these two system processes come into play. The second one is the DHCP client, in which DHCP stands for ‘Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol’. To better understand how a WiFi client connects to a wireless network, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with two client processes.

Use process monitor to find wifi connection issue