iwd fails to connect to hidden SSID

Vignesh Raman <[email protected]> Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:48:07 +0530
Newsgroups dev.linux.lists.iwd
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Hi,

iwd (version: 3.9) fails to connect to a hidden SSID both standalone and 
when used as the wifi backend for NetworkManager. The same AP connects 
successfully using wpa_supplicant. This issue was reproduced in steamdeck.

More details in,
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/NetworkManager/NetworkManager/-/work_items/1013

Steps (without NetworkManager):
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ systemctl is-active NetworkManager
inactive
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl device wlan0 set-property Powered on
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl device list
                                     Devices 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Name                  Address               Powered     Adapter 
Mode
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   wlan0                 b0:0c:9d:95:46:37     on          phy0 
station

(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl station wlan0 disconnect
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl known-networks list
                                  Known Networks 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Name                              Security     Hidden     Last 
connected
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl station wlan0 show
                                  Station: wlan0 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Settable  Property              Value 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Scanning              no 

             State                 disconnected 


(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl station wlan0 scan
(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl station wlan0 get-networks
                                Available networks 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Network name                      Security            Signal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Vicky_Asus_5G                     psk                 ****
       Vicky_Asus                        psk                 ****

(deck@steamdeck ~)$ iwctl --passphrase 'xxxx' station wlan0 
connect-hidden Vicky_Jio
Object not found

Logs:

Without NM:

```
Jun 04 07:52:01.302680 steamdeck iwd[1191]: 
src/station.c:station_add_seen_bss() BSS has hidden SSID
Jun 04 07:52:02.128478 steamdeck iwd[1191]: 
src/station.c:station_add_seen_bss() BSS has hidden SSID
Jun 04 07:52:02.132183 steamdeck iwd[1191]: 
src/scan.c:scan_request_triggered() Active scan triggered for wdev 2
Jun 04 07:52:05.935535 steamdeck iwd[1191]: 
src/station.c:station_add_seen_bss() BSS has hidden SSID
Jun 04 16:16:57.950590 steamdeck iwd[1235]: 
src/station.c:station_dbus_connect_hidden_network()
Jun 04 16:16:57.971723 steamdeck iwd[1235]: 
src/scan.c:scan_request_triggered() Active scan triggered for wdev 2
Jun 04 16:16:57.971723 steamdeck iwd[1235]: 
src/station.c:station_hidden_network_scan_triggered()
Jun 04 16:17:01.770657 steamdeck iwd[1235]: src/scan.c:scan_notify() 
Scan notification New Scan Results(34)
Jun 04 16:17:01.771150 steamdeck iwd[1235]: 
src/station.c:station_hidden_network_scan_results()
Jun 04 16:17:01.771150 steamdeck iwd[1235]: 
src/wiphy.c:wiphy_radio_work_done() Work item 9 done
```

With NM (iwd backend):

```
Jun 04 07:52:02.298619 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <info>  device 
(wlan0): Activation: starting connection 'Vicky_Jio'
Jun 04 07:52:02.299870 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <info>  device 
(wlan0): state change: prepare -> failed (reason 'none', managed-type: 
'full')
Jun 04 07:52:02.300280 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <warn>  device 
(wlan0): Activation: failed for connection 'Vicky_Jio'
Jun 04 07:52:04.307425 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <info>  device 
(wlan0): Activation: starting connection 'Vicky_Jio'
Jun 04 07:52:04.308025 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <info>  device 
(wlan0): state change: prepare -> failed (reason 'none', managed-type: 
'full')
Jun 04 07:52:04.308389 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <warn>  device 
(wlan0): Activation: failed for connection 'Vicky_Jio'
...
Jun 04 07:52:08.325069 steamdeck NetworkManager[1184]: <debug> policy: 
autoconnect: connection[...] (Vicky_Jio): failed to autoconnect; 0 tries 
left
```

The same AP connects successfully with wpa_supplicant as the wifi backend.

Regards,
Vignesh