4-way handshake timeout / Incorrect password Networking Origin: Network OSI layer 2 · Data Link Last updated 5 Nov 2026

Networking: wlan0: WPA: 4-way handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect / WRONG_KEY

The Wi-Fi association started but key negotiation failed, almost always a wrong password.

Exact message you may see WPA: 4-way handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrectCTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED reason=WRONG_KEYIncorrect password Wi-FiCan't connect to this network Wi-Fi4-Way Handshake timeout
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Seen on: Linux Android Windows Networking

Meaning

Re-enter the passphrase (watch case and look-alike characters), forget and rejoin the network, and make sure the access point security mode (WPA2/WPA3 transition, WPA3-only) is supported by the client. Weak signal can also time out the handshake.

Common causes

  • Wrong Wi-Fi password
  • WPA3-only or mixed mode unsupported by an old adapter
  • Saved profile with the old password
  • Very weak signal during the handshake
  • MAC filtering or too many clients on the access point

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Forget the network and join again with the correct password
  2. Test with WPA2/WPA3 transition mode
  3. Move closer to confirm it is not a signal problem

Detailed fix by platform

Linux

  1. journalctl -u wpa_supplicant -n 50 | grep -iE "handshake|WRONG_KEY|PSK"

How to diagnose

  1. Password — Correct, case-sensitive?
  2. Security mode — Supported?
  3. Signal — Strong enough?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Network. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

arp -a shows (incomplete) — Networking: `arp -n` shows (incomplete) / Destination Host Unreachable — no ARP reply from the next hop (Networking)arp -a shows (incompl…Cannot assign requested address (EADDRNOTAVAIL) — Networking: connect: Cannot assign requested address — ephemeral port range exhausted by TIME_WAIT connections (Networking)Cannot assign request…captive portal — Browser: This network requires you to sign in — captive portal (hotel, airport, café Wi-Fi) blocking HTTPS sites (Browser)captive portalNo Wi-Fi adapter found / Wi-Fi option missing — Networking: No Wi-Fi networks found — the Wi-Fi adapter is missing, disabled or its driver failed (Networking)No Wi-Fi adapter foun…Port err-disabled (psecure-violation) — Networking: %PM-4-ERR_DISABLE: psecure-violation error detected on Gi0/5, putting Gi0/5 in err-disable state (Networking)Port err-disabled (ps…Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting (weak signal, -80 dBm) — Networking: Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting / signal -80 dBm / wlan0: deauthenticating by local choice (reason=3) (Networking)Wi-Fi keeps disconnec…WireGuard: Handshake did not complete after 5 seconds — Networking: Handshake for peer did not complete after 5 seconds, retrying (try 2) — WireGuard tunnel never establishes (Networking)WireGuard: Handshake …4-way han…

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