Problem with setting up WPA2 personal with wpa_supplicant

System: archlinux (last updates) I plugged in a USB wireless dongle and basic things seem to work out of the box, however I can't seem to be able to configure wpa_supplicant properly to get a connection. It always tells me I likely have a wrong key - which I know I don't as this is what I use with my other systems, so there is most certainly something I am missing. I use MAC filtering but this is set-up correctly. I can check my interface > iw dev phy#0 Interface wlp0s29f0u1 ifindex 3 wdev 0x1 addr > type managed I can scan the available networks > iw dev wlp0s29f0u1 scan This command gives lots of results and information that matches my other systems. Including my ssid: BSS >(on wlp0s29f0u1) TSF: 5596476527 usec (0d, 01:33:16) freq: 2412 beacon interval: 200 TUs capability: ESS Privacy ShortSlotTime (0x0411) signal: -65.00 dBm last seen: 1430 ms ago Information elements from Probe Response frame: SSID: > Supported rates: 1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 6.0 9.0 12.0 18.0 DS Parameter set: channel 1 Country: GB Environment: Indoor/Outdoor Channels [1 - 13] @ 20 dBm ERP: Barker_Preamble_Mode Extended supported rates: 24.0 36.0 48.0 54.0 HT capabilities: Capabilities: 0x1ad RX LDPC HT20 SM Power Save disabled RX HT20 SGI TX STBC RX STBC 1-stream Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes No DSSS/CCK HT40 Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003) Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00) HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15 HT operation: * primary channel: 1 * secondary channel offset: no secondary * STA channel width: 20 MHz * RIFS: 0 * HT protection: non-HT mixed * non-GF present: 1 * OBSS non-GF present: 1 * dual beacon: 0 * dual CTS protection: 0 * STBC beacon: 0 * L-SIG TXOP Prot: 0 * PCO active: 0 * PCO phase: 0 Overlapping BSS scan params: * passive dwell: 20 TUs * active dwell: 10 TUs * channel width trigger scan interval: 300 s * scan passive total per channel: 200 TUs * scan active total per channel: 20 TUs * BSS width channel transition delay factor: 5 * OBSS Scan Activity Threshold: 0.25 % Extended capabilities: HT Information Exchange Supported, 6 WMM: * Parameter version 1 * u-APSD * BE: CW 15-1023, AIFSN 3 * BK: CW 15-1023, AIFSN 7 * VI: CW 7-15, AIFSN 2, TXOP 3008 usec * VO: CW 3-7, AIFSN 2, TXOP 1504 usec RSN: * Version: 1 * Group cipher: CCMP * Pairwise ciphers: CCMP * Authentication suites: PSK * Capabilities: 1-PTKSA-RC 1-GTKSA-RC (0x0000) I have a basic profile: > cat /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant update_config=1 network={ ssid=">" psk=> key_mgmt=WPA-PSK # I tried without, same result ieee80211w=1 # I tried without (both), same result } I tried two ways to start wpa_supplicant with exactly the same results: > wpa_supplicant -B -Dnl80211 -iwlp0s29f0u1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant (kill -9 and restart) > wpa_supplicant -B -Dnl80211,wext -iwlp0s29f0u1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa.conf Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant Now on to what happens in both cases: > wpa_cli > scan > scan_results > 2412 -65 [WPA2-PSK-CCMP][ESS] > CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-STARTED CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-RESULTS WPS-AP-AVAILABLE CTRL-EVENT-SSID-REENABLED id=0 ssid=">" SME: Trying to authenticate with > (SSID='>' freq=2412 MHz) Trying to associate with > (SSID='>' freq=2412 MHz) Associated with > WPA: Failed to set PTK to the driver (alg=3 keylen=16 bssid=>) CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=> reason=1 locally_generated=1 WPA: 4-Way Handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid=">" auth_failures= duration= reason=WRONG_KEY CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-STARTED CTRL-EVENT-SCAN-RESULTS WPS-AP-AVAILABLE **There are two things that jump out:** WPA: Failed to set PTK to the driver (alg=3 keylen=16 bssid=>) CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid=">" auth_failures= duration= reason=WRONG_KEY I believe the second is a symptom of the first. So my real problem is understanding what is wrong with my set-up that it generates the first error message. That's where I am hoping for a bit of help. Thanks.