[SOLVED] wifi signal poor

geordiejohn1950 · 12-19-2014, 10:39 AM

hello i am using an Acer Aspire 5536 laptop running Linux Mint 17 with the Mate desktop.
a couple of months ago my wifi signal started getting lower like 60% and sometimes not connecting,my sky hub is in my front room and i have to be nearly on top of it to get a good signal and yet my Apple macmini upstairs has no trouble.
someone when i was using Peppermint asked for this-

*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: NetLink BCM5784M Gigabit Ethernet PCIe
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: 00:1f:16:ab:91:6e
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm vpd msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=tg3 driverversion=3.134 firmware=sb v2.19 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
resources: irq:42 memory:f0300000-f030ffff
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
vendor: Qualcomm Atheros
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
logical name: wlan0
version: 01
serial: 00:24:2c:a2:8c:b0
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath9k driverversion=3.13.0-36-generic firmware=N/A ip=192.168.0.2 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
resources: irq:17 memory:f0400000-f040ffff
03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5784M Gigabit Ethernet PCIe [14e4:1698] (rev 10)
06:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002a] (rev 01)
Modify message

any ideas please?
thank you.

unSpawn · 12-20-2014, 04:08 AM

Seems related to this thread. Please open a terminal window (and become root or use sudo if necessary) and type '(ifconfig -a; iwconfig 2>&1) | tee /tmp/iwconfig.txt' then paste / attach contents of "/tmp/iwconfig.txt"?

geordiejohn1950 · 12-20-2014, 07:17 AM

ifconfig -a
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1f:16:ab:91:6e
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
Interrupt:16

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
RX packets:364 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:364 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:30635 (30.6 KB) TX bytes:30635 (30.6 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:24:2c:a2:8c:b0
inet addr:192.168.0.6 Bcast:192.168.0.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::224:2cff:fea2:8cb0/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:2134 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:2179 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:1353981 (1.3 MB) TX bytes:371717 (371.7 KB)

john@john-Aspire-5536 ~ $ iwconfig 2>&1) | tee /tmp/iwconfig.txt
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `)'

Head_on_a_Stick · 12-20-2014, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geordiejohn1950

john@john-Aspire-5536 ~ $ iwconfig 2>&1) | tee /tmp/iwconfig.txt
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `)'

Remove the close bracket & try again...

Code:

iwconfig 2>&1 | tee /tmp/iwconfig.txt

geordiejohn1950 · 12-20-2014, 07:27 AM

iwconfig 2>&1 | tee /tmp/iwconfig.txt
eth0 no wireless extensions.

lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"geordiejohn"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: C0:3E:0F:3F:32:59
Bit Rate=5.5 Mb/s Tx-Power=16 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr

ff Fragment thr

ff
Power Management

ff
Link Quality=61/70 Signal level=-49 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:154 Invalid misc:2997 Missed beacon:0

john@john-Aspire-5536 ~ $ attach contents of "/tmp/iwconfig.txt"?
No command 'attach' found, did you mean:
Command 'sattach' from package 'slurm-llnl' (universe)
Command 'attack' from package 'ladr4-apps' (universe)
attach: command not found

geordiejohn1950 · 12-20-2014, 08:14 AM

i am sorry i cannot seem to enter this command correctly
then paste / attach contents of "/tmp/iwconfig.txt"?

Head_on_a_Stick · 12-20-2014, 08:36 AM

It doesn't matter, you've already posted the output of the command (code tags would be nice, but I've told you that in the CrunchBang forums before to no effect...).

Has your connection always been poor under GNU/Linux?

I'm inclined to believe this is a problem with your Atheros drivers, or maybe NetworkManager itself (as I said last time).

As I don't use Atheros hardware this is just a guess though.

geordiejohn1950 · 12-20-2014, 08:47 AM

it is only over the last 3 months that i have had problems,i used to be able to use my laptop upstairs in the bedroom,but now i have to be near the sky hub,do you think i would be better off going back to windows?
thank you.

Head_on_a_Stick · 12-20-2014, 08:57 AM

Perhaps.

What have you changed since the signal degraded?

It seems strange that it used to work fine but now it doesn't.

I really don't know what's going on, but there are lots of experts here so hopefully they will have some ideas.

geordiejohn1950 · 12-20-2014, 09:02 AM

i got a sky hub,but i phoned sky and they said there is nothing wrong with the hub.
thank you very much for your help.

qlue · 12-20-2014, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geordiejohn1950

i got a sky hub,but i phoned sky and they said there is nothing wrong with the hub.
thank you very much for your help.

And you expected them to say something different?

So, before you started using the Sky Hub everything worked fine. Since you're using the Sky Hub you're having problems, but only from Linux?
Did you update the hub's firmware to the latest version before setting it up?
Did you remove and make a new setup configuration for Network Manager?

There may technically be "nothing wrong" with your Sky hub, but if that's the only thing that has changed since the problem began and if the problem began the day you started using it then that is where the problem is.

unSpawn · 12-20-2014, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geordiejohn1950

Code:

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"geordiejohn"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: C0:3E:0F:3F:32:59   
          Bit Rate=5.5 Mb/s   Tx-Power=16 dBm   # auch!
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=61/70  Signal level=-49 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:154  Invalid misc:2997   Missed beacon:0   # auch!

Way low bit rate, excessive retries and such may require module tweaking. If you have the "iwlwifi" module loaded, try:

Code:

sudo grep iwlwifi /proc/modules

to see if it is, then using the "11n_disable=" module argument may help. You should be able to reload this with

Code:

sudo rmmod iwlwifi && sudo modprobe iwlwifi 11n_disable=n

where "n" is an integer with value between 1 and 4. If you find a value that works for you (use the previous 'iwconfig' command to check "Tx excessive retries" and "Invalid misc" values after modprobing) create "/etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf" and add the correct value:

Code:

echo "options iwlwifi 11n_disable=n" > /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf

(where "n" is an integer with value between 1 and 4).

geordiejohn1950 · 12-21-2014, 06:45 AM

sorry but i cannot seem to load iwlwifi

unSpawn · 12-21-2014, 01:29 PM

No problem, please post output of

Code:

sudo lsmod

geordiejohn1950 · 12-22-2014, 09:18 AM

Module Size Used by
ctr 13193 2
ccm 17856 2
bnep 23980 2
rfcomm 75066 0
bluetooth 486890 10 bnep,rfcomm
ip6t_REJECT 12625 1
nf_reject_ipv6 13523 1 ip6t_REJECT
nf_log_ipv6 12778 5
xt_hl 12521 6
ip6t_rt 13537 3
nf_conntrack_ipv6 18946 8
nf_defrag_ipv6 35007 1 nf_conntrack_ipv6
ipt_REJECT 12541 1
arc4 12573 2
nf_reject_ipv4 13183 1 ipt_REJECT
nf_log_ipv4 12819 5
nf_log_common 13425 2 nf_log_ipv4,nf_log_ipv6
xt_LOG 12690 10
uvcvideo 86723 0
xt_limit 12711 13
xt_tcpudp 12924 18
acer_wmi 20027 0
ath9k 162133 0
videobuf2_vmalloc 13216 1 uvcvideo
sparse_keymap 13890 1 acer_wmi
xt_addrtype 12713 4
videobuf2_memops 13362 1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_core 51547 1 uvcvideo
ath9k_common 25638 1 ath9k
v4l2_common 15715 1 videobuf2_core
nf_conntrack_ipv4 18953 8
snd_hda_codec_realtek 80420 1
nf_defrag_ipv4 12758 1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
videodev 163831 3 uvcvideo,v4l2_common,videobuf2_core
ath9k_hw 460416 2 ath9k_common,ath9k
snd_hda_codec_generic 69995 2 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 52670 1
media 22008 2 uvcvideo,videodev
xt_conntrack 12760 16
snd_hda_intel 30824 5
ath 29397 3 ath9k_common,ath9k,ath9k_hw
ip6table_filter 12815 1
mac80211 697159 1 ath9k
snd_hda_controller 32234 1 snd_hda_intel
ip6_tables 27504 1 ip6table_filter
snd_hda_codec 144641 5 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller
snd_hwdep 17709 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 106273 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller
nf_conntrack_netbios_ns 12665 0
nf_conntrack_broadcast 12589 1 nf_conntrack_netbios_ns
snd_seq_midi 13564 0
nf_nat_ftp 12825 0
snd_seq_midi_event 14899 1 snd_seq_midi
nf_nat 26308 1 nf_nat_ftp
snd_rawmidi 31197 1 snd_seq_midi
nf_conntrack_ftp 18715 1 nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack 105636 8 nf_nat_ftp,nf_conntrack_netbios_ns,nf_nat,xt_conntrack,nf_conntrack_broadcast,nf_conntrack_ftp,nf_co nntrack_ipv4,nf_conntrack_ipv6
snd_seq 63540 2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
cfg80211 520257 4 ath,ath9k_common,ath9k,mac80211
iptable_filter 12810 1
ip_tables 27718 1 iptable_filter
snd_seq_device 14497 3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
snd_timer 30118 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
kvm_amd 60939 0
x_tables 34102 13 ip6table_filter,xt_hl,ip_tables,xt_tcpudp,xt_limit,xt_conntrack,xt_LOG,iptable_filter,ip6t_rt,ipt_RE JECT,ip6_tables,xt_addrtype,ip6t_REJECT
kvm 475237 1 kvm_amd
snd 84025 21 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_cod ec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device
k10temp 13279 0
soundcore 15091 2 snd,snd_hda_codec
parport_pc 32909 0
sp5100_tco 14134 0
shpchp 37216 0
i2c_piix4 22311 0
ppdev 17711 0
joydev 17587 0
dm_multipath 23188 0
scsi_dh 14873 1 dm_multipath
serio_raw 13483 0
lp 17799 0
mac_hid 13275 0
parport 42481 3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
dm_mirror 22356 0
dm_region_hash 21010 1 dm_mirror
dm_log 18527 2 dm_region_hash,dm_mirror
radeon 1571088 3
psmouse 118332 0
i2c_algo_bit 13564 1 radeon
tg3 179203 0
ttm 90228 1 radeon
drm_kms_helper 99802 1 radeon
ptp 19534 1 tg3
pps_core 19381 1 ptp
drm 323675 6 ttm,drm_kms_helper,radeon
ahci 34220 2
libahci 32353 1 ahci
video 20649 1 acer_wmi
wmi 19379 1 acer_wmi