Wifi drops periodically on HP Pavilion laptop with Linux Mint 17.1
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michael@C-3PO ~ $ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 04f2:b40e Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:c52f Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
So is that at all helpful?
Last edited by ServeChilled; 05-03-2015 at 12:01 AM.
Yes, very helpful. That, I take it, is the "Down" condition: It's like your wifi was unplugged.
What is odd is that the kernel modules are gone. So the device vanishes. Now in some cases distros have a command in cron to remove all (unused) modules.
I would double check you have the correct module/driver for the Realtek 8188EE. Presuming that is correct, it looks very like a hardware problem. Modules should load when you talk to it, and they don't. The real test might be something like
Code:
service network restart
lsmod
If you don't have the service command, running the init script with a parameter of restsrt should do it. If the modules don't load, it's jhardware going out to lunch. Are you sure nothing is overheating?
When I go to driver manager, it says there are no proprietary drivers in use. There is not an obvious way to install one from here.
I think I have downloaded the correct driver. I have also gone to software manager, but do not see a way to install the driver from there.
The folder I downloaded from Realtek seems to have separate folders for multiple drivers (ie. rtl 8188ee, rtl 8192c, ect). There are also folders called firmware, tools and btcoexist. It also has files like base.c, base.h, ham.c and more.
So how can I install it? (or check to see if it is installed)
Also, service network restart gave...
network: unrecognized service
Thanks!
Last edited by ServeChilled; 05-04-2015 at 03:12 PM.
If you don't have the service command, running the init script with a parameter of restsrt should do it.
init scripts are usually in /etc/rc.d/init.d - or thereabouts (e.g. /etc/rc.d in slackware, /etc/init.d in some other distros).
As for installing the driver, instructions are usually supplied. Read them. Also, you need the kernel source usually. I built for the Realtek 8188 on Rasbian and had no issues with it.
Thank you business kid.
I did see that you suggested I run an init script. I guess I got shy about asking so many questions, so I delayed in asking how to do that. I am reading about init scripts right now, so will hopefully understand your suggestion soon.
I will also go back again and see if I can find instructions for installing the driver. When you say I will need the kernel source, what does that mean? I have updated to the latest kernel for Mint, but I suspect there is something else you are pointing out that I will need to do when I install the driver.
When you say I will need the kernel source, what does that mean? I have updated to the latest kernel for Mint, but I suspect there is something else you are pointing out that I will need to do when I install the driver.
I think you need the kernel headers (instead of the source). I'm not sure what is the name of the kernel headers package on Mint, but being Mint based on Debian, this might work:
Code:
apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
After you install the headers, try reinstalling the driver and see if it works.
Regarding the service command, the right command to (re)start the network (on Debian at least) is this one:
Code:
service networking restart
You can try it when the network goes down to see if it has some positive effect.
During a time when my wifi was running I did this:
Code:
michael@C-3PO ~ $ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
linux-headers-3.16.0-34-generic is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 39 not upgraded.
I am having a difficult time figuring out how to reinstall the rtl8188ee driver. Realtek website doesn't have clear directions, and I'm not even sure where I downloaded the driver from as I can't find it on their website. There is no readme file. The folder I have has a number of drivers (rtl 8192c, rtl8188ee, etc.) each in their own folder. There are also folders called firmware, tools and btcoexist. It also has files like base.c, base.h, ham.c and more. There was also a zip file called "backup_drivers.tar" containing a folder called "lib" I uncompressed that and found a series of nested folders: lib/modules/3.16.0-34-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8188ee/rlt8188ee.ko
I could not open that final file, but was given the option to make it executable, which I declined for now.
Any help?
And again, it looks like I do have the rtl8188ee loaded by the results of this:
So I guess one question I have is whether I should uninstall and reinstall the rtl8188ee drive (and how).
Another question seems to be why does the wifi work initially, and then cut out. I can always get it back by rebooting my computer.
And...
/home/michael/rtlwifi_new/lib/modules/3.16.0-34-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8188ee/rtl8188.ko (the module I have downloaded on my home folder) has these properties:
113.7 kB
Last Modified: Fri 10 Apr 2015 11:49:43 AM PDT
/lib/modules/3.16.0-34-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8188ee (the module currently being used I assume) has these properties:
189.3 kB
Last Modified: Mon 27 Apr 2015 02:00:12 PM PDT
They are not the same. The one in use has been modified more recently (not sure by what).
I hope some of this information is helpful for you wonderful souls willing to help me.
Thanks!!!
Last edited by ServeChilled; 05-06-2015 at 03:08 AM.
That is a kernel module. If you have that, you don't need a driver. just modprobe it. Last time I dealt with a Realtek 8188, it was the rtl8188CUS and I got a link to a driver from the ebay supplier.
As for the two modules you have, I imagine the one currently in the kernel tree some bit later and is ok. How's the performance now? If you swap the 2 rtl8188ee modules, does the smaller one run any better?
Sorry to post late but just found this thread as a newb myself having same WIFI issue, and finding this as the last thread in my voluminous online search for advice prior to finding what worked for me.
On a particular Acer Aspire laptop, a new install of Mint was working fine for days, then started constantly dropping/connecting to WIFI; tried so many suggestions to no avail, from having Windows release IP lease to involved LM terminal entries. What immediately cured my connnection was this: in Network Connections, set "Mode" from 'infrastructure' to 'ad hoc', save, reboot...fixed! Of course, it requires WPA password every boot, to me a small price to keep enjoying Mint. Hope this helps some people, cheers!
michael@C-3PO ~ $ sudo service networking restart
[sudo] password for michael:
stop: Job failed while stopping
start: Job is already running: networking
I plugged in a USB wifi adapter, and that too will lose connection, but while it is in, I can get the connection back through network manager. The funny thing is that when I lose connection without the USB adapter, my internal adapter doesn't even show up in the network manager. But when I have the USB adapter in, both wifi adapters show up. I've added screenshots to explain what I mean. Does this give another clue?
Thank you, rollinhand, for your suggestion. My network settings does not seem to have a "mode" that I can find to change.
I have not yet swapped the two rtl8188ee modules mentioned earlier.
I'm so new at all this (and have been busy lately with other things) that I feel like I am getting a little lost. If anyone would like to help me "reboot" my understanding of all this, that would be great. I may just start from the beginning of this thread and try all the suggestions again and look up and read more about them to understand more.
Thank you!!
At "Menu" search box, typing as little as letters "net" brings up some options; among them are the type of network data as shown in the poster's thumbnails; but there is also a search result called "Network Connections" which on mine appears under search result "Network". If you can reach such a search result "Network Connections", select it; it opens showing a selection available connections but in a way different from usual..."Network Connections" opens with all networks listed in a window, and to the right of the list are buttons to "Add" or "Edit". Select your network, then click "edit"; the option to switch from "infrastructure" to "ad hoc" (or vice versa) will be on a tab called "WIFI". Hope this helps.
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