[SOLVED] Intermittent Internet

[mintoreo]

Hi all,
I've seen similar problems, but not quite this one. I've always had trouble connecting to certain wireless connections, but never had a problem at home (wireless) or at school (wired). A few weeks ago, I wasn't able to get internet access at any of my local coffee shops, despite a solid network connection (and phone was connecting no problem). Then the same thing started happening intermittently at home, and now at school, even with a hardwired connection. I try fussing around with various settings, nothing seems to work, except waiting and it eventually will connect. Could this be a hardware issue, or something wearing out? I'm worried that this appears to be increasing in frequency. My connection is working fine *right now* but I'm not sure what to check next time it goes out. Any ideas?

Running Mint 13 Maya, on a Lenovo T61 Thinkpad

Thanks for any help!

[kukamuumuka]

Install package Wifi Radar
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/wifi-radar-si ... files.html

[Spearmint2]

Did you switch wifi devices? Maybe from a b, g capable to an N only type?

[mintoreo]

Thanks for the replies!

administrollaattori: I'm not clear on what that does that the native manager doesn't. Can you elaborate at all?

Spearmint2: I haven't (knowingly) changed anything, on either my computer or the source.

[Spearmint2]

sounds to me like hardware problem. Have you tried a cheap USB wifi device instead? Is your wifi built into the device (laptop?) or plugs into it? Some of the older thinkpads used PCMCIA type cards for wifi.

Code: Select all

inxi -Nn

[mintoreo]

Are you implying that the machine I bought 3 years ago for $150 isn't top notch? (I've been waiting for a hardware problem to pop up)

I'm currently using whatever is built into the laptop, but may have a USB wifi device around somewhere. I'll definitely start carrying one around for next time it goes on the fritz. Great suggestion, thanks!

$ inxi -Nn
Network: Card-1: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN [Kedron] Network Connection driver: iwl4965
IF: wlan1 state: up mac: 00:1d:e0:02:f2:15
Card-2: Intel 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:1c:25:18:ce:32

[JeremyB]

Are you implying that the machine I bought 3 years ago for $150 isn't top notch? (I've been waiting for a hardware problem to pop up)

I'm currently using whatever is built into the laptop, but may have a USB wifi device around somewhere. I'll definitely start carrying one around for next time it goes on the fritz. Great suggestion, thanks!

$ inxi -Nn
Network: Card-1: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN [Kedron] Network Connection driver: iwl4965
IF: wlan1 state: up mac: 00:1d:e0:02:f2:15
Card-2: Intel 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:1c:25:18:ce:32

Definitely try a USB for wifi, the 4965 had issues in windows

[mintoreo]

Definitely try a USB for wifi, the 4965 had issues in windows

Good to know, I'll get on it. Would that also contribute to the issue with the wired connection? And is installing a new card worthwhile for a novice to take on?
Thanks for the input!

[JeremyB]

Definitely try a USB for wifi, the 4965 had issues in windows

Good to know, I'll get on it. Would that also contribute to the issue with the wired connection? And is installing a new card worthwhile for a novice to take on?
Thanks for the input!

I don't know if it could interfere with wired. I have had 7 laptops and only 1 of them was something a novice shouldn't try replacing the wifi card on. Most wifi card swaps involve removing a few screws, popping off a piece of plastic to access the card, then remove the screw securing the card, tilt the card up and remove and finally remove the antenna connectors by lifting them from the card.

The difficult one was a dell n411z, had to remove the keyboard, about 12 screws, a few ribbon cables......never again

[mintoreo]

WOOOOO!! FIGURED IT OUT!!!!

I mean, I don't really understand what I did, but it's fixed and that's the important part.
Following the advice found here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... 0bb2adc530

I had all the same issues as the poster, and used "sudo dpkg-reconfigure resolvconf" to restore a symbolic link that had somehow gone missing and a reboot. Both wired and wireless connections are working again. I'm running victory laps.

Hopefully this helps someone else too, and thanks all who lended ideas!

[JeremyB]

WOOOOO!! FIGURED IT OUT!!!!

I mean, I don't really understand what I did, but it's fixed and that's the important part.
Following the advice found here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... 0bb2adc530

I had all the same issues as the poster, and used "sudo dpkg-reconfigure resolvconf" to restore a symbolic link that had somehow gone missing and a reboot. Both wired and wireless connections are working again. I'm running victory laps.

Hopefully this helps someone else too, and thanks all who lended ideas!

Good find

[Spearmint2]

Let's add this to the thread here then.

You are running NetworkManager. Resolvconf writes resolv.conf based on what NetworkManager tells it.
NetworkManager usually obtains configuration information via DHCP. However, in your case NM hasn't obtained a DNS nameserver address. (See below.) So your machine does not know where to send DNS queries.
Earlier your /etc/resolv.conf did contain an address, 192.168.2.1.
============
It seems that your modemrouter is not currently providing an address for the DNS nameserver.
Check your modemrouter configuration.
If your laptop works then it's possibly because it has a valid *static* configuration.
==========
SUCCESS!
Installed brand new router, deleted previous settings in Network Manager.
Reset and BINGO... off to the races.

[valhalla_dweller]

sudo dpkg-reconfigure resolvconf

I will second that - worked fantastically! Will see if the "cure" lasts, looks good so far. I wonder how this thing got broken in the first place. The wifi used to work perfectly then became intermittent (Toshiba Portege). Now it seems to be fixed, connects fast etc.

[valhalla_dweller]

Alas I spoke too soon Back to the cable connection. A very intermittent problem. When wifi works is rediculously fast, hard to believe that it could be an incorrect driver. It's always connected but the internet is only sometimes there. Anyway, not sure if this is the appropriate thread to take this further. I can't help but think it's got something to do with some IP address that needs to set itself automatically.

[Spearmint2]

maybe it's some timeout setting that needs adjusting, possibly on the router itself. Or a "keep alive" setting, similar to what we used during dial up networking days to keep the server active, not dropping the line.

[valhalla_dweller]

Thanks for the reply, I wish it was so easy.. Can't be the router, about three of my other devices and many housemates' devices use it without problems, including my 2008 Windows 7 notebook, which connects flawlessly."Timeout" makes it sound as if it always works at the start then decides to switch off. I wonder if there is some kind of "timeout" within linux though relevant to wifi.. Wired never has any issues, just wireLESS.

[Spearmint2]

Does it happen only with the browser, but works with Thunderbird email at the same time? Wondering if browser is the only thing doing the timeout? If you close the browser and then open it again, does it work?

Is a wired connection still dropping out too?

Ah, I notice I'm getting several persons confused. You have a working wired connection, it's limited to the wifi connection.

Did you ever try a USB device for wireless?

Your particular problem seems related to the wifi device your Toshiba Portege is using. Is this the type inbuilt wifi you have, as I see on one portege model?

Wireless Type 802.11bgn

Notice the overlap that "n" does of the other bands. the "n" is 40 Mhz wide, twice that of the "b" and "g" bands.

Set it to use only one of the more restricted bands. Other representations available if desired.

I've seen stronger wifi signals in use at the time overpower inbuilt laptop wifi, much to the consternation of one daughter when the other would turn her laptop on while closer to the router, knock the first one off. So, turn off all other wifi devices, connect with the Toshiba, see if it holds then without competition. If so, then you need a stronger wifi device to use with it, and maybe find the one that's overpowering it and see if there's a way to lower the wifi signal power on that one.

[valhalla_dweller]

Wired works perfectly - no dropout. Not a browsers or email thing, when it doesn't work, even 'ping' from the command line doesn't work.
Am next going to investigate a driver called iwlwifi for this Intel 3160 that it has.
I might run this command again which lists everything about the wifi and post its output.

[Spearmint2]

Code: Select all

inxi -i

gives you info on wired and wifi

Code: Select all

iwconfig

more info on wireless connects

I'm a firm believer in the $10-20 fix, rather than beating my head on the desk, which is a USB wifi device known to work with Linux. I currently prefer the Panda devices. If you need more range, I also have one of theseand they really do expand the ability to retain weaker and more distant signals. Time can be more valuable than wasting it on something internal that just doesn't do the job. Intermittent electronic problems are a PIA tracking down and usually end up hardware related more than software.

[valhalla_dweller]

It certainly is a nightmare.. Just caught it in the act of being intermittent, naughty.. More details on that in a moment. Thanks for the suggestion but I don't think I'll start buying bits for it. If it's going to come to that would rather sell the damn thing and with the change buy a proven linux laptop such as a Tuxedo or Dell XPS Developers Edition - already strongly regret not doing that Otherwise, just put Windows 8.1 onto it "bare metal" and sit linux in a virtual box where Windows is currently sitting, at least then there's no hardware problems.

I ran your two commands and also another one I found:

Code: Select all

sudo mintwifi

which seems to do much the same but a bit more. THEN it started to misbehave (ie connection remained but internet dropped) so I ran all the commands again. Not sure how much one can tell from the output but I'll post it here anyhow.

Code: Select all

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo lshw -C network
[sudo] password for Valhalla : 
  *-network               
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: Ethernet Connection I218-V
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 19
       bus info: pci@0000:00:19.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 04
       serial: b8:6b:23:18:1f:80
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e1000e driverversion=2.3.2-k firmware=0.6-4 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
       resources: irq:58 memory:f0600000-f061ffff memory:f063e000-f063efff ioport:3080(size=32)
  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       product: Wireless 3160
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
       logical name: wlan0
       version: 83
       serial: 30:3a:64:bc:eb:16
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlwifi driverversion=3.13.0-37-generic firmware=22.24.8.0 ip=192.168.0.108 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abgn
       resources: irq:62 memory:f0400000-f0401fff
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $     sudo modprobe -l | grep iwlwifi
modprobe: invalid option -- 'l'
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo modprobe -l | grep iwlwifi
modprobe: invalid option -- 'l'
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo modprobe  | grep iwlwifi
modprobe: ERROR: missing parameters. See -h.
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ modprobe
modprobe: ERROR: missing parameters. See -h.
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ lsmod | grep iwlwifi
iwlwifi               169932  1 iwlmvm
cfg80211              484040  3 iwlwifi,mac80211,iwlmvm
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo mintwifi
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
  -- Intel Corporation Wireless 3160 (rev 83)
      ==> PCI ID = 8086:08b3 (rev 83)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
eth0      no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:"103"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.472 GHz  Access Point: C8:D3:A3:1B:62:E6   
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s   Tx-Power=16 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on
          Link Quality=65/70  Signal level=-45 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:13   Missed beacon:0

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr b8:6b:23:18:1f:80  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:324 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:85 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:23214 (23.2 KB)  TX bytes:17664 (17.6 KB)
          Interrupt:20 Memory:f0600000-f0620000 

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:948 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:948 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:130825 (130.8 KB)  TX bytes:130825 (130.8 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 30:3a:64:bc:eb:16  
          inet addr:192.168.0.108  Bcast:192.168.0.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::323a:64ff:febc:eb16/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:51387 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:25502 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:66678769 (66.6 MB)  TX bytes:2536314 (2.5 MB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
Server:		192.168.0.1
Address:	192.168.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.229
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.230
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.234
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.238
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.240
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.241
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.245
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.249
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.251
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.208
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.212
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.216
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.218
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.219
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.223
Name:	google.com
Address: 62.117.4.227

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo rfkill list all
0: Toshiba Bluetooth: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
1: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
3: nfc0: NFC
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $     inxi -i
Network:   Card-1: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 30:3a:64:bc:eb:16
           Card-2: Intel Ethernet Connection I218-V driver: e1000e 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: b8:6b:23:18:1f:80
           WAN IP: 37.120.38.185 IF: eth0 ip: N/A IF: wlan0 ip: 192.168.0.108 

---------------WIFI REMAINED BUT INTERNET STOPPED WORKING HERE--------------------

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $     iwconfig
eth0      no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:"103"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.472 GHz  Access Point: C8:D3:A3:1B:62:E6   
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s   Tx-Power=16 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:on
          Link Quality=59/70  Signal level=-51 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:16   Missed beacon:0

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $     inxi -i
Network:   Card-1: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 30:3a:64:bc:eb:16
           Card-2: Intel Ethernet Connection I218-V driver: e1000e 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: b8:6b:23:18:1f:80
^C

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo rfkill list all
0: Toshiba Bluetooth: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
1: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
3: nfc0: NFC
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $     iwconfig
eth0      no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:"103"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.472 GHz  Access Point: C8:D3:A3:1B:62:E6   
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s   Tx-Power=16 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:on
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-38 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:17   Missed beacon:0

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ sudo mintwifi
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
  -- Intel Corporation Wireless 3160 (rev 83)
      ==> PCI ID = 8086:08b3 (rev 83)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
eth0      no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:"103"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.472 GHz  Access Point: C8:D3:A3:1B:62:E6   
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s   Tx-Power=16 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-40 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:17   Missed beacon:0

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr b8:6b:23:18:1f:80  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:324 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:85 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:23214 (23.2 KB)  TX bytes:17664 (17.6 KB)
          Interrupt:20 Memory:f0600000-f0620000 

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:1055 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1055 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:138037 (138.0 KB)  TX bytes:138037 (138.0 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 30:3a:64:bc:eb:16  
          inet addr:192.168.0.108  Bcast:192.168.0.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::323a:64ff:febc:eb16/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:63582 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:33584 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:80658826 (80.6 MB)  TX bytes:3525779 (3.5 MB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ ^C
Valhalla@Dweller ~ $ 

Some of the commands here have been taken from another post on this forum, about installing iwlwifi