USB Wifi Adapter not working with Mint LDME 4

[Max2020]

Hi all,

Complete rank noob with all things Linux. Really frustrated with Windows so I figured I'd give it a try. I totally expected to go through some growing pains to learn the new OS. However, it feels as if I got stuck just at the starting blocks.

I successfully installed LMDE 4 and can access the internet via an Ethernet cable. However I cannot get a WiFi connection made and have tried using a few different USB WiFi adapters.

I have used the command line a few times and tried to follow the instructions given on a few forums around the web.

This is the PC I recently bought and on which I've installed LMDE 4:
https://www.amazon.com/8GB-120GB-Comput ... 6R5DXPVSJY

Here is the first usb adapter I tried to use with LMDE 4:
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-desktop ... 979&sr=8-3

and the following is the replacement adapter I more recently bought because it was supposedly better with Linux:
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-300Mbps-Wi ... 712&sr=8-1

I went to the Panda Wireless website and downloaded the Linux driver for the PUA05 and when I read the Readme file it looks pretty complex and intimidating. There's a lengthy process to "build" the driver that I've not yet really attempted but I started to think that there's got to be an easier way.

zane@zkcomp1:~$ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
4: phy3: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

zane@zkcomp1:~$ iwconfig
wlx9cefd5fb4066 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry short long limit:2 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off

lo no wireless extensions.

wlp4s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=off
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:on

enp3s0 no wireless extensions.

zane@zkcomp1:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 148f:5372 Ralink Technology, Corp. RT5372 Wireless Adapter
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 8087:0a2a Intel Corp.
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0bda:0129 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5129 Card Reader Controller
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 062a:4c01 MosArt Semiconductor Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

To anyone out there that'd be willing to help this rank noob, I would certainly appreciate it!

[Max2020]

Also, here's the inxi readout:

Code: Select all

System:    Host: zkcomp1 Kernel: 4.19.0-12-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           Desktop: Cinnamon 4.6.7 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: LMDE 4 Debbie 
           base: Debian 10.2 buster 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: $(DEFAULT_STRING) product: $(DEFAULT_STRING) v: $(DEFAULT_STRING) 
           serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: $(DEFAULT_STRING) model: $(DEFAULT_STRING) v: $(DEFAULT_STRING) serial: <filter> 
           UEFI: American Megatrends v: 5.13 date: 07/17/2020 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Celeron J4125 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Goldmont Plus 
           rev: 8 L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 15974 
           Speed: 1730 MHz min/max: 800/2700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1175 2: 1184 3: 1248 
           4: 1156 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:3185 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 3840x2160~30Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel UHD Graphics 600 (Geminilake 2x6) v: 4.5 Mesa 18.3.6 
           compat-v: 3.0 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:0e.0 chip ID: 8086:3198 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-12-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet driver: r8169 
           v: kernel port: e000 bus ID: 03:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8168 
           IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Intel Wireless 7265 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: e000 bus ID: 04:00.0 
           chip ID: 8086:095a 
           IF: wlp4s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 116.48 GiB used: 51.85 GiB (44.5%) 
           ID-1: /dev/mmcblk0 model: 128G32 size: 116.48 GiB serial: <filter> 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 19.10 GiB used: 13.55 GiB (70.9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/mmcblk0p5 
           ID-2: /home size: 28.59 GiB used: 1.61 GiB (5.6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/mmcblk0p7 
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 5.86 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/mmcblk0p6 
USB:       Hub: 1-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 9 rev: 2.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0002 
           Device-1: 1-2:3 info: MosArt type: Keyboard,Mouse driver: hid-generic,usbhid rev: 1.1 
           chip ID: 062a:4c01 
           Device-2: 1-3:4 info: Realtek RTS5129 Card Reader Controller type: <vendor specific> 
           driver: rtsx_usb,rtsx_usb_ms,rtsx_usb_sdmmc rev: 2.0 chip ID: 0bda:0129 
           Device-3: 1-4:5 info: Intel type: Bluetooth driver: btusb rev: 2.0 chip ID: 8087:0a2a 
           Hub: 2-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 7 rev: 3.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0003 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 67.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http: //mirrors.evowise.com/linuxmint/packages debbie main upstream import backport
           2: deb https: //deb.debian.org/debian/ buster main contrib non-free
           3: deb https: //deb.debian.org/debian/ buster-updates main contrib non-free
           4: deb http: //security.debian.org/ buster/updates main contrib non-free
           5: deb https: //deb.debian.org/debian/ buster-backports main contrib non-free
Info:      Processes: 217 Uptime: 2h 20m Memory: 7.62 GiB used: 3.58 GiB (46.9%) Init: systemd 
           v: 241 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Client: Unknown python3.7 client 
           inxi: 3.0.32 

[jwiz]

Your adapter is detected and working but the network connection is down, see:
IF: wlp4s0 state: down mac: <filter>

Could be due to Bluetooth interfering.
Pls. run 'rfkill list all' and post the output.

[Moonstone Man]

This is the PC I recently bought and on which I've installed LMDE 4:

Is there a technical reason for not using the unit's built-in wifi?

[Max2020]

Your adapter is detected and working but the network connection is down, see:
IF: wlp4s0 state: down mac: <filter>

Could be due to Bluetooth interfering.
Pls. run 'rfkill list all' and post the output.

Hi jwiz,

Thanks for responding. Here's the 'rfkill list all' readout.

Code: Select all

zane@zkcomp1:~$ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: yes
1: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
5: phy4: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no

Let me know if this clarifies what I need to do to get the wifi working. Thanks again.

[Max2020]

This is the PC I recently bought and on which I've installed LMDE 4:

Is there a technical reason for not using the unit's built-in wifi?

Hi Kad Man

No good technical reason, no.

If I can somehow get the built in wifi to connect to the signal, that would also be a good solution....

Thanks.

[JeremyB]

See if removing the internal wifi card helps. You might need to reset BIOS settings if that doesn't work

[Max2020]

See if removing the internal wifi card helps. You might need to reset BIOS settings if that doesn't work

Unfortunately, it seems that this mini computer case is sealed shut without any obvious way to open it and look for the card.