<SOLVED>WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

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hansencomputers
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<SOLVED>WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

Post by hansencomputers »

Greetings,
I have an HP laptop. My issue is the WiFi. It functions if I use Kernel 5.11.0-22, but any after that do not work, as if there is no WiFi device.

Looking for any advice to get it to work without having to use the older Kernel.

Thanks,
Mike
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DPM
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Re: WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

Post by DPM »

hansencomputers wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:36 pmLooking for any advice to get it to work without having to use the older Kernel.
Please follow the big red "how to get help" link at the top of the forum, or else useful advice is not possible.
hansencomputers
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Re: WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

Post by hansencomputers »

Thanks for your help. Of course I have tried to search the Mint Forum and Google but did not find anything useful, hence why I posted the question.
DPM
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Re: WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

Post by DPM »

hansencomputers wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 6:50 amOf course I have tried to search the Mint Forum and Google but did not find anything useful, hence why I posted the question.
See item 5 of the help instructions how to post with system information details. You're an experienced poster so that I thought you'd know that and had just forgotten to include that. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
hansencomputers
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<SOLVED>Re: WiFi only works with 5.11.0-22

Post by hansencomputers »

I seem to have solved this issue thanks to DPM's reminder to post the output of inxi -Fxxxrz, which when I ran it gave me the clue I needed to sort this out. The area of interest is in the "Network" section:

Code: Select all

Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet 
  vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel port: 4000 bus ID: 01:00.0 
  chip ID: 10ec:8168 
  IF: enp1s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter 
  vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: rtl8821ce v: N/A port: 3000 
  bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:c821 
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:
Specifically the wireless hardware, RTL8821CE and its driver.

I booted the system with Kernel 5.11.0-22 where WiFi was working and ran inxi -Fxxxrz and checked the Network section. Did the same with the latest Kernel 5.11.0-37 and compared. With -22 the a driver called rtl8821cu was loaded, with the -37 no driver was loaded (per the results of inxi -Fxxxrz).

Running with Kernel 5.11.0-37 and a wired connection, I launched the Driver GUI program in Control Center and it showed that driver rtl8821ce was in use (the radio button was selected). However when I looked in the Package Manager program and searched for "rtl8821" I notice that the rtl8821ce driver was NOT installed, so I installed it.

After reboot the WiFi was still not working. I launched the Driver GUI program and "Do Not Use Device" was selected, so I flipped it back to the rtl8821ce driver and rebooted. Now WiFi is working with the 5.11.0-37 Kernel. Oddly, it no longer works if I boot using the -22 Kernel, but I guess that doesn't matter.

So, I have this issue under control, but lack the expertise and experience to say conclusively how and why it was an issue in the first place. It seemed the rtl8821cu driver was okay for the -22 Kernel, but not for the -37, and the system could not correct this issue on its own. Thanks again DPM for the reminder that the system info is needed for adequate help, that step led me to my own answer.
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