WiFi won’t connect? I am today-new to Linux [not really] ~~(SOLVED?!)~~

[Kektagon]

I have no idea what I’m doing, I’ll admit. I bought this (used) computer and it won’t connect to WiFi. Other devices have no issue connecting. All the info I have is on the paper I took a picture of, and it says the pc is running on Mint (cinnamon 19.3).

When I try to connect, and I know the password is correct, I get a prompt that says ‘activation of network connection failed. Sometimes it will ask me to re-enter the password and does the same thing anyways.’

I’m sorry if none of this is helpful information, but I don’t know what is and isn’t.

[Pjotr]

First establish temporary internet connection by other means, for example by means of the USB tethering feature of your cell phone.

Please generate an overview of your system like this:
- Launch a terminal window (this is how to launch a terminal window);
- Make the terminal window full screen, to avoid chopped lines;
- Copy/paste this command into the terminal:

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inxi -Fxpmrz

(if you type: the letter F is a capital letter, and don't omit the space after inxi!)

Press Enter.

Copy/paste the output in your next message.

Do the same with the following four commands:

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rfkill list all

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iwconfig

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lsusb

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lspci

[Kektagon]

sorry for the long time to reply. I had get a usb stick to transfer the text from the terminal because my phones usb tether for internet wasnt working. anyway, heres the output from the commands you told me to input:

inxi- Fxpmrz

System: Kernel: 5.4.0-58-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.5
Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
Machine: Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: h8-1234 v: N/A serial: <filter>
Mobo: Gigabyte model: 2AC8 v: 1.2 serial: <filter> UEFI: AMI v: An2_705 date: 04/17/2012
Memory: RAM: total: 7.61 GiB used: 820.1 MiB (10.5%)
RAM Report: permissions: Unable to run dmidecode. Root privileges required.
CPU: Topology: 6-Core model: AMD FX-6120 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Bulldozer rev: 2 L2 cache: 2048 KiB
flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm bogomips: 41894
Speed: 1423 MHz min/max: 1400/3500 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1562 2: 1410 3: 1429 4: 1584 5: 1520 6: 1414
Graphics: Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Caicos PRO [Radeon HD 7450] vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: radeon
v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa resolution: 1280x1024~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: AMD CAICOS (DRM 2.50.0 / 5.4.0-58-generic LLVM 10.0.0) v: 3.3 Mesa 20.0.8 direct render: Yes
Audio: Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
bus ID: 00:14.2
Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-58-generic
Network: Device-1: Broadcom and subsidiaries BCM43225 802.11b/g/n driver: bcma-pci-bridge v: N/A port: e000 bus ID: 06:00.0
Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel
port: d000 bus ID: 07:00.0
IF: enp7s0 state: down mac: <filter>
IF-ID-1: enx9a460aed5138 state: down mac: <filter>
IF-ID-2: usb0 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: <filter>
IF-ID-3: wlp6s0b1 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 8.09 GiB (1.7%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD5000AAKX-75U6AA0 size: 465.76 GiB
RAID: Hardware-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [RAID5 mode] driver: ahci v: 3.0
bus ID: 00:11.0
Partition: ID-1: / size: 456.96 GiB used: 8.08 GiB (1.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511.0 MiB used: 7.8 MiB (1.5%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/sda1
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 20.6 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 44 C
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://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info: Processes: 235 Uptime: 12m Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 inxi: 3.0.38

rfkill list all

0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

iwconfig

usb0 no wireless extensions.

wlp6s0b1 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=30 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off

lo no wireless extensions.

enx9a460aed5138 no wireless extensions.

enp7s0 no wireless extensions.

lsusb
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 058f:6362 Alcor Micro Corp. Flash Card Reader/Writer
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 002: ID 0a5c:217d Broadcom Corp. HP Bluethunder
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 1bbb:f00e T & A Mobile Phones Android
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05ac:12aa Apple, Inc. iPod Touch 5.Gen [A1421]
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 009 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 003: ID 04f2:1060 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd USB Keyboard
Bus 008 Device 002: ID 413c:301a Dell Computer Corp. Dell MS116 USB Optical Mouse
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD9x0/RX980 Host Bridge (rev 02)
00:00.2 IOMMU: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890S/RD990 I/O Memory Management Unit (IOMMU)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GFX port 0)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GPP Port 1)
00:11.0 RAID bus controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [RAID5 mode] (rev 40)
00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 42)
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev 40)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller (rev 40)
00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40)
00:14.5 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
00:15.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
00:15.1 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
00:15.2 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2)
00:15.3 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 3)
00:16.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:16.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 0
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 1
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 2
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 3
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 4
00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 5
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Caicos PRO [Radeon HD 7450]
01:00.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Caicos HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6450 / 7450/8450/8490 OEM / R5 230/235/235X OEM]
02:00.0 USB controller: Texas Instruments TUSB73x0 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 xHCI Host Controller (rev 02)
06:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM43225 802.11b/g/n (rev 01)
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 06)

[sleeper12]

You might need the wl driver, try:

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 sudo modprobe -rv bcma wl 

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 sudo modprobe -v wl 

Also, if you have secure boot on that machine, be sure it's disabled in Bios. You can check:

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 mokutil --sb-state 

[Kektagon]

ok, I typed those commands in, and this is what I got:

sudo modprobe -rv wl

modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found.

sudo modprobe -v wl

modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/5.4.0-58-generic

mokutil --sb-state

SecureBoot disabled

[sleeper12]

Ok, so what happens with:

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 sudo modprobe -v bcma 

[Kektagon]

umm, nothing. I typed in the command, it asked me for the password, and then it just went to the next prompt for me to enter.

[sleeper12]

I still suspect you need the wl driver, but not sure if that's the case. So, wait for someone who will know how best to proceed.

[sleeper12]

Just guessing here, but you could try:

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 sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source 

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 sudo modprobe -rv bcma wl 

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 sudo modprobe -v wl 

[Kektagon]

Hmm. i dont know what fixed it, but i just happened to notice after i did the last terminal commands, my pc automaticaly connected to the wifi! thank you!

just in case, heres what i got running the last terminal commands:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
bcmwl-kernel-source : Depends: libc6-dev but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.


sudo modprobe -rv bcma wl

modprobe: FATAL: Module bcma is in use.

sudo modprobe -v wl

modprobe: FATAL: Module wl not found in directory /lib/modules/5.4.0-58-generic

[sleeper12]

Interesting, I'm not sure what got it going either since those commands don't seem to have changed anything. But, if wifi works, you are good for now.

[Kektagon]

Well, apparently not.

It connected the one time, and when I came to it today, it has refused to connect again, and I’m back to square one. And when the internet was working, it was weak. I know the signal strength isn’t a problem because my phone in the same room works just fine, connection wise. There were, *apparerntly*, 121 updates that needed to happen and the damn thing keept not doing them.

I’m about ready to give up on the computer.

[sleeper12]

Sorry to hear that. If you remove 'Solved' from this thread, someone else may be able to help.

[Larry78723]

Try this: Open a terminal and run the following commands:

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sudo apt update

Then

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sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms

[sleeper12]

This may be part of the problem:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
bcmwl-kernel-source : Depends: libc6-dev but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

If what Larry suggested doesn't work, see if you can fix that in Synaptic, Edit, Fix Broken Packages.