Can't reconnect to wifi after losing connection

[mr1992]

Hey there,

I've got a problem with my wifi that I can't quite figure out. I also don't quite know how to provoke the issue. Generally speaking, when the computer has been on for a while, if it loses connection to the wifi, it is impossible to reconnect. Same goes for when you actively disconnect and try to reconnect after a one or two hours. Common solutions to prevent power saving that have frequently been suggested in other posts sadly didn't do the trick. When disconnecting just after startup, it reconnects without an issue.

Sys specs are:

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System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-137-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.4.0 
           Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.7 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma 
           base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: HP product: HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-2xxx v: N/A serial: <filter> 
           Chassis: type: 3 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: HP model: 8906 v: SMVB serial: <filter> UEFI: AMI v: F.03 date: 04/15/2021

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Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter 
           vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: rtl8821ce v: v5.5.2.1_35598.20191029 port: d000 
           bus ID: 0a:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:c821 
           IF: wlp10s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet 
           vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel port: c000 bus ID: 0b:00.0 
           chip ID: 10ec:8168 

Since I don't know how to provoke the error (and I've just restarted the computer), I don't quite know what other output I should post. Please let me know, and thanks in advance for your help :- )

[sleeper12]

See if there's a 5.15 kernel you can install in Update Manager, View, Linux Kernels.

[mr1992]

Thanks for the reply; I've installed the kernel. While the computer hasn't been running for long enough to check (just rebooted it), wifi seems to have improved insofar as that it is faster in adapting to varying signal strength. Dunno whether that makes sense. Anyway, I've got a feeling this may have done the trick and hope I can put a solved label in the title in a couple of hours.

EDIT:
Okay, it's smooth sailing now, the issue's solved. Thanks a lot for your help!

[sleeper12]

Glad it helped.

[mr1992]

Okay, unfortunately, I had to unsolve this topic. Didn't use the computer for a while and today, the problem resurfaced. The 5.15 kernel is still active, so there wasn't any accidental switch whilst updating. No idea what caused the problem; it could only be resolved, once again, by restarting the computer.

[Pjotr]

What does this command say:

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iwconfig

[mr1992]

iwconfig:

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lo        no wireless extensions.

enp11s0   no wireless extensions.

wlp10s0   IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"ZBTI1"  Nickname:"<WIFI@REALTEK>"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: 34:81:C4:FD:5D:19   
          Bit Rate:72.2 Mb/s   Sensitivity:0/0  
          Retry:off   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=67/100  Signal level=-62 dBm  Noise level=0 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

I see that "retry" is off, which strikes me as a bit strange. Don't know whether that's how it's supposed to be.

[sleeper12]

Post what this shows:

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lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net

[mr1992]

lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net

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0a:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:c821]
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [103c:884d]
	Kernel driver in use: rtl8821ce
	Kernel modules: rtw88_8821ce, rtl8821ce
0b:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 16)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [103c:8906]
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169
0c:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Micron Technology Inc Device [1344:5410] (rev 01)

[sleeper12]

Try:

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sudo modprobe rtw88_8821ce

[mr1992]

I did, is there an output somewhere I am to post? Probably will take some time to see results otherwise seeing I can't provoke the error.

[sleeper12]

It should give you rtw88_8821ce as the driver in use. Check again lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net
Maybe that driver will run better for you.

[mr1992]

The output I get is this:

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0a:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:c821]
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [103c:884d]
	Kernel driver in use: rtl8821ce
	Kernel modules: rtw88_8821ce, rtl8821ce
0b:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 16)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [103c:8906]
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169
0c:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Micron Technology Inc Device [1344:5410] (rev 01)

For some reason, modprobe didn't change anything that I can see: it looks just like the previous output.

[sleeper12]

Not sure if it will let you, but try:

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sudo modprobe -r rtl8821ce

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sudo modprobe rtw88_8821ce

[sleeper12]

If that doesn't work, let's see:

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dkms status

[mr1992]

Yup, that did the trick, lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net now shows me the right one:

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0a:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:c821]
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [103c:884d]
	Kernel driver in use: rtw_8821ce
	Kernel modules: rtw88_8821ce, rtl8821ce
0b:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 16)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [103c:8906]
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169
0c:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Micron Technology Inc Device [1344:5410] (rev 01)

Hope this solves the problem; had the issue resurface again today (prior to implementing your solution, obviously). Thanks for your help!