Wi-Fi Randomly Disconnects

[Hexa Fox]

Greetings,

I just installed Linux Mint (Cinnamon) onto an older computer. This is my very first experience with Linux and I have to say, that I am quite surprised how it was able to revive this old computer. It replaced Windows Vista. I installed a wireless NIC on it sometime ago and it worked just fine on Windows Vista. However, in Mint it randomly disconnects, sometimes fails to reconnect, and is quite annoying. It seems to occur more often when I am a little more demanding or have several tabs open. So far I have only used Mint to browse the web and watch videos. I want to install Microsoft Word onto it and do not wish to ask much else out of it.

Now it looks like this is a common issue. I see other people posting complex lines of text that I am assuming they are receiving from the Terminal. I am very comfortable using these types of systems, but have no experience with the Linux "Terminal". I am guessing it is very similar to a Windows Command Prompt where you can modify things and request information about your system. At least that is the way it looks. Anyway, I just wanted to make that clear before anyone tried to help me. Also I appreciate any help in advance. I am honestly pretty excited to have my old computer back up and running with an operating system I did not expect much from.

I would love help attempting to figure out my problem and look forward to becoming more familiar with Linux in general.

[Hexa Fox]

Code: Select all

System:    Host: Jordan-T5230 Kernel: 4.13.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: EMACHINES product: T5230
           Mobo: First model: K2MCP61P v: PCB 1.x
           Bios: Phoenix v: 6.00 PG date: 04/27/2007
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 svm) bmips: 4017
           clock speeds: max: 2300 MHz 1: 1000 MHz 2: 1000 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] bus-ID: 00:0d.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1368x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce 6150SE nForce 430/integrated/SSE2
           GLX Version: 2.1.2 NVIDIA 304.135 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card NVIDIA MCP61 High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:05.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-32-generic
Network:   Card-1: NVIDIA MCP61 Ethernet
           driver: forcedeth port: ec00 bus-ID: 00:07.0
           IF: enp0s7 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Ralink RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI
           driver: rt61pci v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 01:06.0
           IF: wlp1s6 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 266.1GB (4.2% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST3250820AS size: 250.1GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: USB_2.0_FD size: 16.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 228G used: 6.9G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.01GB used: 0.01GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 25.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 163 Uptime: 29 min Memory: 1213.9/1867.0MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

Does this help?

[smurphos]

A couple of things that may/should help.

1) Disable wifi powersave feature.

Open a terminal window.

Enter sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

Enter your password - you don't get visual feedback as youu type it.

This command opens the /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf file in nano, a terminal based text editor with root privileges so you can edit it.

Change wifi.powersave = 3 to wifi.powersave = 2

Hit Ctrl X and then Y to confirm you want to save the changes.

Then enter sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Turn your wifi off and then back on.

Enter iwconfig. This should confirm the Wifi Powersave is off....

2) Disable IPv6

Open the Network Connections app from the menu.

Select your current connection to your SSID, click Edit. Select IPv6 Settings and change the Method to Ignore. Hit Save.

[Hexa Fox]

Thanks for the response. I am also noticing something else that might be worth mentioning. Whenever the Wi-Fi does get disconnected, either randomly while surfing the web or by me it keeps attempting to reconnect and fails. Then I am left with the two disconnected wires icon at the bottom right. Could this mean that when it disconnects it is attempting to connect via Ethernet which is not connected?

Because when I got to the step about disconnecting Wi-Fi and reconnecting I could not reconnect. I restarted to resolve the issue. Also I just confirmed that Power Management is off now. I have not been using it long enough to check for problems, but seems like mine might be something different. For instance, I am pretty sure that if I disconnected from the Wi-Fi right now I would not be able to reconnect. It does sometimes resolve without a restart, but that is the easiest fix.

I think I already mentioned it but the wired NIC is integrated into the motherboard and the wireless NIC is something I added.

[Hexa Fox]

A couple of things that may/should help.

1) Disable wifi powersave feature.

Open a terminal window.

Enter sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

Enter your password - you don't get visual feedback as youu type it.

This command opens the /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf file in nano, a terminal based text editor with root privileges so you can edit it.

Change wifi.powersave = 3 to wifi.powersave = 2

Hit Ctrl X and then Y to confirm you want to save the changes.

Okay so I have been using the computer since yesterday and a little bit today and so far no problems whatsoever after turning off power save feature. Why is that even there in the first place? Is it for people that install Linux to a mobile device with a battery?

Anyway, it looks like this resolved my issue. Thanks Smurphos I appreciate it.

[JeremyB]

It is there because of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1557026
You can see my comment at the bottom of the page. The page shows it affected 4 people but the change they made affected a 100x more

[emtea]

Hi
I have followed the helpful post from smurphos and it worked ok for a time but the problem still persists for me
I keep having to enter sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager in the terminal
I would be grateful for any helpful suggestions. Thanks for reading

inxi -Fxz command gave :

Code: Select all

System:    Host: steve-HP-EliteBook-6930p Kernel: 4.4.0-112-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: MATE 1.18.0 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Hewlett-Packard (portable) product: HP EliteBook 6930p v: F.20
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 30DB v: KBC Version 87.2B
           Bios: Hewlett-Packard v: 68PCU Ver. F.20 date: 12/08/2011
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core2 Duo T9400 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10108
           clock speeds: max: 2534 MHz 1: 1600 MHz 2: 1600 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x800@59.99hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel GM45 Express
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-112-generic
Network:   Card-1: Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: 70c0 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: enp0s25 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel Ultimate N WiFi Link 5300
           driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wls1 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 160.0GB (52.9% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MK1655GS size: 160.0GB temp: 0C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 139G used: 72G (55%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.42GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 40.0C mobo: 20.0C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 195 Uptime: 6:14 Memory: 1926.8/7820.0MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.1
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

Edit: after one month and no further responses this problem is still there for me. I have to restart the Network Manager at least once every single session - tedious
Suggestions still welcome. Thanks

Edit 2: Two days ago I found that I had installed the package wicd alongside the MATE standard wifi software. After uninstalling wicd there has been no random disconnection.