[SOLVED] Another HP laptop 3160 wifi issue

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andrew66
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Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:45 pm

[SOLVED] Another HP laptop 3160 wifi issue

Post by andrew66 »

Hi Guy's,

Just a wireless networking question from a novice linux user.

I was given a 3 year old HP laptop with a dual band intel AC 3160 wireless chip. I have Linux Mint 18.1 Serena installed on it. Kernel 4.4.0-112-generic.
The unit has no wireless hardware on/off switch, just a software enable selector. It does have an airplane key but this makes no difference. There is no option in
the Bios to disable wireless. Every time I try to switch wireless on it instantly turns itself off. This seems to be a running theme with these chips. It is currently
connected by ethernet cable. I have tried a few solutions listed here and elsewhere over time all to no avail.

Then a few days ago while searching for something else I found a old 802.11bg USB wireless dongle. I thought I give this a go and plugged it in.
When I clicked on the network connection icon not only was the wireless dongle listed but the 3160 connection was also shown. I clicked on it and it connected
without issue. I could also remove the dongle once it was connected and it stayed connected. Once I disconnected the only way to get the 3160 connection
option to appear again was to insert the dongle. All the time the 3160 was connected the main wireless software on/off selector was showing off.

I'm wondering if this infomation offers any insight as to what might be happening
(why I cant select wireless on normally)

Thanks
Andrew

Code: Select all

inxi -Fx
System:    Host: NoteBook Kernel: 4.4.0-112-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.2.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine:   System: Hewlett-Packard (portable) product: HP Pavilion x360 NoteBook PC v: Type1ProductConfigId
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 8074 v: 66.35
           Bios: Insyde v: F.35 date: 08/20/2015
CPU:       Dual core Intel Celeron N3050 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 6399
           clock speeds: max: 2160 MHz 1: 1878 MHz 2: 1653 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Device 22b1 bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics (Cherryview)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Device 2284 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-112-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8101/2/6E PCI Express Fast/Gigabit Ethernet controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
           mac: 30:8d:99:1c:42:df
           Card-2: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: wlp3s0 state: down mac: e4:f8:9c:1e:a8:20
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (34.3% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: HGST_HTS545050A7 size: 500.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 455G used: 157G (37%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.15GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0C mobo: 39.0C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 170 Uptime: 2:17 Memory: 1520.7/3811.1MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

iwconfig
wlp3s0    IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=0 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:on
          
enp2s0    no wireless extensions.

tun0      no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

Code: Select all

rfkill list all
0: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
2: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: yes
	Hard blocked: no
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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andrew66
Level 1
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Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:45 pm

Re: Another HP laptop 3160 wifi issue

Post by andrew66 »

After doing some more searching on the forum I came across this advice which finally solved my problem.
Turn the kernel module acer_wmi off
1.7. A certain kernel module, called acer_wmi, causes problems on some laptops. Because it has been loaded when it shouldn't have been.

a. Launch a terminal window.
(You can launch a terminal window like this: *Click*)

b. Now check whether the module is loaded; copy/paste the following green command line into the terminal:

rfkill list all

Press Enter.

This command will tell you, how your wireless card is called. In many problem cases, it's called (among other things) like this:

1: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: no

The clue is then, that it's called acer-wireless (which means that acer_wmi is loaded) and that it has a soft block.

In such a case, proceed like this:

c. Copy/paste the following blue command line into the terminal (you can copy/paste with the right mouse button, it's one line):

sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-acer-wmi.conf <<< "blacklist acer_wmi"

Press Enter and submit your password. Please note that the password will remain invisible, not even asterisks will show, which is normal.

d. Reboot your computer.
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