[SOLVED!] No Wifi Cinnamon 18.3 HP laptop - Driver issue?

[Daniel Plainview]

Hello friends,

Today I tried installing Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia on my brand new HP laptop (I'd much rather use Linux than slow, bloated Windows 10!), and the Wifi is nowhere to be found. It will only acknowledge the existence of ethernet. I've searched around the internet and tried updating the kernel (from 14.10.0-38 to 14.10.0-42), but this didn't change anything.

Here are my specs:

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System:    Host: daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx Kernel: 4.10.0-42-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: HP product: HP Laptop 15-bs0xx v: Type1ProductConfigId
           Mobo: HP model: 832A v: 23.40 Bios: Insyde v: F.24 date: 09/25/2017
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3-7100U (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9600
           clock speeds: max: 2400 MHz 1: 600 MHz 2: 597 MHz 3: 582 MHz
           4: 600 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Device 5916 bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.09hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 620 (Kabylake GT2)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Device 9d71 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-42-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 4000 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Realtek Device d723 port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: N/A state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (1.4% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 18G used: 5.7G (33%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.50GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda7
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 30.0C mobo: 29.8C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 201 Uptime: 5 min Memory: 764.8/7899.0MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

I've seen it discussed elsewhere that the problem probably lies with the r8169 driver, but I'm not sure how to remedy this. Any assistance would be great.

Thanks!

[JoeFootball]

Try some of the ideas in this article from the Easy Linux Tips Project.

Incidentally, on my HP laptop, it was item 1.7 from there that got it working for me.

Joe

[Daniel Plainview]

Thanks for the link! I hadn't seen that article before.

I've been doing some experiments with its recommendations, and nothing seems to be going as predicted. I particularly tried item 1.7, and the result was this:

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daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ rfkill list all
0: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no

So I guess it can't be that. I also ran

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iwconfig

and the results there are pretty strange:

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daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eno1      no wireless extensions.

.

Linux appears to not even know that the computer has wireless capabilities.

I also followed the link in the article about updating the driver, but my Realtek wireless chipset (0bda:b009) doesn't appear to be covered by this article.

That's where I am at this point. I'll try a few of the other things. Perhaps the information above will be helpful.

Thanks a lot!

Daniel

[Daniel Plainview]

New quick update: Disabling Bluetooth and restarting didn't work; removing the battery and holding down the power button for thirty seconds didn't work.

[JeremyB]

Daniel, first step would be to install an updated kernel. In Linux Mint Update Manager click View/Linux Kernels and install the newest 4.13 kernel listed and reboot

[Daniel Plainview]

All right! I changed the kernel to 4.13.0-32 and . . . Now Ethernet doesn't work either.

iwconfig now states

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lo no wireless extensions

.

Can I revert back to an earlier kernel?

[JeremyB]

You can revert using the Grub Menu at boot, press and hold shift key during boot to get it to appear, you might have to use ESC, then scroll down to Advanced Options and press enter, then scroll down to the first 4.10.0 kernel entry and press enter. Then install the newest 4.4.0 kernel and reboot, use Grub the same way to boot into the 4.4. kernel. The 4.10 kernel is EOL and will not get security updates. If ethernet works in 4.4.0 I would use the kernel menu in the update manager to uninstall the 4.10 and 4.13 kernels

[Daniel Plainview]

Now on 4.4.0-112. Ethernet works again, still no wifi. Any idea for a next step?

[JeremyB]

Ok for wifi, in terminal

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sudo apt-get install git dkms
git clone -b 4-10-down https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8723de.git
sudo dkms add ./rtl8723de
sudo dkms install rtl8723de/5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414

Reboot
I would suggest copying one line at a time and use the right click menu to paste into terminal

I think I just missed you in #linuxmint-help on IRC

[Daniel Plainview]

Before I do that, I just noticed that there were a bunch of recommended updates I was overlooking. I don't know if it's likely to solve the problem, but I'm giving it a chance. I'll keep you posted about the results of your instructions if I have to give them a try. Thanks very much for your help so far.

[JeremyB]

The recommended updates are not going to help as there are only a couple sources for this source code right now. I just forked from smlinux so I could fix the dkms- it is used to build the module automatically for kernel updates, but this source code will work in kernels less than 4.11 and 4.4 is supported for another 3 years and a couple months

[Daniel Plainview]

OK, I'll finish the updates, do a fresh restart, and give your instructions a try. See you in five minutes.

[Daniel Plainview]

I think maybe I didn't enter the code right?

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daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ sudo apt-get install git dkms
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
dkms is already the newest version (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  iucode-tool mokutil
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  git-man liberror-perl
Suggested packages:
  git-daemon-run | git-daemon-sysvinit git-doc git-el git-email git-gui gitk
  gitweb git-arch git-cvs git-mediawiki git-svn
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  git git-man liberror-perl
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 24 not upgraded.
Need to get 3,857 kB of archives.
After this operation, 25.6 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Abort.

[Daniel Plainview]

So I did this: copy your first line,

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sudo apt-get install git dkms

, paste it into terminal, then copy your second line,

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git clone -b 4-10-down https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8723de.git

, paste it into terminal, and then your third line,

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sudo dkms add ./rtl8723de

paste it into terminal, and finally the fourth line,

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sudo dkms install rtl8723de/5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414

, and pasted that into terminal.

Am I supposed to be adding some notation between lines? They all just run together when I paste, and then nothing happens.

[Daniel Plainview]

I did this:

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daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ sudo apt-get install git dkms \
> git clone -b 4-10-down https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8723de.git \
> sudo dkms add ./rtl8723de \
> sudo dkms install rtl8723de/5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414

It asked for my password, and then:

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E: Command line option 'b' [from -b] is not understood in combination with the other options.

An error message. What should I do?

[JeremyB]

Press enter after each line is pasted in terminal

[Daniel Plainview]

Followed the process through a couple of times. Not sure it accomplished anything. Here's the most recent result:

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daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ sudo apt-get install git dkms
[sudo] password for daniel: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
dkms is already the newest version (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5).
git is already the newest version (1:2.7.4-0ubuntu1.3).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  iucode-tool mokutil
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 24 not upgraded.
daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ git clone -b 4-10-down https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8723de.git
Cloning into 'rtl8723de'...
fatal: Remote branch 4-10-down not found in upstream origin
daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ sudo dkms add ./rtl8723de
Error! Could not find module source directory.
Directory: /usr/src/.-rtl8723de does not exist.
daniel@daniel-HP-Laptop-15-bs0xx ~ $ sudo dkms install rtl8723de/5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414
Error! Could not find module source directory.
Directory: /usr/src/rtl8723de-5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414 does not exist.

[JeremyB]

Whoops should be

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git clone -b 4.10-down https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8723de.git
sudo dkms add ./rtl8723de
sudo dkms install rtl8723de/5.1.1.8_21285.20171026_COEX20170111-1414

Reboot

[Daniel Plainview]

Working on it. Step three is taking longer than the others.

[Daniel Plainview]

It worked! Thanks so much! You are a wizard!