WiFi just suddenly died [solved]

[AZgl1800]

my vacation is jinxed, first a power surge blows out all of my laptop power cord chargers, all 3 of them!!!

get the Dell laptop fixed with a brand new power supply, and it works for about one day, and now, the WiFi just suddenly is Hard Blocked and I don't know why?

I am using a borrowed LAN connection right now.

issued this command:
john@john-Inspiron-N5010 ~ $ rfkill unblock 0
john@john-Inspiron-N5010 ~ $

and thought that should have fixed it?

$ rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes

Code: Select all

john@john-Inspiron-N5010 ~ $ inxi -Fd
System:    Host: john-Inspiron-N5010 Kernel: 4.13.0-43-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7  Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Dell (portable) product: Inspiron N5010 v: A12
           Mobo: Dell model: 0WXY9J v: A12 Bios: Dell v: A12 date: 01/25/2011
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3 M 380 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB 
           clock speeds: max: 2527 MHz 1: 1391 MHz 2: 1340 MHz 3: 1334 MHz
           4: 1365 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.06hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 17.2.8
Audio:     Card Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-43-generic
Network:   Card-1: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 [Condor Peak]
           driver: iwlwifi
           IF: wlp18s0 state: down mac: 8c:a9:82:66:fa:fe
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8101/2/6E PCI Express Fast/Gigabit Ethernet controller
           driver: r8169
           IF: enp19s0 state: down mac: 78:2b:cb:e7:67:43
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (8.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST500LM012_HN size: 500.1GB
           Optical: /dev/sr0 model: Optiarc DVD+-RW AD-7717H
           dev-links: cdrom,cdrw,dvd,dvdrw
           Features: speed: 24x multisession: yes
           audio: yes dvd: yes rw: cd-r,cd-rw,dvd-r,dvd-ram
Partition: ID-1: / size: 283G used: 23G (9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.38GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 53.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 198 Uptime: 2 min Memory: 540.9/7776.4MB
           Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.2.35 

[jimallyn]

Hard blocked: yes

Sometimes that means there is a physical switch that is turned off. A friend had his Dell laptop for several years before he became aware of it. And he didn't find it, I did.

[AZgl1800]

Jim,

it does have the WiFi kill switch on the kybd, and I have even labeled it with marker tape....

I am just too tired tonight to be on a computer, having just gotten home from a 1,000 miles of fighting very hard and herky/jerky cross winds with my travel trailer.

thank you, going to bed now, it is working "again".