Atheros AR9485 wifi connection problem

[klingone_2803]

Hi there everyone,
I migrated from Win10 to Linux Mint 19 for different reasons. Love it! Only thing it doesn't seem to accept the wifi card. But I know there is an Atheros AR9485 somewhere...Wired connection works fine though. Also tried Mint 18.3 and Ubuntu 18.04 but same results. I'm using a Dell N4030 laptop 64-bit Cinnamon.
I had a look around on different websites and tried various suggestions via command line etc. but this got me nowhere so I started this new topic. Just made a clean Mint 19 install and only updated the system via Update Manager. I tried a few things in the terminal and of course the wifi-button, Fn+F2 etc. Please see the output. Thanks for any help in advance.

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marcy@marcy-Inspiron-N4030:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: marcy-Inspiron-N4030 Kernel: 4.15.0-24-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.6 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1)
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: portable System: Dell product: Inspiron N4030 v: A05 serial: N/A
           Mobo: Dell model: 0R2XK8 v: A05 serial: N/A
           BIOS: Dell v: A05 date: 10/14/2010
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3 M 370 (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Nehalem rev.5 cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9575
           clock speeds: max: 2394 MHz 1: 1386 MHz 2: 1439 MHz 3: 1344 MHz
           4: 1125 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile
           version: 2.1 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Def. Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-24-generic
Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros Device abcd bus-ID: 12:00.0
           IF: N/A state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet
           driver: atl1c v: 1.0.1.1-NAPI port: e000 bus-ID: 13:00.0
           IF: enp19s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (2.8% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_HM321HI size: 320.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 293G used: 8.4G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 44.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 191 Uptime: 2:05 Memory: 1373.1/3746.2MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56 
marcy@marcy-Inspiron-N4030:~$ iwconfig
enp19s0   no wireless extensions.

lo        no wireless extensions.

marcy@marcy-Inspiron-N4030:~$ lspci | grep -i wireless
marcy@marcy-Inspiron-N4030:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller (rev 06)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 05)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev 05)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev 05)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 5 (rev 05)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 05)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev a5)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM57 Chipset LPC Interface Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 6 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset SMBus Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Thermal Subsystem (rev 05)
12:00.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros Device abcd (rev 01)
13:00.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet (rev c1)
ff:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-core Registers (rev 02)
ff:00.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder (rev 02)
ff:02.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 (rev 02)
ff:02.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 1st Generation Core i3/5/7 Processor QPI Physical 0 (rev 02)
ff:02.2 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 1st Generation Core i3/5/7 Processor Reserved (rev 02)
ff:02.3 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 1st Generation Core i3/5/7 Processor Reserved (rev 02)
marcy@marcy-Inspiron-N4030:~$

[Joe2Shoe]

I am running LM19 MATE 64-bit, 4.15.0-24-generic kernel, with Atheros AR9485 wifi with no problems.
My Qualcomm Atheros AR9485WB-EG wifi adapter is using the "ath9k" driver.
Your Atheros "model #" is not listed per your post.
Also, it does not list the driver as being installed under "Network: Card-1".
It would seem to indicate that the drivers are NOT installed.

My "inxi -Fxz":

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Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e000 bus-ID: 03:00.2

[JeremyB]

I would remove the wifi card and reinstall it. The results show Atheros Device abcd and that is what happens when they are not properly initialized

[klingone_2803]

Hi Joe2Shoe and JeremyB for your suggestions! I know it's a AR9485 because of previous WIn10 and Linux installations the card was somehow listed..but never worked really. I'd like to install the driver and re-install the card. Is there a command line prompt to do that? I tried to work around the driver problem in the past with backports but it failed probably because I don't know how to compile a linux kernel properly. But to reinstall the driver and the card seems a good thing to do, maybe you can tell me how to do that. Thanks!

[JeremyB]

I would physically remove the card from the laptop and reinstall it. It is not a driver issue as I have used the AR9485 in Linux Mint and Ubuntu for over 4 years and it has worked using the kernel module ath9k. Post the URL from terminal for

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dmesg | nc termbin.com 9999

There might be a clue in that log of why your wifi isn't initializing properly

[Joe2Shoe]

"..but never worked really."
Possibly the wifi card is bad. I have 3 laptops with LM 17-19 installed using the Atheros AR9485 and no problems whatsoever.
I have 2 extra Atheros AR9485 cards as backups ($7.00 each eBay - 1 Qualcomm pci-e and 1 TP-Link USB).
As JeremyB suggested, re-seat the wifi card, then go from there. If the same problem exists, I would personally replace the wifi card.
Good luck.

[klingone_2803]

Hi guys and thanks again for your relpy! I will try to re-seat the card then. Shouldn't be too expensive to get another one just in case anyway. But let me show you the command line output JeremyB suggested:

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~$ dmesg | nc termbin.com 9999
http://termbin.com/hail

[JeremyB]

According to the dmesg it is being found

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0.083557] pci 0000:12:00.0: [168c:0032] type 00 class 0x028000
[    0.083595] pci 0000:12:00.0: reg 0x10: [mem 0xfbb00000-0xfbb7ffff 64bit]
[    0.083657] pci 0000:12:00.0: reg 0x30: [mem 0xfbb80000-0xfbb8ffff pref]
[    0.083771] pci 0000:12:00.0: supports D1 D2
[    0.083773] pci 0000:12:00.0: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot D3cold

Even the kernel module loads at this point

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 ieee80211 phy0: Atheros AR9485 Rev:1 mem=0xffffc30480d80000, irq=17
 ath9k 0000:12:00.0 wlp18s0: renamed from wlan0

When things fail

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[   34.175795] ath: phy0: DMA failed to stop in 10 ms AR_CR=0xffffffff AR_DIAG_SW=0xffffffff DMADBG_7=0xffffffff
[   34.354753] ath: phy0: Chip reset failed
[   34.354760] ath: phy0: Unable to reset channel, reset status -22
[   34.366327] ath: phy0: DMA failed to stop in 10 ms AR_CR=0xffffffff AR_DIAG_SW=0xffffffff DMADBG_7=0xffffffff
[   34.544908] ath: phy0: Chip reset failed
[   34.544912] ath: phy0: Unable to reset channel, reset status -22
[   34.556680] ath: phy0: DMA failed to stop in 10 ms AR_CR=0xffffffff AR_DIAG_SW=0xffffffff DMADBG_7=0xffffffff
[   34.735281] ath: phy0: Chip reset failed
[   38.412174] pciehp 0000:00:1c.1:pcie004: Failed to check link status
[   47.712660] pciehp 0000:00:1c.1:pcie004: Slot(0-1): Link Up
[   47.820155] pci 0000:12:00.0: [168c:abcd] type 00 class 0x020000

[klingone_2803]

Ok thanks for that. I guess there is no other way than to change the card. Cheers anyway!

[BG405]

Re-seating it may work, but have a close look at the contacts. There may be a bit of oxidation which may be possible to clean off (carefully, try to avoid removing the remaining plating), I use a fibreglass pen for these purposes.

I can also confirm that these cards have worked fine OOTB for me so far in my laptops, using Mint 17.x, 18.x & Manjaro, numerous Kernels, no issues whatsoever.

From my Manjaro setup - this Dell doesn't have a WiFi card in it:

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Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v1.1 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c 
           IF: enp1s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter driver: ath9k 
           IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
           Card-3: Qualcomm Atheros AR3012 Bluetooth 4.0 type: USB driver: btusb

(Note this card is labelled as an AR5B225 which has the Bluetooth 4.0 chip).