Something has changed w/ wifi - SOLVED

[RockyRaab]

I have been using Vanessa flawlessly since early August. Until about a week ago. Note that there have been a flurry of posts here about Mint 21 dropping or not connecting to wifi. Connection drops at random, downloads are very slow, and Authorization Required pops up constantly. My connection to my router is strong, and my ISP says they have no issues (Xfinity). It is not a browser issue, as it occurs with Brave, Firefox, Chromium, and Ungooogled Chromium. Nor does the issue appear with other Linux OS. Mint 19.3, Zorin Core, and Spiral/Cinnamon all connect perfectly.

Clearly, some update or other to Mint 21 Cinnamon has caused a problem. Please resolve this.

[sleeper12]

What does this show:

Code: Select all

iwconfig

[RockyRaab]

rocky@rocky-OptiPlex-7020:~$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eno1 no wireless extensions.

wlx502b73e8f31e IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"TP-Link_0710"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.432 GHz Access Point: 10:27:F5:E8:07:0F
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=30 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=70/70 Signal level=-33 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:53 Missed beacon:0

[sleeper12]

No problem there, maybe post:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxxxrz

[RockyRaab]

I'll try. I can't stay online long enough to post on that machine. (This one is running MX, which logs online and works perfectly.)

[RockyRaab]

rocky@rocky-OptiPlex-7020:~$ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
Kernel: 5.15.0-48-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.2.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 5.4.12 tk: GTK 3.24.33 wm: Mutter vt: 7
dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 21 Vanessa base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 7020 v: 01
serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 15 serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Dell model: 02YYK5 v: A00 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Dell
v: A00 date: 04/25/2014
Battery:
Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse serial: <filter>
charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: Discharging
Device-2: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard
serial: <filter> charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes
status: Discharging
CPU:
Info: quad core model: Intel Core i5-4590 bits: 64 type: MCP
smt: <unsupported> arch: Haswell rev: 3 cache: L1: 256 KiB L2: 1024 KiB
L3: 6 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 1291 high: 1297 min/max: 800/3700 cores: 1: 1297
2: 1273 3: 1297 4: 1297 bogomips: 26337
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: VGA-1
empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412
class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.3 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
unloaded: fbdev,vesa gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2")
s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
Monitor-1: VGA-1 model: HP 24m serial: <filter> res: 1920x1080 hz: 60
dpi: 93 size: 527x297mm (20.7x11.7") diag: 605mm (23.8") modes:
max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
v: 4.6 Mesa 22.0.5 compat-v: 3.1 direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio
vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0
chip-ID: 8086:0c0c class-ID: 0403
Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8c20
class-ID: 0403
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.0-48-generic running: yes
Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.99.1 running: yes
Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes
Network:
Device-1: Intel Ethernet I217-LM vendor: Dell driver: e1000e v: kernel
port: f080 bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:153a class-ID: 0200
IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter>
Device-2: Ralink MT7601U Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: mt7601u
bus-ID: 1-1.2:4 chip-ID: 148f:7601 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
IF: wlx502b73e8f31e state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 1.36 TiB used: 147.68 GiB (10.6%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: PNY model: CS900 500GB SSD size: 465.76 GiB
speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 0P13 scheme: GPT
ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Toshiba model: MQ01UBD100
size: 931.51 GiB type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> scheme: MBR
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 456.88 GiB used: 32.9 GiB (7.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda3
ID-2: /boot/efi size: 512 MiB used: 5.2 MiB (1.0%) fs: vfat
dev: /dev/sda2
Swap:
ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
file: /swapfile
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8 C mobo: 27.8 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
Packages: 2639 apt: 2626 flatpak: 13
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list
1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com vanessa main upstream import backport
2: deb http://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu jammy main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu jammy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://mirrors.xmission.com/ubuntu jammy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jammy-security main restricted universe multiverse
Info:
Processes: 223 Uptime: 21h 56m wakeups: 106 Memory: 15.54 GiB
used: 1.23 GiB (7.9%) Init: systemd v: 249 runlevel: 5 Compilers:
gcc: 11.2.0 alt: 11 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: gnome-terminal
inxi: 3.3.13

[sleeper12]

Not sure, but you could try this:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... tml#ID1.10

If no help, you can undo it per 1.10.1.

[RockyRaab]

Followed those instructions on two computers using Mint 21. So far, a VAST improvement. I'll observe for a day or so before I call this one solved.

[RockyRaab]

After a day and no dropouts or other issues with wifi, I can call this solved.

I'm not sure how sleeper12 and the other experts here learn all they know, but I am doubly sure that all of us mere "users" out here genuinely appreciate it.

[sleeper12]

Glad that helped you. I remembered it worked for some others here, so figured it was worth a try.

[RockyRaab]

Well, I have to UNsolve it. The fix worked fine on my computer, but as soon as my wife tries to use hers - also on Mint 21 Cinnamon and with the fix installed - everything breaks again. Both become unusable with no internet. Both show full connection to the router with 90% signal, but no internet access. Either computer connects fine when the other one is off, but cannot connect when both are on. We use different browsers (Brave and Chromium) to no avail.

I can use any of my other computers while these two are not working, using MX, or Spiral OS, or Mint 19.3, or via a Chromebook. None have any internet issues. So the problem is not with our router or our ISP. It HAS to be a Mint 21 issue. Bafflement continues.

[hglee]

...
Either computer connects fine when the other one is off, but cannot connect when both are on ... Both become unusable with no internet.
...
It HAS to be a Mint 21 issue.

Not necessarily.

Either will work, one at a time -- yet neither when run together? Sounds like an electromagnetic interference issue.

Can you connect one at 2.4GHz and the other at 5GHz, running at the same time?

[sleeper12]

You might want to remove (SOLVED) from your title until it actually is solved.

[RockyRaab]

I set one to connect at 5 and the other at 2.4 - no change. They'd both drop the connection randomly and persistently.

As an experiment, I booted my machine on a live USB in MX. It stayed connected and ran fine. Thinking that a Debian-based OS might be the answer, I then ran a live USB in LMDE5. No joy. Still got interruptions. Ah HA! thought I - it IS a Mint issue. To double-check, I tried Zorin Core, but it also had disconnect issues. So now I'm back to quadrangle number one.

What continues to baffle me is how it can work perfectly for two months and then suddenly go boobs up on Sept 28 or thereabouts.

[RockyRaab]

Additional observations...

Every time I awaken my computer (it stays on), it creates another wireless connection called "Auto TPLink 0710" which is my router name. The new connection reverts back to default setting, no matter how I have changed settings to use one frequency band or SSID. I now have three such connections listed just today.

My wife's does the same, and the two then conflict with each other, requiring new wireless sign-in or just going offline entirely.

[hglee]

Additional observations...

It could be the immediate environment.

Virtually every electronic household item uses 2.4GHz for wireless and contactless communication. Every dongle -- for mouse, keyboard, gamepad, etc -- PC stylus; drawing tablets; printers & scanners; TV sets; intercoms; doorbells, video & audio; home security systems, eg. cameras; RFID tags, eg. key & luggage finder fobs; baby monitors; garage door openers; car alarms; remote contol (RC) toys, eg. quadcopters; TV/stereo remote controls (those not IR); some cordless phones and chargers; my remote oven thermometer. Smart cards too, eg. when you wave your bank, bus, or credit card to pay. NFC, eg. when you tap with your smartphone to pay.

Microwave ovens use 2.4GHz radio waves to cook with Dielectric Heating.

Everything Bluetooth -- Amazon Alexa, Apple iWatch, FitBit, headphones, microphones, speakers, MP3 players, smartphones, etc -- use 2.4GHz.

Countless thousands, millions, of yet-to-come Internet of Things devices.

All of these things -- and many more -- operate in the unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio frequency (RF) band at 2.4 GigaHertz.

Ofttimes my laptop simply couldn't properly "hear" the wifi signal within the deafening electromagnetic din of everything else, of mine and my neighbours

If either of your PCs is mobile, try moving it to a different location in your home/office.

[Xain]

Hello,
it's true, something has changed in wifi. I have also a lot of random disconnection from wifi, and this situation was started after a kernel update (like RockyRaab)
I use the iwlwifi driver (Lenovo thinkpad X220). Everything was perfect until 10-15 days ago.
I solved (until now...) using channel 40 on 5ghz, with 20/40/80 channel width

Operating System: Linux Mint 20.3
Kernel: Linux 5.4.0-126-generic
Architecture: x86-64

(sorry for bad english, I used google translator...)

[RockyRaab]

I have TRIED to change my connection parameters, but Mint (or something) automatically changes settings back to default on its own.

[hglee]

I have TRIED to change my connection parameters, but Mint (or something) automatically changes settings back to default on its own.

Those parameter settings -- e.g. channel number, channel width, and frequency band -- are set in the router. Mint doesn't control those.

You can set Mint for a particular SSID, i.e. a specific router / access point.

[RockyRaab]

Received and installed a new Linux kernel on my machine this morning ( 5.15.0-50.56) When it gets installed on the other machine, I hope the problem goes away. It all started with the previous kernel update in late Sept. I'll report, either way.