wifi hard blocked

[Benjbenj]

Hi everybody

I recently had to change my laptop and the fist thing I did after buying it is install Linux Mint 16 cinnamon on it. Everything works fine except the wifi. When I try to turn it on with the Network Manager applet, it instantly turns off.
I've been searching on the net and trying to solve the problem the last two days before posting here. So here is what I've understood and what I've done so far :

$ sudo rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes

So my wifi card is "hard blocked" and I cannot unblock it with the "rfkill unblock" command (which just works on soft blockage).

I've been into the BIOS to check if there is some way to unblock it there. The only thing who might be related with wifi (except something like "wake up by lan") is "Enable built-in lan" which is turned on. Nevertheless I don't undertand what "Virtualisation technology" (option : VT-x only/ disable) is (however it is set on VT-x Only).
There is no sign of a switch on my laptop. However the F12-key is meant to activate/desactivate the aiplane mode but that didn't work. In the BIOS, there is an option called "Function key mode" (standard or special), but I try both ways and it didn't work either.

Well, to sum up it seems that the F12-key is a hotkey that activate/desactivate wifi, but it has been disabled by installing linux.

How could I make wifi work ?
Should I re-install linux making another choice for the configuration of the keybord ? (they were several choices who seems to fit my keyboard... How to choose ?)

Could you please help me ?
Thank you in advance for your help.

Benjamin

My laptop is a Toshiba Satellite u840t and here is the information I should give you according to the "Before you post in here" note :

$ sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintWifi/mintWifi.py
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-- Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230 (rev c4)
==> PCI ID = 8086:0887 (rev c4)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
eth0 no wireless extensions.

lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=off
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 08:9e:01:cc:1b:39
adr inet6: fe80::a9e:1ff:fecc:1b39/64 Scope:Lien
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
Packets reçus:0 erreurs:0 :0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:1000
Octets reçus:0 (0.0 B) Octets transmis:0 (0.0 B)
Interruption:18

lo Link encap:Boucle locale
inet adr:127.0.0.1 Masque:255.0.0.0
adr inet6: ::1/128 Scope:Hôte
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
Packets reçus:2122 erreurs:0 :0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:2122 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:0
Octets reçus:202108 (202.1 KB) Octets transmis:202108 (202.1 KB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

[gold_finger]

Assuming you still have MS Windows on the laptop, try logging into Windows and enabling wifi there. Leave it enabled, shutdown and re-boot into Mint and see if it now works. (If using Windows 8 make sure you look up how to do a real, full shutdown. From what I've read a "normal" Win8 shutdown actually only puts it into some kind of suspended/hibernated state.)

Other than that, if laptop doesn't have a physical switch of some sort to turn it on, search for a copy of the "User's Manual" for your exact model number and find answer there.

[Brahim Salem]

I made a tutorial on this here [url]http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1287[/url]

[Benjbenj]

Hi
Thank you for your answers.

Brahim, my wifi is hard blocked, so your method doesn't work.

Gold_finger, no I haven't Windows anymore I delete it installing linux (I didn't event log in nor accept the licensd in order to get refound). I just download the user manual as you suggested. It just confirms that f12 is a hotkey for enable/disable wifi (together with blutooth, I think).
I think this should be the key to "hard" unblock it... Maybe I'll try to reinstall linux choosing another configuration for the keyboard. I've chosen the one suggested during the installation: "french (obsolete)". Next time I'd better choose a less "obsolete" one ... I'm not sure it will solve the problem though...

Does anybody have any suggestion before I try re-installing ? Please do have one...

[Brahim Salem]

Did you try :

Code: Select all

rfkill unblock all

[Benjbenj]

Hi Brahim

Yes I tried . Same thing : it has no effect on "hard" blockage.

[gold_finger]

Does anybody have any suggestion before I try re-installing ? Please do have one...

Instead of re-installing, try just changing keyboard layouts. Did a quick search for you and found this: [url=http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=135675]Keyboard layouts in Mint 15 Cinnamon[/url]

Here are rest of results if needed: [url=http://www.google.com/cse?cx=017607476515012185699%3Ab_owgx6xyi0&ie=UTF-8&q=change+keyboard+layout&sa=Search&siteurl=www.google.com%2Fcse%2Fhome%3Fcx%3D017607476515012185699%3Ab_owgx6xyi0&ref=&ss=7122j2491806j24#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=change%20keyboard%20layout&gsc.page=1]change keyboard layout[/url]

Used this search engine: Linux Beginner Search Engine

Good luck!

[Benjbenj]

Thanks again Gold finger

Under 11 keybord layout and under both with the BIOS option "standart F1-F12 functions" and "special F1-F12 function", I tried : F12, and F12+either CTRL, FN, the Windows Key, Alt and ALT GR...
Nothing worked...

I tried also to see if a previous version of linux mint (14 or 15, I don't remeber) might solve the problem with a usblive stick, and I also tried LMDE the same way. I those case though, I don't tried to switch the keybord layout... But honestly, I don't really believe in this solution anymore.

Does anybody have any suggestion ?

Thanks

[brunom]

Hi, I am having the same problem with an asus laptop and I discovered (by chance) that closing the cover and then, reopening the cover and pressing the power switch to restart the computer does in fact activate the wifi (which I am using right now). By the way closing and opening the cover every time to start wifi is not as handy as I would like and I am looking after an automatic solution to this flaw.
Thank you for your help

I am using Mint 16 Petra Mate, all details below:
Ciao Bruno
PS looking for drivers it says none is in use.

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintWifi/mintWifi.py
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-- Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
==> PCI ID = 168c:0032 (rev 01)
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
eth0 no wireless extensions.

lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"Telecom-73731493"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: DC:0B:1A:5A:EE:AB
Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s Tx-Power=16 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=60/70 Signal level=-50 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:85 Missed beacon:0

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet IndirizzoHW 74:d0:2b:6a:82:19
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisioni:0 txqueuelen:1000
Byte RX:0 (0.0 B) Byte TX:0 (0.0 B)

lo Link encap:Loopback locale
indirizzo inet:127.0.0.1 Maschera:255.0.0.0
indirizzo inet6: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
RX packets:593 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:593 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisioni:0 txqueuelen:0
Byte RX:55997 (55.9 KB) Byte TX:55997 (55.9 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet IndirizzoHW 48:d2:24:af:ec:06
indirizzo inet:192.168.1.253 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Maschera:255.255.255.0
indirizzo inet6: fe80::4ad2:24ff:feaf:ec06/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:9756 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:7411 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisioni:0 txqueuelen:1000
Byte RX:10870445 (10.8 MB) Byte TX:1223728 (1.2 MB)


bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

pressing fn+f2 the scenario does not change

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

also with unblock the scenario is the same

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ sudo rfkill unblock wlan
[sudo] password for bruno:
bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

and restarting the network manager has no effect

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ sudo service network-manager restart
network-manager stop/waiting
network-manager start/running, process 2140
bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

By chance I discovered that closing the cover of the laptop, then opening it up and pressing the power button does solve the problem

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

[gold_finger]

@brunom,
I don't have an answer, but I'm curious about something. From the tutorial by Brahim I got the impression that the command to unblock the "hard block" of wireless would be (in your case):

Code: Select all

sudo rfkill unblock 1

Note: in tutorial it used the number from which device was blocked in the list, not the name wlan. If you run the rfkill command like above, does that work?

[brunom]

sure!
By the way the index of the device that is hard blocked is 0

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ sudo rfkill unblock 0
[sudo] password for bruno:

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

and unblocking device 1 just the same, no effect.
This time, to re-start the wifi I didn't even push the power button, just closed the cover up to the point when the screen turns off, the opened the cover and pressed a key to get to the screen on again. The situation is now

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
So my question is: which services are triggered when one closes and opens the cover of the laptop? Which one of these does actually unblock the device?
ciao

[gold_finger]

sure!
By the way the index of the device that is hard blocked is 0

bruno@bruno-X551CA ~ $ rfkill list wlan
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

Glad you caught my mistake and corrected it. I was just curious if Brahim's tutorial would work for you. Seems it didn't for you or the original poster. Maybe it only works on certain hardware -- I don't know. (I don't have any wireless problems -- was just curious to know what works in case I run into problem in the future.)

Why opening and closing the cover has any effect on wireless is beyond me. Maybe someone else reading this will know the answer to that.

[snydley]

I was having the same problem with my Alienware 14's wifi card, I would select the driver and it would immediately revert back to not using it. The thing that fixed it for me was installing the latest Kernel. Someonw sent me this link.
http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2013/12/kernel-3-12-4-install-upgrade-ubuntu-linux/
I followed the instructions, rebooted and things work now.
Good luck,
Snyde

[Benjbenj]

Hi

Brunom. Thank you for the advice, but it doesn't work on my computer

Goldfinger, I tried rfkill unblock 1 to be sure, but it doesn't work either... Thanks anyway.

Thank you Snydley. I might try your way tonight. But I don't understand something. I install Mint16 which was released on october 31st (or something like that), so the kernel should be pretty new, no ?

[brunom]

Brunom. Thank you for the advice, but it doesn't work on my computer

Sorry for that, hope you can solve with the new kernel and have your wifi connection up and running.
Ciao bruno

[brunom]

I found a solution here:
[url]http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2181558&p=12819607#post12819607[/url]
limited to asus laptops coming with ath9k drivers.
I used the first option with wapf=1, as a result the wifi is now on when I restart the computer, while the fn+f2 key remains inactive.
ciao

[Benjbenj]

I don't know why, but today just after loging in, I had a notification "wifi networks available"..... What ? I checked and the wifi is actuallly working (I post this comment wireless).
I should maybe mention that for some reason I installed Linux Mint 15 a few weeks ago (that doesn't solved my wifi problem at this time though).

So in a way my problem is solved (I hope it will stay like this next time I run my computer), but I woul'd like to understand how. It may help me in the futur (for exemple if I want install LM16, I want to be sure that wifi will still work) and it may help others now....
So my question is now :
Does Linux automatically download any patch ? Otherwise I might have unintentionally pressed on the hotkey that activate wifi. Haven't I ?

Thanks all of you for your help.

[mandoman]

I have to agree with Benjbenj. Why does my computer suddenly loose Internet, while I'm in the middle of using the Internet. When I went to check the wireless status , it was hard blocked by rf-kill. I thought this issue was resolve long ago. I'm running Mint Mate 16 64bit, and I had this same problem when I first installed it. Could someone please give an explanation for this suddenly loosing connectivity due to rf-kill hard block? Thanks.

[mandoman]

Okay, now I'm really weirded out. I restarted this thing twice, after trying some commands that worked before for the wifi hard block, before I threw up my hands and went to my desktop to find answers on-line. I think I got the answers, but when I started up my Inspiron-N5030, that had been hard blocked, and rf-killed, and suddenly everything is back to normal. I didn't do anything. I don't get it, and that's what frustrates me more than anything. I try to figure out what Linux is all about with the Terminal, and have learned a lot of things, so this type of activity is really frustrating, because I don't know what happened. I just want to know how this is happening, and what to do when it does.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant.

[Brahim Salem]

fn+f8 did the trick for me