Solved: kinda Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

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jammer5
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Solved: kinda Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

I am currently connected to the internet using the wifi connection on my asus laptop running Linux Mint 17.2. The signal is low due to modem placement which is placed so others in the house can use it. The internet connection is in my name, so running a lan cable to my computer from the modem is no problem, however, when I do connect a cable (good cable) the computer doesn't recognize the connection. How do I turn off the WiFi on the computer and force it to recognize the LAN (ethernet) cable from modem to computer? Do I have to do this in the boot menu?
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Pierre
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by Pierre »

most Laptops have a mechanical switch on the side , or a Function key that can switch the WiFi OFF.
- does yours have either ?.
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English Invader
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by English Invader »

You should also be able to disconnect from the task bar from the same place you connected in the first place.
Cosmo.
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by Cosmo. »

If a hardware switch exists, this will be the recommended way.

If not there are 2 ways:

At first: Delete in the settings the WLAN password. It will stop working, but of course the wlan adapter will still consume power.

Enter in a terminal

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/rc.local
(this is for Cinnamon, the command has to be adapted for other desktop environments)
and add this line:

Code: Select all

rfkill block wlan
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

There's not a switch, unfortunately, and because I moved the modem out in the living room so my housemates can get good wifi, I'm currently awaiting a 20' ethernet cable. As soon as it arrives, I'll hook up and try the suggestions offered here. Hopefully, they'll work.

On edit: F2 is apparently the function key that turns off/on lan/bluetooth, but the manual states it must use windows software settings. I pressed F2, and it did nothing.
Cosmo.
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by Cosmo. »

jammer5 wrote:F2 is apparently the function key that turns off/on lan/bluetooth, but the manual states it must use windows software settings. I pressed F2, and it did nothing.
Do you perhaps mean Fn+F2?

Another way - but only for the current session - would be to click the network icon and to disable wlan there.
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

Yep, meant fn+f2. Didn't work. As soon as my cable arrives, I'll check the recommendations here. I ordered a 20' cat6 from newegg and expect it in a couple of days. Until then, I'll put this on hold.
Cosmo.
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by Cosmo. »

Read here about a possible reason, why Fn + F2 (maybe another Fx key) do not work.
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

I looked at the rfkill list and it showed the following:
0: asus-wwan: Wireless WAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: asus-wimax: WiMAX
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

So typing rfkill block wlan should turn off wifi on my laptop, and typing rfkill unblock wlan will turn it back on? As you can guess, I have a lot to learn and being seventy years old, my thinker is a bit slower than when I was twenty $:>(
JeremyB
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by JeremyB »

You might be able to disable it in BIOS
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

sudo rfkill block wlan did not work, and was unable to turn wifi off in bios. Cable (cat6) is connected to laptop and modem, but appears as disconnected on connection manager. Turned wireless off in connection manager, and attempted to turn wired on, but it wouldn't turn on. I'm stuck. Wireless does work, but at around 60% bar wise.
JeremyB
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by JeremyB »

This should disable it through Network Manager

Code: Select all

sudo sed -i "s/WirelessEnabled=true/WirelessEnabled=false/" /var/lib/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.state
Reboot
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

Tried that in terminal and rebooted. It kicked me off the network, but the wired connection wouldn't pick up even after adding domain and password. I wireless on/off was in off./ I clicked it on, and it reconnected right away, so I don't think wifi was disconnected (hard blocked) from the computer itself. It also won't let me in the bios anymore. I'm going to save everything I need to a flash drive, reinstall 17.1 and go from there, as I also have a 750 gig drive I want to install and to check if there's a hard switch on the modem board itself (apparently some of the K52 series have one). I'll get back when it's all done. If none of it works, being stuck with the wifi is something I can live with. I do like the spped I get from hard-wired, though.
jammer5
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Re: Want to disable asus laptop wifi connection

Post by jammer5 »

Installed new hard drive. Installed Mint 17.1 and tried all recommended fixes. Nothing worked. I upgraded to 17.2, tried them all agin and same thing. Apparently this particular computer doesn't allow wifi to be turned off either hard or soft, so I'm stuck with my wifi connection. I can live with it. Thanks for all the help and wished it worked, but it didn't. I'll close this thread out.
JeremyB
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Re: Solved: kinda Want to disable asus laptop wifi connectio

Post by JeremyB »

I would pull the card out if you don't want to use it and can't disable it. I only have one laptop that I would leave the card in if it couldn't be disabled and I didn't need to use it, that is my Dell N411z and I would have to pull the keyboard, hard drive, DVD, disconnect ribbon cables to remove the wifi card. The rest of them it is just removing a couple screws, pull off the antenna leads and remove the card
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