<Solved> Cannot (re)enable WiFi

[dan_who]

I'm running LinuxMint 14 (MATE) on my Asus Netbook [1005PEB]. I've been running it for several months with few problems despite being new to Linux, but it had difficulty connecting to the wi-fi in a coffee shop today. While playing with the settings to fix it, I selected "Disable WiFi" from the menu on the network icon in the system tray. Afterwards, I didn't see an option to re-enable WiFi. It was formally right under (or above) the option for "enable networking"

I remember seeing somewhere that this information might be helpful. I don't see anything about a wifi device, though maybe the ethernet driver is also for wifi. I'm not really sure.

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inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: PintSize Kernel: 3.5.0-17-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.7.2) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Machine:   System: ASUSTeK product: 1005PE version: x.x
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: 1005P version: x.xx Bios: American Megatrends version: 0603 date: 12/15/2009
CPU:       Single core Intel Atom CPU N450 (-HT-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 3332.89 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1667.00 MHz 2: 1000.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x600@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel IGD x86/MMX/SSE2 GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 9.0.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.25
Network:   Card: Atheros AR8132 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c ver: 1.0.1.0-NAPI port: ec00 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (2.8% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: ST9250315AS size: 250.1GB temp: 37C 
Partition: ID: / size: 229G used: 6.6G (4%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 1.06GB used: 0.18GB (17%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 54.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 151 Uptime: 8:40 Memory: 441.8/993.7MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.7.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 

I haven't been able to find this exact problem through the forums or with other searches online. I already checked my software packages and re-installed mintwifi, but that doesn't seem to have done anything either.

I also tried the following command in the terminal with no result:

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dan@PintSize ~ $ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
wlan0: ERROR while getting interface flags: No such device

Maybe I'm doing the command wrong?

The last thing I checked was to look under the Windows Wireless Drivers under the Administration menu and I noticed that there are none present. I don't know if there should be something there or not since MintWifi is already installed.

Anybody have any ideas on what I can do to use wireless on my netbook again? I'm becoming quite fond of linux, but I'm still quite baffled with how to do much beyond the GUI. Doing things in the terminal is interesting, but also fairly confusing since I'm not really sure what the information all means yet.

I saw in the 'Before You Post' instructions that running a certain command in the terminal might help with figuring out the problem. I'm not really clear on what it is saying, but the part about eth0 having no wireless extensions seems relevant.

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 ~ $ sudo /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintWifi/mintWifi.py
-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr e0:cb:4e:56:84:c8  
          inet addr:24.233.254.31  Bcast:24.233.254.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::e2cb:4eff:fe56:84c8/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:64340 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:18082 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:3
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:28269908 (28.2 MB)  TX bytes:2471915 (2.4 MB)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:420 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:420 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:48634 (48.6 KB)  TX bytes:48634 (48.6 KB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
Rather than invoking init scripts through /etc/init.d, use the service(8)
utility, e.g. service smbd reload

Since the script you are attempting to invoke has been converted to an
Upstart job, you may also use the reload(8) utility, e.g. reload smbd
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
Server:		156.154.70.11
Address:	156.154.70.11#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.69
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.67
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.65
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.64
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.73
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.71
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.70
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.78
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.66
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.68
Name:	google.com
Address: 74.125.228.72

[rokytnji]

I run wicd and AntiX on my eeepc 701SD. From your inxi readout. I see no wireless chip readout. Example from mine.

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 inxi -N
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8187SE Wireless LAN Controller driver: r8180 
           Card-2: Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 Gigabit or Fast Ethernet driver: ATL1E 

This makes me wonder if you turned off the wireless hard ware

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# rfkill list all
0: eeepc-wlan: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no

In Mint it will be maybe

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sudo rfkill list all

If hardblocked says yes. Check bios wireless setting or keyboard wireless hot key setting.
also

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sudo service network-manager restart

might help (won't hurt to do also)

along with

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sudo rfkill unblock all

Might as well show you what I am posting from

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$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: biker Kernel: 3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.7.3) 
           Desktop: IceWM 1.3.7 Distro: antiX-13_386-full Luddite 01 June 2013
Machine:   System: ASUSTeK product: 701SD version: 0303
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: 701SD version: x.xx Bios: American Megatrends version: 0303 date: 07/23/2008
CPU:       Single core Intel Celeron M (-UP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (nx pae sse sse2) bmips: 1795.5 clocked at 897.753 MHz 
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.12.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 800x480@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 915GM x86/MMX/SSE2 GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 8.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Definition Audio Controller 
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.7.10-antix.3-486-smp
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8187SE Wireless LAN Controller driver: r8180 port: d800 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 Gigabit or Fast Ethernet driver: ATL1E port: ec00 bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 8.1GB (-) 1: id: /dev/sda model: ASUS size: 8.1GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 7.4G used: 2.8G (39%) fs: ext2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 59.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 1400 
Info:      Processes: 90 Uptime: 2:29 Memory: 294.7/999.8MB Runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.7.2 
           Client: Shell (bash 4.2.37) inxi: 1.9.7 
harry@biker:~
$ inxi -r
Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/antix.list
           deb http://www.daveserver.info/antiX/debs testing main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
           deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free
           deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
harry@biker:~
$ cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 7 (wheezy)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="7"
VERSION="7 (wheezy)"
ID=debian
ANSI_COLOR="1;31"
HOME_URL="http://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.debian.org/support/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://bugs.debian.org/"

[dan_who]

Thanks so much for your response! I spent quite a bit of time looking for information on the Atheros hardware before I realized that it wasn't the wireles hardware. I entered the kill list command and it looks like it isn't hardblocked.

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sudo rfkill list all
[sudo] password for dan: 
0: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: yes
	Hard blocked: no

I ran the unblock all and network resart commands and now it lists neither hard nor soft block on wlan. Though looking at the inxi you posted, I should be able to see something about a wireless chip, but it still only lists the Ethernet card and doesn't show any option on the network menu related to wireless.

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inxi -N
Network:   Card: Atheros AR8132 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c 

Maybe I just need to follow IT Crowd protocol at this point and turn the maching off and on again then see if I can get any information on the wireless card. I'll get back and let you know what's going on.

[dan_who]

Looks like restarting the machine took care of the rest. (Actually, I had to restart a couple times becuse it wasn't displaying anything after it booted up the first couple times.) It was listing the wireless as disabled on the network system tray menu, but it could be re-enabled from there easily enough. I'm still not sure why it wouldn't display the option to turn it back on after disabling it from that same menu though.

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dan@PintSize ~ $ inxi -N
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR8132 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c 
           Card-2: Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k 

Thanks so much for your help!
I guess I need to start learning about using the terminal and some of the commands. Do people normally memorize many of the line commands? I suppose it's a little easier once you know what some of the things like "inxi" actually stand for.

[rokytnji]

Me, I just make a text file in My Documents folder and name it Useful Cammands. Then I glean useful commands from the forum.

example in text file:
_________________________________________________________________________________
####System information script#####
inxi
inxi -h
inxi -Fxz
inxi -G
inxi -n
inxi --recommends
__________________________________________________________________________________
####Trouble Shoot Wireless#######
dmesg | grep firmware
ifconfig -a
lsusb -v
mintwifi
rfkill list all
__________________________________________________________________________________

you get the idea.

[dan_who]

That's a good idea. I will do that. Thanks!

[Yash1]

I had a similar problem. I tried all the options of killing the software and hardware blocks, but it was no use.
Finally, a simple problem. Perhaps some of you may have similar issues,
Although the Fn+F2 has a picture of the WiFi enable/disable, on my particular machine, it was actually working with Fn+F1. I don't know whether it is a manufacturing defect on only my machine, or with the series of machines.
Working fine now.

Regards

[baktha]

i had the same problem in Mint15, but below command resolved the issue

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sudo rfkill unblock all

[weekendpartier1]

this is it: This works for me:
sudo service network-manager restart

[red_sun]

Hello,
I had the same problem on a EEEPC 1015PN. The solutions here above didn't worked.
I found this page useful with the description of common problems and common solutions for this model : https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ASUS_Eee_PC_1015pn. The instructions on that page were already configured when I took a look.

What I did was to comment the drivers on the blacklist located in :

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/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-brcm80211.conf

Then reboot, and it worked like a charm !

Probably you might wanna check out the other files in

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/etc/modprobe.d/

in case the file doesn't has the exact same name

My problem came when I disabled the wifi when I was on battery to save energy, then I couldn't enable it anymore.