<SOLVED> Wifi Hardware switch doesn't work (Mint 17)

[inate71]

I just installed Mint 17 (coming from Mint 14). Mint 14 was fine.

I have a hardware switch on my laptop (HP Envy Spectre 14). It apprears to not do anything at this time. If I'm connected to a network, the button is lit correctly; when I'm disconnected, it is lit correctly. Pressing the button does nothing at all though. My other hardware buttons seem to work fine (media keys, brightness, keyboard brightness, etc). The only way to toggle wifi is via software, and even then, the correct light is shown on the button.

Code: Select all

rfkill list

yields

Code: Select all

inate@mint17 ~ $ rfkill list
0: nfc0: NFC
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
1: hci0: Bluetooth
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no

I also already booted into BIOS and reset the BIOS settings to default--still nothing. I can't seem to find anything like this happening, where resetting the BIOS didn't fix it.

I'm using Linux Mint 17 (64-bit); Cinnamon Version 2.2.13; Linux Kernel 3.13.0-24-generic.

I appreciate any and all help.

[gtsfer]

You may be doomed here (kidding) this is a difficult problem and is related to Linux not handling that Fn-Fx combo correctly. There are bug reports on launchpad for this issue but I'll share what I know with you. Here's 2 links regarding that Wifi hardware switch, but these are more about Wifi not working at all once shut off (and never being able to get it back in Linux).
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=163389
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=164573

As your issue seems to be about the indicator and the inability to turn it off/on via the hardware switch (and not about wifi going permanently dead on you), there may be no good solution. If it's working using software to enable or disable and you're not losing the ability to use Wifi completely you may have to live with it.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. But I thought I'd share what little experience I have with it.

[inate71]

You may be doomed here (kidding) this is a difficult problem and is related to Linux not handling that Fn-Fx combo correctly. There are bug reports on launchpad for this issue but I'll share what I know with you. Here's 2 links regarding that Wifi hardware switch, but these are more about Wifi not working at all once shut off (and never being able to get it back in Linux).
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=163389
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=164573

As your issue seems to be about the indicator and the inability to turn it off/on via the hardware switch (and not about wifi going permanently dead on you), there may be no good solution. If it's working using software to enable or disable and you're not losing the ability to use Wifi completely you may have to live with it.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. But I thought I'd share what little experience I have with it.

Do you happen to know anything about the key just not being registered as an input?

I'm following a guide to create a script that toggles wifi using xkeybinds. However, I noticed that if I press the F12 key (in this case, that's my wifi hardware switch), xkeybinds doesn't see it. If I press "CTRL+F12" it xkeybinds sees that input. Would you have any clue what that could mean (if anything)? All of the other F-keys work in xkeybinds (F11 registers as F11, F10 as F10, etc.). F12 doesn't register anything. It's as if the button isn't being pressed.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... st12819607

[gtsfer]

Do you happen to know anything about the key just not being registered as an input?

Sorry but no. But I think this is the core of the problem though, that the key(s) are just not recognized correctly in a lot of Linux distros. It seems to affect Asus and HP laptops more, but some others too. That link you posted may be helpful at least as a guide for the keybindings.

If you search in Google for this... "wifi hard blocked linux site:launchpad.net" you'll see quiet a few bug reports on the issue. Again, you're kind of lucky you're not "hard blocked". Permanently. I just saw another post http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=171663 some guy with that issue and I'm not going to touch it as there's no easy solution and sometimes it appears there's no fix at all.

One guy I remember managed to clear the "permanently blocked" issue by removing the laptop battery for 5 minutes (maybe it was the CMOS battery too). But I'm still not going near the link I posted above as I have had baaaaad luck trying to help with this one.

Sorrrrrrrry. You might not get a lot of replies to this for this reason.

[inate71]

Do you happen to know anything about the key just not being registered as an input?

Sorry but no. But I think this is the core of the problem though, that the key(s) are just not recognized correctly in a lot of Linux distros. It seems to affect Asus and HP laptops more, but some others too. That link you posted may be helpful at least as a guide for the keybindings.

If you search in Google for this... "wifi hard blocked linux site:launchpad.net" you'll see quiet a few bug reports on the issue. Again, you're kind of lucky you're not "hard blocked". Permanently. I just saw another post http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=171663 some guy with that issue and I'm not going to touch it as there's no easy solution and sometimes it appears there's no fix at all.

One guy I remember managed to clear the "permanently blocked" issue by removing the laptop battery for 5 minutes (maybe it was the CMOS battery too). But I'm still not going near the link I posted above as I have had baaaaad luck trying to help with this one.

Sorrrrrrrry. You might not get a lot of replies to this for this reason.

Ah, oh well. The script I setup works fine. I don't really understand what changed between Mint 14's default kernel and Mint 17's kernel that 'causes this to not work--but oh well. I really appreciate your help. Don't think I would have found the idea of creating a script to toggle the wifi--which works. Thank you!

[gtsfer]

No problem, you're welcome. I'm going to bookmark this thread too! Can you add <SOLVED> in the subject of that first post via the "edit" button?