Linux Mint 17: Wifi Not Working...

[Blawton1995]

Hello,

Just installed Linux Mint 17. So far, really impressed. It's SO much better than that god-awful OS W8.

But when I try and hook up to my wifi, I see the enable wifi option greyed out. There's a message under it, too -- something along the lines of "Wireless disabled by hardware switch".

The only way I've managed to get it working is by plugging in my ethernet cable, closing the laptop lid and then re-opening it. Foir some reason, once you do that it works fine.

lspci gives me:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller (rev 04)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev c4)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev c4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev c4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM76 Express Chipset LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
02:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5286 (rev 01)
03:00.2 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 06)

*********

lsmod gives me:

Module Size Used by
ctr 13049 2
ccm 17773 2
arc4 12608 2
ath9k 164164 0
ath9k_common 13551 1 ath9k
ath9k_hw 453856 2 ath9k_common,ath9k
dm_crypt 23177 0
uvcvideo 80885 0
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 46207 1
intel_rapl 18773 0
videobuf2_vmalloc 13216 1 uvcvideo
x86_pkg_temp_thermal 14205 0
snd_hda_codec_realtek 61438 1
intel_powerclamp 14705 0
videobuf2_memops 13362 1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_core 40664 1 uvcvideo
snd_hda_intel 52355 3
ath 28698 3 ath9k_common,ath9k,ath9k_hw
videodev 134688 2 uvcvideo,videobuf2_core
snd_hda_codec 192906 3 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel
mac80211 626489 1 ath9k
joydev 17381 0
asus_nb_wmi 16990 0
asus_wmi 24191 1 asus_nb_wmi
coretemp 13435 0
sparse_keymap 13948 1 asus_wmi
snd_hwdep 13602 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 102099 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel
dm_multipath 22873 0
snd_page_alloc 18710 2 snd_pcm,snd_hda_intel
kvm_intel 143060 0
snd_seq_midi 13324 0
scsi_dh 14882 1 dm_multipath
snd_seq_midi_event 14899 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_rawmidi 30144 1 snd_seq_midi
bnep 19624 2
kvm 451511 1 kvm_intel
cfg80211 484040 3 ath,ath9k,mac80211
snd_seq 61560 2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
rfcomm 69160 0
mei_me 18627 0
snd_seq_device 14497 3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
bluetooth 395423 10 bnep,rfcomm
crct10dif_pclmul 14289 0
crc32_pclmul 13113 0
mei 82274 1 mei_me
snd_timer 29482 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
psmouse 102222 0
ghash_clmulni_intel 13259 0
lpc_ich 21080 0
snd 69238 17 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device,snd_seq_midi
cryptd 20359 1 ghash_clmulni_intel
soundcore 12680 1 snd
serio_raw 13462 0
mac_hid 13205 0
parport_pc 32701 0
ppdev 17671 0
lp 17759 0
parport 42348 3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
squashfs 48362 1
overlayfs 27916 1
nls_utf8 12557 1
isofs 39835 1
nls_iso8859_1 12713 0
dm_mirror 22135 0
dm_region_hash 20862 1 dm_mirror
dm_log 18411 2 dm_region_hash,dm_mirror
i915 783485 2
i2c_algo_bit 13413 1 i915
ahci 25819 1
drm_kms_helper 52758 1 i915
libahci 32168 1 ahci
drm 302817 3 i915,drm_kms_helper
r8169 67581 0
mii 13934 1 r8169
wmi 19177 1 asus_wmi
video 19476 2 i915,asus_wmi

****

Thanks!

-- Ben

[JeremyB]

Great, an Asus PC

Try this

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sudo modprobe -rv asus_nb_wmi

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sudo modprobe asus_nb_wmi wapf=1

And see if the hardware switch or keyboard wifi toggle will enable it, if that doesn't work try

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sudo modprobe -rv asus_nb_wmi

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sudo modprobe asus_nb_wmi wapf=4

And try it again, I use the same wifi card on my Lenovo without an issue and some of the development team is trying to get the Asus modules fixed without this hastle

[all41]

The only way I've managed to get it working is by plugging in my ethernet cable, closing the laptop lid and then re-opening it.

Same thing here:

Have an Asus laptop that doesn't do wifi until you close the lid briefly. However after you do that Suspend, you have no wired connection till you reboot.

About the middle of the first page in this topic:
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=175282

[Blawton1995]

Thanks for the help guys, but no luck so far.

I've tried all of the above. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[PatH57]

Could you please use this? open terminal and copy paste this:

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wget -N -t 5 -T 10 http://dl.dropbox.com/u/57264241/wireless_script && \chmod +x wireless_script && \./wireless_script

It will download a script and create a file named wireless-info.txt or wireless-info.tar.gz in your home folder with wireless information so we can see the condition of your wireless and errors at the time. The MAC address, WPA key and WEP key are removed for your security. Paste contents of the wireless-info.txt or wireless-info.tar.gz file at http://pastebin.ubuntu.com or alternatively http://pastebin.com/ then post the link here in your question.
First guess it is the asus_wmi or the card is also doing bluetooth.

[JeremyB]

Thanks for the help guys, but no luck so far.

I've tried all of the above. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Some computers are pickier than others and sometimes the above commands don't work so try the alternative

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echo "options asus_nb_wmi wapf=4" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/asus_nb_wmi.conf

reboot and see if wireless is enabled or if you can toggle by using the keyboard hotkey FN+ whatever F key. If wapf=4 doesn't work

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sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/asus_nb_wmi

and change it from wapf=4 to wapf=1, reboot and try again

[PatH57]

it's a bit of guessing with wapf settings
Bit | Bluetooth | WLAN
* 0 | Hardware | Hardware
* 1 | Hardware | Software
* 4 | Software | Software
or x to disable it, best is to wait for the script output and please give us the exact ASUS model. (on some switch and function keys behave a bit differently)

[Shunjoss]

Instead of rebooting, go on "plane mod" : enable then disable it.
It works like rebooting for your wifi module. It's the shorter way around :p
As you said you managed to get your wifi working sometime, if i dont make a mistake.

[Blawton1995]

Thanks for the help guys, but no luck so far.

I've tried all of the above. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Some computers are pickier than others and sometimes the above commands don't work so try the alternative

Code: Select all

echo "options asus_nb_wmi wapf=4" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/asus_nb_wmi.conf

reboot and see if wireless is enabled or if you can toggle by using the keyboard hotkey FN+ whatever F key.

You, my friend, are a life saver. Your first suggestion worked.

So what was the issue, in the end? And what did the the above command even do?

[JeremyB]

Thanks for the help guys, but no luck so far.

I've tried all of the above. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Some computers are pickier than others and sometimes the above commands don't work so try the alternative

Code: Select all

echo "options asus_nb_wmi wapf=4" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/asus_nb_wmi.conf

reboot and see if wireless is enabled or if you can toggle by using the keyboard hotkey FN+ whatever F key.

You, my friend, are a life saver. Your first suggestion worked.

So what was the issue, in the end? And what did the the above command even do?

It is a strange issue with some Asus laptops and how they toggle wifi. Over on Ubunuforums they always suggested setting wapf=1 until a upstream kernel developer suggested using wapf=4

[PatH57]

it's a bit of guessing with wapf settings
Bit | Bluetooth | WLAN
* 0 | Hardware | Hardware
* 1 | Hardware | Software
* 4 | Software | Software
or x to disable it, best is to wait for the script output and please give us the exact ASUS model. (on some switch and function keys behave a bit differently)

it's all in there , the switch used and the way the kernel drivers do translate it still have room "for improvement" that said the manufacturer is really reluctant giving away the source code for "open source" so you are relying on people doing the best they can to "tweak" this.
Glad it worked and another big thumbs up for @JeremyB catching this one on the fly....
still would really help having the exact model...

[JeremyB]

I am sure Hansdegoede would like to know if it hasn't been added to the new list

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 cat /sys/class/dmi/id/product_name