Losing wireless on laptop randomly

[DoYouKubuntu]

First, let me note that this has NOTHING to do with my other issue (the high speed cable...I'm still waiting for). I can't even blame Earthlink's DSL service for this!

Last night, I suddenly lost my ability to connect to anything and, of course, immediately thought my DSL connection had gone out again. So I schlepped into the room where the modem is to take a disgusted look at its DSL and Internet lights being out...again...but they weren't. They were happily lit up. Huh?, I said to myself.

I went to another computer and, sure enough, its Internet connection was fine. So I schlepped back to the living room and sat looking at my laptop, puzzled. Its wireless light was flashing appropriately, and clicking on Network Management showed that I was connected to my wireless network. Everything looked perfectly normal. But I couldn't do anything. I logged out and back in, same result. I restarted and logged back in, same result. I logged in as root, same result. I logged in as root using GNOME, and couldn't even connect to the network; it SAW my wireless network (and all of my neighbors') but just kept asking for my network's password in an endless loop. I logged back in as me, with KDE, and plugged in an Ethernet cable. Voila, I was connected again.

A little while later I unplugged the cable and...wireless was working. It worked for a few minutes and then stopped again. Plugged the cable back in, unplugged it later, wireless worked, then stopped. I finally said "to hell with this" and went to bed.

This morning, it's working (but I have my trusty cable ready to go just in case).

Day before yesterday I added the Medibuntu repository and did some stuff like:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Afterward, everything was fine and dandy, but since this is the ONLY thing that's changed over the last couple days I have to suspect it.

One thing I noticed last night that I've never noticed before: When I look at Network Management, under WLAN Interface, it's showing iwlagn as the driver. I don't recall ever seeing--or even hearing of--that before. If it's changed, I can't even say for sure what it was before.

And now--FINALLY--comes my question: WTF?! Any ideas on what happened? And what I can do to fix it. Like I said, it's working right now, but that's no guarantee that it'll keep working.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

iwlagn is a driver for wireless NICs. It's the one my ThinkPad uses for its Centrino 6200.

On your computer, what's the output of these two commands:

lspci -nn

lshw -C net

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

Output for lspci -nn:

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller [8086:0104] (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0116] (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 [8086:1c3a] (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 [8086:1c2d] (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller [8086:1c20] (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:1c10] (rev b5)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:1c12] (rev b5)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:1c14] (rev b5)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 [8086:1c16] (rev b5)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 [8086:1c26] (rev 05)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation HM65 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller [8086:1c49] (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller [8086:1c03] (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller [8086:1c22] (rev 05)
01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 06)
07:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000 [8086:0084]
0d:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device [10ec:5209] (rev 01)
13:00.0 USB Controller [0c03]: NEC Corporation uPD720200 USB 3.0 Host Controller [1033:0194] (rev 04)

Output for lshw -C net:

*-network
    description: Ethernet interface
    product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
    vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    physical id: 0
    bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
    logical name: eth0
    version: 06
    serial: 10:1f:74:11:15:e3
    size: 10Mbit/s
    capacity: 1Gbit/s
    width: 64 bits
    clock: 33MHz
    capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii
             10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
    configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI
             duplex=half latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
    resources: irq:40 ioport:4000(size=256) memory:c0404000-c0404fff memory:c0400000-c0403fff
 *-network
    description: Wireless interface
    product: Centrino Wireless-N 1000
    vendor: Intel Corporation
    physical id: 0
    bus info: pci@0000:07:00.0
    logical name: wlan0
    version: 00
    serial: 8c:a9:82:ab:b3:f8
    width: 64 bits
    clock: 33MHz
    capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
    configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlagn driverversion=2.6.38-11-generic-pae firmware=128.50.3.1
          build 13488 ip=192.168.2.112 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
    resources: irq:48 memory:c4500000-c4501fff

(Edited for formatting. --Steve)

[SteveRiley]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

iwlagn is the correct driver for your wireless card. So if, for some strange reason, the wrong driver was chosen previously, that could explain why your wireless was flaky.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

But, Steve, it's flaky NOW, not before--unless you're thinking of my other issue, the Earthlink DSL connection that keeps going out, but that's entirely separate. So if the driver changed--to what you're saying is the correct driver for my card--the problem started AFTER that.

Like I said, I never noticed iwlagn before last night. That's because the other times I looked at my wireless info I was looking for other things, like connection speed or traffic movement. So it may or may not have been there all along and I just didn't notice it. (This laptop is brand new--I've had it for just over a month--so it hasn't been very long!)

[SteveRiley]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

As I was reading your original note, my mind processed your sequence such that you noticed the appearance of iwlagn when you reached your "to hell with this" stage. Of course, my speculation could be completely wrong, since neither of us knows what you had before!

Out of curiosity, and since we're both running iwlagn, let's see if what you have compares to mine. I'll admit up front this is basically just a guess. First, show the output of

sudo updatedb && locate iwlagn

Mine:

sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ sudo updatedb && locate iwlagn
/lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-12-generic/include/config/iwlagn.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-13-generic/include/config/iwlagn.h

We're interested in the driver files, the ones ending with .ko. Next, show the output of

ll full-line-of-each-driver

Mine:

sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ ll /lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 520248 2011-10-07 13:06 /lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ ll /lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 520216 2011-10-17 14:15 /lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko

I've included the proposed repository, which is where kernel 3.0.0-13 resides.

Do your driver(s) show(s) the same dates/times/sizes as mine?

Also, you might look to see if anything's showed up in your syslog, especially right around when you know the NIC went wonky.

grep wlan0 /var/log/syslog
grep wlan0 /var/log/syslog.1

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

As I was reading your original note, my mind processed your sequence such that you noticed the appearance of iwlagn when you reached your "to hell with this" stage. Of course, my speculation could be completely wrong, since neither of us knows what you had before!

Sorry for any confusion! You're basically right about the time frame when I noticed iwlagn and said "to hell with this!"; I just wish I had noticed in the previous month which driver was in use, because it very well may have been iwlagn all along--but like you said, we don't know!

Out of curiosity, and since we're both running iwlagn, let's see if what you have compares to mine. I'll admit up front this is basically just a guess. First, show the output of

sudo updatedb && locate iwlagn

Mine:

sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ sudo updatedb && locate iwlagn
/lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-12-generic/include/config/iwlagn.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-13-generic/include/config/iwlagn.h

And mine:

$ sudo updatedb && locate iwlagn
/lib/modules/2.6.38-11-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.38-12-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.38-11-generic-pae/include/config/iwlagn.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.38-12-generic-pae/include/config/iwlagn.h

We're interested in the driver files, the ones ending with .ko. Next, show the output of

ll full-line-of-each-driver

Mine:

sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ ll /lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 520248 2011-10-07 13:06 /lib/modules/3.0.0-12-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
sriley@SRiley-T410:~$ ll /lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 520216 2011-10-17 14:15 /lib/modules/3.0.0-13-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko

And mine:

$ ll /lib/modules/2.6.38-11-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 401232 2011-09-12 18:08 /lib/modules/2.6.38-11-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
$ ll /lib/modules/2.6.38-12-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 401232 2011-09-28 13:35 /lib/modules/2.6.38-12-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko

I've included the proposed repository, which is where kernel 3.0.0-13 resides.

Do your driver(s) show(s) the same dates/times/sizes as mine?

No, but as you can see from my output I'm using 2.6.38-12.

Also, you might look to see if anything's showed up in your syslog, especially right around when you know the NIC went wonky.

grep wlan0 /var/log/syslog
grep wlan0 /var/log/syslog.1

Right now I'm plodding through hundreds of lines, going back to yesterday when the problem started and then looking at the logs from the day before, when things were working correctly. I'll post an update if anything stands out.

Thanks for your help, Steve. It's appreciated!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

A little update: I've had *NO* issues with wireless today. (Knock on some wood for me, okay?) Yesterday I ran updates (via KPackageKit) that I'd been notified were available. I don't know if those updates did the trick, or what, but RIGHT NOW my laptop's wireless is working great. (But I still have my Ethernet cable handy just in case!)

[SteveRiley]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

It never ceases to amaze me how some "technological" problems seem far more like the misapplication of alchemy than anything else. Somehow, the universe rights itself eventually.

I'm glad it's working for you now.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Losing wireless on laptop randomly

It never ceases to amaze me how some "technological" problems seem far more like the misapplication of alchemy than anything else. Somehow, the universe rights itself eventually.

I know. This phenomenon has amazed me for years! Back at my first [and FAVORITE] programming/sysadmin job, when something that couldn't otherwise be explained happened we'd say there were gremlins doing it.

I'm glad it's working for you now.

Well...today it is and it isn't. I'm now suspecting the router. At one point this morning, NONE of my computers--even those without wireless cards that are hard wired to the router--had Internet access. And, again, I can't blame Earthlink for this as its DSL modem was all lit up like it's supposed to be. As this is my first and only wireless router, I really don't know any troubleshooting to do other than the obvious, which I just did--unplugged it, rested it a moment, plugged it back in. And all my computers, wireless and wired, have Internet connections again. So now I'm really baffled. Perhaps the problem never was with this laptop specifically. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and order a new router and see if that solves THIS problem. (The DSL issue is, as I've said, separate from this and has not yet been resolved.)

ETA: It went from really bad to horrible. I ended up with absolutely no connectivity, either wireless or wired on any computer. I finally took this laptop and plugged it in to the short cable that normally goes from the DSL modem to the router, and it worked. Then I took one of my long Ethernet cables and plugged that in to the modem and the laptop, and it worked. So right now ONE computer in my house has Internet connectivity, and I'm as sure as I can be that for this particular issue the router is the problem. So...off I go to Amazon to order a new one...