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    Wifi Issues

    Hello everyone,

    Since yesterday, I ran into a couple of problems. Basically the wifi was not running properly after the installation. From what I've been told, the computer I received in my office (Dell XPS 15 9750) is brand new and Ubuntu's software are not already entirely adapted to it.

    Several people of my office tried to help me and did a lot of manipulations (following some suggested online solutions) which at the end didn't solve the problem but made the situation even worse (the computer became slow and some graphical glitches appeared). Not to mention that I'm forced by the IT compliance to install an antivirus which makes my computer freeze at the end of the installation (the two times I installed it), and maybe is also part of the reason why it doesn't work well after wards. Tired, I decided to restore the settings of the bios and reinstall again Ubuntu 18.04.1 from scratch.

    While typing this message, the wifi was again interrupted and I fear they might come again. Someone suggested me to follow the procedure indicated on this page:
    https://github.com/JackHack96/dell-xps-9570-ubuntu-respin

    but there are plenty of points I don't understand:
    1) What is a Ubuntu respin? I don't know much about the theory explaining how ubuntu works. Some colleagues gave me some explanations concerning kernels, but they went way above my head. From what I understand this respining is a bundle of tricks and tweaks to make Ubuntu 18.04.1 work.

    2) Am I correct concerning the exact procedure:
    a) Enter
    Code:
    sudo apt install -y squashfs-tools xorriso
    in the console.
    b) Enter
    Code:
    git clone https://github.com/jackhack96/dell-xps-9570-ubuntu-respin.git
    int the console.
    c) Enter
    Code:
    cd dell-xps-9570-ubuntu-respin/
    in the console
    d) Enter
    Code:
    sudo apt install -y git wget genisoimage bc squashfs-tools xorriso
    in the console
    e) Download the generic .iso file associated to Ubuntu 18.04.1 from here:
    http://releases.ubuntu.com/18.04/
    inside the folder called
    dell-xps-9570-ubuntu-respin
    f) Enter (replacing the iso filename)
    Code:
    ./build.sh <iso filename>
    In the terminal
    g) Create a new usb live key with the dd command and an .iso file that was created after my last command.
    h) Reinstall Ubuntu with the new usb live key like I would do with any other installation and follow the steps.

    Is there something that I am missing? Are g) and h) correct?

    3) Are steps a) to f) equivalent to using the ``already respun ISO" put into link in g) and h)?

    Sorry for the trouble. I know that this is not properly speaking Kubuntu. But if you can help me it would be great. It's been 4 days I try to have a stable system on my computer and I don't feel so good about the impression I'm making on my supervisors...

    Best

    #2
    So your work gave you a Dell XPS 15 9750 - presumably for work purposes. They also told you to install Ubuntu 18.04, is that correct?

    Do you know the source for the Ubuntu (i.e., a DVD, a download site, a USB thumb drive)?

    I THINK it has an Atheros wifi chip, which is generally well supported by Ubuntu/Kubuntu out of the box.

    The video could be generic Intel stuff, but could also be Nvidia-based. Not bad either way, but with a new machine model could present some difficulties.

    The respin is not necessarily bad, but apparently was not all that. So I think we may need to start from the beginning, instead of in the middle of the story. With that out of the way, what steps did you take to originally install Ubuntu, and what instructions did you follow?
    The next brick house on the left
    Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



    Comment


      #3
      First of all, thank you to the person who created a new question out of my new post.

      Hello jglen490. Thank you for your answer.
      Actually, I did the install myself (but I had to choose Ubuntu and not Kubuntu because Kubuntu is not supported by the IT Compliance department).
      I used the dd command to create an Ubuntu live key from the .iso file I found there:
      http://releases.ubuntu.com/18.04/
      Concerning the Atheros wifi chip, I must say I'm a total ignorant. I just know that this name Atheros appears in the link about respin (Under "What works out of the box").

      Today, I turned on my computer and there was no wifi (In the settings it was written "No wifi adapter found"). I turned my computer off, restarted it. Same thing happened. I turned it off again and restarted it and it worked. So for now, I will use my computer as it is, and hope that I will find a solution in the next days to eradicate this problem.

      Of course I tried to google the problem and apply some online solutions but I got stuck. For instance, I tried to follow the instructions there:
      https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...d-ubuntu-18-04
      but when I entered
      Code:
      sudo make install
      I got
      Code:
      cc1: error: code model kernel does not support PIC mode
      So I looked at this page:
      https://askubuntu.com/questions/8514...-for-compiling
      but understood none of the two answers (I am not "familiar with patching the source file" and I don't know what the "Makefile" is).

      Sorry for the trouble. I must say that my knowledge about operating systems and how internet works is slim to null... Any help is extremely appreciated.

      Best,

      Comment


        #4
        I also wonder if I couldn't bypass the problem using an ethernet cable. I've never used one before but yesterday, someone form the office connected me to internet by replacing my power cable by another one passing by a big black box (from DELL). It worked but to make it work, the person had to change things in the bios and after that I noticed that my computer had issues (for instance instead of having my encryption key asked at the beginning in a GUI it was asked in a shell, and more generally I had the impression that the computer had many graphic glitches afterwards, so I reverted to the original settings in the BIOS and reinstalled Ubuntu). My understanding of this black box is that it is a kind of adapter because my computer doesn't have an ethernet port. But can I not buy a cable with a different ending point? The ports on my computer are the following:Thunderbolt 3 with PowerShare, DC-In & DisplayPort (4 lanes of PCI Express Gen 3)
        2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 with PowerShareHDMI 2.0SD card reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
        headset jack
        Noble lock slot

        Thanks for your help.

        Best

        Comment


          #5
          My understanding of the Dell XPS 15 is that it does not have an ethernet port, but that one can be added (maybe that "big black box") that accepts an ethernet cable and then plugs into a USB port. It shouldn't require a BIOS settings change, but could require updating a driver.

          To get a better idea of where you are with this machine, please open a konsole in Ubuntu and at the command prompt enter:
          Code:
          inxi -Fxz
          If inxi is not installed, then first at the command prompt enter:
          Code:
          sudo apt install inxi
          Enter your password when asked. After the install, then enter the command, shown above. Copy and paste into a CODE box in your reply here. The CODE box is created with "#" shown in the reply box.
          The next brick house on the left
          Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



          Comment


            #6
            Thank you for your answer jglen490! I really appreciate.

            So yes, it doesn't have an ethernet port but the docker (the actual name of the "big black box" that I learned today) has indeed one. Actually, I will have to use this docker because I need it to connect the new monitor I was given to my laptop. So I could as well use it to have internet.

            Here is the output for inxi:
            Code:
            System:    Host: aritzbercher-XPS-15-9570 Kernel: 4.15.0-36-generic x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
                      Desktop: Gnome 3.28.3 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1) Distro: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
            Machine:   Device: laptop System: Dell product: XPS 15 9570 serial: N/A
                      Mobo: Dell model: 02MJVY v: A00 serial: N/A UEFI: Dell v: 1.4.1 date: 08/31/2018
            Battery    BAT0: charge: 87.4 Wh 100.0% condition: 87.4/97.0 Wh (90%)
                      model: SMP DELL GPM0365 status: Full
            CPU:       6 core Intel Core i7-8750H (-MT-MCP-) arch: Skylake rev.10 cache: 9216 KB
                      flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 26496
                      clock speeds: max: 4100 MHz 1: 1093 MHz 2: 1100 MHz 3: 1100 MHz 4: 1100 MHz
                      5: 1100 MHz 6: 1100 MHz 7: 1100 MHz 8: 1100 MHz 9: 1100 MHz 10: 1100 MHz
                      11: 1100 MHz 12: 1100 MHz
            Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Device 3e9b bus-ID: 00:02.0
                      Card-2: NVIDIA GP107M [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile] bus-ID: 01:00.0
                      Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 ) drivers: i915,nouveau
                      Resolution: 3840x2160@60.00hz
                      OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics (Coffeelake 3x8 GT2)
                      version: 4.5 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Render: Yes
            Audio:     Card Intel Device a348 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
                      Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-36-generic
            Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
                      driver: ath10k_pci bus-ID: 3b:00.0
                      IF: wlp59s0 state: up mac: <filter>
                      Card-2: Atheros usb-ID: 001-002
                      IF: null-if-id state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
            Drives:    HDD Total Size: 512.1GB (2.7% used)
                      ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 model: KXG50ZNV512G_NVMe_TOSHIBA_512GB size: 512.1GB
            Partition: ID-1: / size: 467G used: 12G (3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-1
                      ID-2: /boot size: 705M used: 148M (23%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
                      ID-3: swap-1 size: 1.03GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-2
            RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
            Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 39.0
                      Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
            Info:      Processes: 382 Uptime: 5:34 Memory: 3966.6/15682.1MB
                      Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: N/A Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56
            Have a nice day!

            Comment


              #7
              Looks like a nice machine! If you plan to use it like a "desktop" machine where it is in one place most of the time, and if your router is close to where your computer will be used, then an ethernet connection will usually be a better connection. But, it also looks like the wifi chip has met the atheros driver (ath10k), and so the network manager should work if you are moving around with the computer. For wifi, you will need to setup the connection (i.e., WPA-PSK) and router password. There should be an app link in the system tray to do the wifi linkage setup.

              Since your employer is requiring Ubuntu rather than Kubuntu, there will be a few differences, but I think most people here will give you good advice, and we won't chase you away. Ubuntu has a good site, also, and is a good resource for answers for the whole Ubuntu family of distributions. Many times you will see problem fixes for Kubuntu make use of Ubuntu solutions - one big happy family
              The next brick house on the left
              Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



              Comment


                #8
                Thanks a lot for your answer jglen490. Yes I will use it as a desktop. I even received a huge screen as second monitor so I won't be changing place all the time.

                When you say
                There should be an app link in the system tray to do the wifi linkage setup.
                do you mean a kind of icon to set up the wifi? If yes, there is one and I used it to enter the password of the wifi and most of the time the wifi works. Since this morning I had almost no problem so I'm really relieved. Yes I went on the Ubuntu website and I always look online before asking on a forum, but I'm not sure I can post any question on ubuntu forum (there was something written about having 10 or more reputation to edit your profile but I'm not sure if it was to post question or not).

                Thanks a lot for your patience and understanding. Receiving spontaneous help from people I never met living on the other side of the world is somehow magical.

                Have a great weekend!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Yes, Robert24, you are welcome around here. Ubuntu forums is a BIG site as we all know. Although I found good stuff there, I wasn't always as comfortable there as I am here. Don't forget the search syntax:

                  site:www.kubuntuforums.net <search string>

                  So to search here for, say, wifi, write
                  site:www.kubuntuforums.net wifi
                  and hit go (or enter or search icon).
                  Same goes for Ubuntu forums: just enter their main address after the "site:".
                  That might speed up your searches here and there. And you can always just post your questions and we will try to help.
                  An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way. Charles Bukowski

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Thanks a lot for your message Qqmike! I really appreaciate!

                    Comment

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