Ubuntu Server is Incapable of Connecting to Wifi; Very Confused

[cook150]

I have absolutely no idea why my Ubuntu Server just won't connect to Wifi, or even the internet. The server also refuses to connect to a wired connection. It is a Toshiba Satellite M55-S135. I have attempted to see what was going on, but I'm getting really confused. What should I try?

I do know that the Ethernet Controller is a Qualcomm Atheros AR2413/AR2414 and that its Kernel driver and Kernel module(s) is ath5k, which appeared to have caused problems with others on other Linux forums, but other than that, I haven't gotten the faintest idea of what's going on.

[lisati]

In general, I'd recommend using a wired connection where possible for a machine you're using as a server, as it is usually more reliable.

This thread (https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=370108) has some suggestions that might help you provide us with some information that could help troubleshoot your connection.

[cook150]

The wired connection doesn't work at all either.

[wildmanne39]

Hi, welcome to the forum!

Ethernet Controller is a Qualcomm Atheros AR2413/AR2414
That is your wifi connection, are you using network manger? do you have a destop on the sever?
Please open a terminal ctrl+alt+t copy and paste the following commands into it one line at a time, then paste the results here:


cat /etc/lsb-release; uname -a
lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net
lsusb
iwconfig
cat /etc/network/interfaces
rfkill list all
cat /etc/network/interfaces
lsmod
by clicking on new reply and click # then paste the information between the brackets.
Thank you

[cook150]

I'm not sure if I have a network manager on my server, and no, I don't have a desktop on the server (due to the lack of internet).


cat /etc/lsb-release; uname -a
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=16.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=xenial
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS"
Linux millenniumse 4.4.0-31-generic #50-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jul 13 00:06:14 UTC 2016 i686 i686 i686 GNU/Linux

lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net
06:02.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Qualcomm Atheros AR2413/AR2414 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5005G(S) 802.11bg] [168c:001a] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Askey Computer Corp. AR2413/AR2414 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5005G(S) 802.11bg] [144f:7094]
Kernel driver in use: ath5k
Kernel modules: ath5k

lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

iwconfigcat /etc/network/interfaces
iwconfigcat: command not found

rfkill list all
The program 'rkkill' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt install rfkill

cat /etc/network/interfaces
# This file describes the network interfaces available on your system
# and how to activate them. For more information, see interfaces(5).

source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*

# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

lsmod
Module Size Used by
arc4 16384 2
ppdev 20480 0
drbg 28672 1
ansi_cprng 16384 0
xts 16384 1
gf128mul 16384 1 xts
dm_crypt 24576 1
ath5k 139264 0
ath 24576 1 ath5k
mac80211 659459 1 ath5k
input_leds 16384 0
snd_intel8x0 36864 0
joydev 20480 0
pcmcia 57344 0
snd_ac97_codec 106596 1 snd_intel8x0
serio_raw 16384 0
ac97_bus 16384 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm 94208 2 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0
cfg80211 499712 3 ath,ath5k,mac80211
snd_timer 32768 1 snd_pcm
yenta_socket 45056 0
lpc_ich 20480 0
snd 69632 4 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0,snd_timer,snd_pcm
pcmcia_rsrc 20480 1 yenta_socket
soundcore 16384 1 snd
pcmcia_core 24576 3 pcmcia,pcmcia_rsrc,yenta_socket
irda 176128 0
toshiba_bluetooth 16384 0
crc_ccitt 16384 1 irda
8250_fintek 16384 0
parport_pc 32768 0
parport 45056 2 ppdev,parport_pc
mac_hid 16384 0
ib_iser 45056 0
rdma_cm 49152 1 ib_iser
iw_cm 36864 1 rdna_cm
ib_cm 45056 1 rdma_cm
ib_sa 36864 2 rdma_cm,ib_cm
ib_mad 49152 2 ib_cm,ib_sa
ib_core 98304 6 rdma_cm,ib_cm,ib_sa,iw_cm,ib_mad,ib_iser
ib_addr 16384 2 rdma_cm,ib_core
iscsi_tcp 20480 0
libiscsi_tcp 20480 1 iscsi_tcp
libiscsi 49152 3 libiscsi_tcp,iscsi_tcp,ib_iser
scsi_transport_iscsi 86016 4 iscsi_tcp,ib_iser,libiscsi
autofs4 40960 2
btrfs 1003520 0
raid10 49152 0
raid456 106496 0
async_raid6_recov 16384 1 raid456
async_memcpy 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov
async_pq 16384 2 raid456,async_raid6_recov
async_xor 16384 3 async_pq,raid456,async_raid6_recov
async_tx 16384 5 async_pq,raid456,async_xor,async_memcpy,async_raid 6_recov
xor 28672 2 btrfs,async_xor
raid6_pq 102400 4 async_pq,raid456,btrfs,async_raid6_recov
libcrc32c 16384 1 raid456
raid1 36864 0
raid0 20480 0
multipath 16384 0
linear 16384 0
i915 1130496 1
i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915
drm_kms_helper 131072 1 i915
syscopyarea 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
pata_acpi 16384 0
sysfillrect 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
psmouse 118784 0
ahci 36864 0
sysimgbit 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
libahci 32768 1 ahci
fb_sys_fops 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
drm 311296 3 i915,drm_kms_helper
f jes 28672 0
video 36864 1 i915


It appears to be that someone else also has my problem too.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/776525/wireless-not-working-on-16-04-qualcomm-atheros-ar2413-ar2414-wireless-adapter

However, there is no network manager detectable on the computer, and I can't connect to the internet to get one from apt...

[wildmanne39]

Sorry I have been out for family fun for Christmas.

Do you want to run your server with a desktop if so then it will make more sense to install network manager if not then we will try to create a file to connect to the internet, if you have no experience with the terminal then you probably want to install the desktop in that case tell me which one you want to use.

[cook150]

Sorry I have been out for family fun for Christmas.

Do you want to run your server with a desktop if so then it will make more sense to install network manager if not then we will try to create a file to connect to the internet, if you have no experience with the terminal then you probably want to install the desktop in that case tell me which one you want to use.

Without internet, the server can't get desktop. It doesn't have it either. Therefore, let's attempt to create the file.

[wildmanne39]

It does not show you even have an ethernet connection, the one it is showing is your wifi card and this is one of the few wifi cards that shows as an ethernet card, go into your bios and make sure your ethernet and wifi is turned on if you have those options.

If you have windows also check and make sure your wifi is on in windows and see if ethernet works.

Please post the output of:

ps aux | egrep 'Network|wicd'
lspci -nnk
copy and paste to a flash drive then use a computer with internet to paste here on the forum.
This setting should help with the driver for that card:

echo "options ath5k nohwcrypt=y" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/ath5k.conf
sudo modprobe -rfv ath5k
sudo modprobe -v ath5k
Watch for errors, also post the output of:

iwconfig
This information will help me determine if we are ready for creating the file.

Did ethernet ever work
Thanks

[cook150]

ps aux | egrep 'Network|wicd'
lanavas+ 3270 0.0 0.1 4668 832 tty1 S+ 13:10 0:00 grep -E --color=auto Network|wicd

iwconfig
wlp6s2 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management: on

lo no wireless extensions.
enp2s0 no wireless extensions.

The attached thumbnails partly overlap.


sudo iwlist scan
wlp6s2 Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.
enp2s0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

[wildmanne39]

Let's create the file, please do:

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto wlp6s2
iface wlp6s2 inet dhcp
wpa-ssid yourssidhere
wpa-psk yourpasshere
save and close the editor.

To restart networking do:

sudo ifdown wlp6s2 && sudo ifup -v wlp6s2
I always use gedit to edit a text file but I doubt that you can without a desktop installed so you will have to read the help file or man pages for the editor that is used in the terminal.

[cook150]

As of now, after all of those commands have been done, the computer stubbornly responds:


Unknown interface wlp6s2

[wildmanne39]

Please post the content of the file you edited and remove sensitive information first.

Also the output of:

ls -al /etc/network/interfaces
iwconfig
Thanks

[cook150]

ls -al /etc/network/interfaces
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 314 Dec 24 15:28 /etc/network/interfaces


iwconfig


iwconfig output is exactly the same as last time, with the exception of
Tx-Power=off

[wildmanne39]

Let's change the permission of the file:

sudo chmod 644 /etc/network/interfaces
Then do:

sudo ifdown wlp6s2 && sudo ifup -v wlp6s2

ping -c3 www.google.com
Does it work?

[cook150]

It does not work.

My Server really hates me this Christmas.

[wildmanne39]

Please post the output of:

sudo cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e ath -e firmware -e wpa -e wlp6s2 -e etork | tail -n55
When you say it does not work does not help us I need to know if there are error messages.

[cook150]

grep: firmware: No such file or directory

[wildmanne39]

I kind of expected that, did the rest of the command have output?

[cook150]

That was all the output.

[wildmanne39]

Try the command this way:

sudo cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e ath -e wpa -e wlp6s2 -e etork | tail -n55

[cook150]

Got a lengthly output. Attached images overlap slightly.

[darkod]

Is it possible your wired connection is faulty or disabled in bios or something? It seems not detected at all. If I were you I would focus more on that, than trying to make the wifi work. For servers wired connection is always preferred. And I wouldn't install any GUI or Network Manager even when you get the internet working...

Try making ubuntu desktop live cd/usb too and boot the computer with it in live mode (Try Ubuntu). Does that detect the wired interface correctly? Do other live linux distros detect the interface?

Before installing ubuntu server did you have windows on this computer? Did the wired interface work correctly all the time?

Ubuntu Server is very good at detecting wired interfaces and it is strange not to have a driver that it needs. So, the missing interface might be because of driver or it might be because of HW failure...

[cook150]

I have two other laptops, one running Windows 10 and the other running Elementary OS. They both detected the wired Ethernet perfectly.

The laptop that has Ubuntu Server used to have Windows XP, but I didn't test its network capabilities before I downloaded Ubuntu.

I'll try getting Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Desktop on a LiveUSB and see the results...

I can confirm that Wired Connection 1 works on the trouble laptop on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS Desktop Edition. Internet is accessible on the trouble laptop.

[darkod]

I would check the network card model (chipset) with:

lspci
sudo lshw -short | grep network

And then try to google if you need to add any driver for 16.04 server to detect it.

[cook150]

Should I search for the Fast Ethernet Controller or the Wireless Network Adapter?

I got some very interesting output...


iwconfig

yielded the exact same output, with the exception of
Tx-Power=20 dBm and
Power Management:off.

Another thing I found out was that the troubled laptop connected to ethernet nicely, but wouldn't connect to wifi. Also, when connected, my laptop that had Elementary OS disconnected from wifi and refused to reconnect to ANYTHING until the troubled laptop was disconnected.

[wildmanne39]

Did you go into the bios and make sure your ethernet was turned on like I asked you too in one of my first posts? When you installed the server edition of ubuntu you did not do a minimal install did you?

Do:

sudo sed -i 's/wifi.powersave = 3/wifi.powersave = 2/' /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf
sudo ifdown wlp6s2 && sudo ifup -v wlp6s2
iwconfig
sudo iwlist scan
ping -c3 www.google.com
Does wifi ping or come on?

Did you run these commands:

echo "options ath5k nohwcrypt=y" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/ath5k.conf
sudo modprobe -rfv ath5k
sudo modprobe -v ath5k
sudo chmod 644 /etc/network/interfaces
the perform a function, they are not meant to show output.

Please check your bios and make sure the ethernet is on if necessary reset the bios unless it is UEFI then do not try to rest it.

I have family activities going on so I will be on and off today.
Thanks

[cook150]

Hooray!

After during the boot-up, when a message said "A Start job is running for Raise network interfaces," the internet works!

Apparently, running Ubuntu 14.04 LTS Desktop Edition might've jumpstarted the Ethernet Controller to work for Ubuntu, so it now works in the server.

I'd like to thank wildmanne39 and darkod for being such helpful tech supporters and helping me to find a solution to my problem.

Problem: SOLVED.

[wildmanne39]

Hi, please click on the wireless script in my signature, follow the directions for running it and posting the results back here using code tags. So we can see what it looks like now that it is working.
Thanks

[cook150]

Here are the first 5 attachments; 10 more are coming...

Here are the next 4 attachments.

Here are the next two Attachments. (IMG_55 and IMG 63 are still not attached yet.)

Here is the next Attachment. (IMG 55 and IMG 63 are still not attached.)

http://i68.tinypic.com/2ltlrlu.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/2h3pmqt.jpg

Here are the last two images, though they are out of place. All images should be looked at in numerical order.

[wildmanne39]

Please use thumbnails or url's when posting images because many people have slow connections and can not load pages with large images.

Your wifi showed connected but I suspect it will take a little more tuning for it to have internet, you can disconnect the ethernet cable and see if wifi works. It is scanning and the output showed connected, but in dmesg it looked like it just kept trying to connect, of course that is a vast improvement.

[cook150]

I'll most likely not bother with the server's wifi anymore, as I'm moving on to configuring the server as a web server...

Also, the server connects perfectly with apt and is accessible through my home's local network, so I believe that for now, everything is alright.

[wildmanne39]

Thanks for posting the information it was more for my learning then anything else, it is good to know that creating the file and changing the settings has the wifi scanning,
Enjoy your server!:)