RTL8188CE Bad Connection, Intermittent Drops, Installed RTL Drivers?

**adam.stokes** · December 21st, 2012

I stumbled across this particular post and I've tried everything short of switching out the firmware. Thanks for this post

**umanohone** · January 10th, 2013

I've tried everything in this post as well.

Compiling and installing the drivers from realtek didn't seem to make a difference on my configuration.

Right now I'm trying to build and install the latest wpa_supplicant (1.1). No success yet.

**thomas15v** · January 26th, 2013

Also performing this problems. But i can get internet 1 meters of the router. Farder i stay connected but no internet

. The only thing i can do to get 30 seconds internet is.

Code:

sudo modprobe rtl8192ce

And reconnect the router.

**michael37** · January 29th, 2013

The best way to tell which driver you are (*) using is to run command

Code:

$ modinfo rtl8192ce

(or whichever flavor of rtl8192 you have in your system)

Here is modinfo for the standard Ubuntu driver:

Code:

filename:       /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwif
i/rtl8192ce/rtl8192ce.ko
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU_B.bin
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU.bin
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192cfw.bin
description:    Realtek 8192C/8188C 802.11n PCI wireless
license:        GPL
author:         Larry Finger	<Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>
author:         Realtek WlanFAE	<wlanfae@realtek.com>
author:         lizhaoming	<chaoming_li@realsil.com.cn>
srcversion:     DA52BF758B7683607AFCB85
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008176sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008177sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008178sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008191sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        rtlwifi,rtl8192c-common,mac80211
intree:         Y
vermagic:       3.2.0-36-generic SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           swenc:Set to 1 for software crypto (default 0)
 (bool)
parm:           ips:Set to 0 to not use link power save (default 1)
 (bool)
parm:           swlps:Set to 1 to use SW control power save (default 0)
 (bool)
parm:           fwlps:Set to 1 to use FW control power save (default 1)
 (bool)
parm:           debug:Set debug level (0-5) (default 0) (int)

Here is modinfo for the RTL driver:
(instructions are download;make;sudo make install;reboot | see details in the original post in this thread)

Code:

filename:       /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192ce/rtl8192ce.ko
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192cfw.bin
description:    Realtek 8192C/8188C 802.11n PCI wireless
license:        GPL
author:         Larry Finger	<Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>
author:         Realtek WlanFAE	<wlanfae@realtek.com>
author:         lizhaoming	<chaoming_li@realsil.com.cn>
srcversion:     8371CA3A9E899B11125FFDE
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008176sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008177sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008178sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008191sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        rtlwifi,mac80211
vermagic:       3.2.0-36-generic SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           swlps:bool
parm:           swenc:using hardware crypto (default 0 [hardware])
 (bool)
parm:           ips:using no link power save (default 1 is open)
 (bool)
parm:           fwlps:using linked fw control power save (default 1 is open)
 (bool)

* It's actually a driver that you will be running after the next reboot, not necessarily the one you are runnign now. Reboot if you are not sure.

**adam.stokes** · January 29th, 2013

Originally Posted by jardag

I solved this by using the linux default driver rtl8192ce and creating file
/etc/modprobe.d/rtl8192ce.conf
like this:

jardag@precise-HP:/etc/modprobe.d$ cat rtl8192ce.conf
options rtl8192ce ips=0 fwlps=0 debug=2

some guys also put in "swenc=1" but i did not need it.

This seems to be hit or miss, for my x230T it did not solve the issue. Still run into issues where I can't connect to my wireless router at home while other laptops will but can connect to other wireless routers.... This is the worst wireless chipset I've ever been locked into using. I say locked in because Lenovo apparently blacklists all other wireless chipsets unless it is one they provide so no use switching it out for an Intel one.

**cblxub** · February 4th, 2013

I have had the same problem with drops on my Toshiba Satellite with Realtek RTL8188CE.
ubuntu 12.04 64bit with gnome shell 3.42 (PPA version)
I have wondered if it is a power management problem but I have power management disabled by default to the Wifi card.

I have a tip that now works... and I am hoping someone more knowledgeable can make sense of it.

When my connection gets sloppy (drops, bad connetions, timeouts)

I run in the command terminal... the program:
sudo iptraf

and monitor all connections.

I don't understand why this works... maybe this gives somebody a lead on what is going on.

Just running this program fixes the problem and my wireless is running like a champ.

**abdulmajid** · November 16th, 2013

I have the same issue. Wifi keeps disconnecting intermittently on my Toshiba Satellite C640.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"Bait-ul-Amaan"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 74:44:01:34:4C:A0
Bit Rate=24 Mb/s Tx-Power=15 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr

ff Fragment thr

ff
Power Management

ff
Link Quality=70/70 Signal level=-36 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:2 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

lspci -v00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device fdf2
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 40
Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
I/O ports at 4050 [size=8]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915

00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller (rev 06)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 42
Memory at d6406100 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: mei
Kernel modules: mei

00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 05) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
Memory at d6405c00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio (rev 05)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 43
Memory at d6400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 05) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00003000-00003fff
Memory behind bridge: d5400000-d63fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000d0400000-00000000d13fffff
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev 05) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00002fff
Memory behind bridge: d4400000-d53fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000d1400000-00000000d23fffff
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 5 (rev 05) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=20, subordinate=22, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00001000-00001fff
Memory behind bridge: d3400000-d43fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000d2400000-00000000d33fffff
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 05) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 23
Memory at d6405800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev a5) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=32
Capabilities: <access denied>

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 5 Series Chipset LPC Interface Controller (rev 05)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: lpc_ich

00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 05) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 41
I/O ports at 4048 [size=8]
I/O ports at 405c [size=4]
I/O ports at 4040 [size=8]
I/O ports at 4058 [size=4]
I/O ports at 4020 [size=32]
Memory at d6405000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ahci
Kernel modules: ahci

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset SMBus Controller (rev 05)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 9
Memory at d6406000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
I/O ports at 4000 [size=32]
Kernel modules: i2c-i801

00:1f.6 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Thermal Subsystem (rev 05)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
Memory at d6404000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: intel ips
Kernel modules: intel_ips

01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v1.1 Fast Ethernet (rev c1)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 44
Memory at d5400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
I/O ports at 3000 [size=128]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: atl1c
Kernel modules: atl1c

02:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
Subsystem: Askey Computer Corp. Device 7159
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
Memory at d4400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ath9k
Kernel modules: ath9k

3f:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-core Registers (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

3f:00.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

3f:02.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

3f:02.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Physical 0 (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

3f:02.2 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

3f:02.3 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved (rev 02)
Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

**pascalfares** · December 13th, 2013

I have same problem after installing 13.10.

**rootuser2** · January 27th, 2014

Originally Posted by pascalfares

I have same problem after installing 13.10.

I can confirm the problem was solved for me on Ubuntu 13.10 AMD64 as discussed above.
I added the modprobe options below, updated my initramfs image and then reboot.

jardag@precise-HP:/etc/modprobe.d$ cat rtl8192ce.conf
options rtl8192ce ips=0 fwlps=0 debug=2

$ sudo update-initramfs -u

Thank you