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Thread: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

  1. #11
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Quote Originally Posted by anbuck View Post
    Since I'm compiling this driver manually, will I have to recompile it if/when I upgrade my kernel?
    I'm not yet sure about the backported driver, but for the proprietary driver, yes, you will have to compile it each time your kernel is upgraded. This is one of the main reasons why we try to always go with native packages first.

    Anyway, the detected signal strength is still very weak. As a sanity check, please check the antenna connection on the card if you can. It should be two cables that connect as plugs to two sockets on the wireless card which is located in a user-accessible area in most notebooks (to be accessed by opening some panel at the bottom side of notebook).

    If they are good, you may try the proprietary driver as suggested in this post : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=12770984

    Be aware that of the three users I know who used this method, two didn't reply back about its success or failure, and one replied back with no success (driver compiled and installed, but no performance improvement). I hope you may be the first one to report success and good performance with it (fingers crossed..).

    If you want to play safe, you may try both the native driver (with the tweaks) and the proprietary one on a live session.
    Varun
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  2. #12
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Even after the code change you detailed in the linked thread, I was getting compilation errors. I found this thread: http://askubuntu.com/questions/36758...n-ubuntu-13-10 and I tried using the repo suggested there. I was able to compile the driver and install it, but when I tried to do modprobe it, I get an error. I tried rebooting, but when I do an lsmod, I still see the rtl8723ae module listed, not rtl8723e. Trying modprobe again gave me the same error.

    Code:
    insmod /lib/modules/3.11.0-14-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723e/rtl8723e.ko 
    ERROR: could not insert 'rtl8723e': Invalid argument

  3. #13
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    I forgot to say that I can't open up the laptop to check the antenna connections because I'm not at home right now and I don't have a screwdriver here. The signal strength fluctuates wildly, so maybe you are right about the connection being poor. Or maybe the driver is just bad. I will open it up and check later.

  4. #14
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    The method I linked to was personally tested by me on 13.04 live session (kernel 3.8..) and later a user for whom it compiled smoothly, without a single error. I'd be interested in seeing the error you get while compiling it.

    But now that you have compiled from a different (apparently authentic) source, let's check its version to see if it is the same one (with modified code) as the one officially available on Realtek's site, or a different version. Please post back the output of -
    Code:
    modinfo rtl8723e
    Varun
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  5. #15
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Here is the output of make on the original proprietary driver after I added the suggested precompiler logic to that one file:
    Code:
    make -C /lib/modules/3.11.0-14-generic/build M=/home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013 modules
    make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.11.0-14-generic'
      CC [M]  /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.o
    /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.c: In function ‘rtl_action_proc’:
    /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.c:885:32: error: ‘struct ieee80211_conf’ has no member named ‘channel’
           rx_status.freq = hw->conf.channel->center_freq;
                                    ^
    /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.c:886:32: error: ‘struct ieee80211_conf’ has no member named ‘channel’
           rx_status.band = hw->conf.channel->band;
                                    ^
    /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.c: In function ‘rtl_send_smps_action’:
    /home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.c:1451:24: error: ‘struct ieee80211_conf’ has no member named ‘channel’
       info->band = hw->conf.channel->band;
                            ^
    make[2]: *** [/home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013/base.o] Error 1
    make[1]: *** [_module_/home/anbuck/Downloads/rtl_92ce_92se_92de_8723ae_88ee_linux_mac80211_0012.0207.2013] Error 2
    make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.11.0-14-generic'
    make: *** [all] Error 2
    Here is the output of modinfo on the other, apparently authentic (hopefully not malware), version:
    Code:
    filename:       /lib/modules/3.11.0-14-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723e/rtl8723e.ko
    firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8723efw.bin
    description:    Realtek 8723E 802.11n PCI wireless
    license:        GPL
    author:         Realtek WlanFAE	<wlanfae@realtek.com>
    author:         lizhaoming	<chaoming_li@realsil.com.cn>
    srcversion:     A6A5D9265D711DA85EEBD47
    alias:          pci:v000010ECd00008723sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
    depends:        rtlwifi,mac80211
    vermagic:       3.11.0-14-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)
    I am confused because it says the license is GPL, but I thought this was a proprietary driver.

  6. #16
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Hmm.. I wasn't aware of those errors, looks like some further changes in the kernel headers caused it for which the patching was needed.

    I don't have the iso of versions beyond 13.04, and with my snail-pace gprs connection, I can't even dream of downloading a full ISO. Therefore I currently have no way to test the other source codes or any modifications to them.

    However, based on information I could gather from the net, it seems the one you have compiled is our best hope for now. I am not sure what that error is about that you got while trying to load it, but this post on askubuntu has a few answers to it : http://askubuntu.com/questions/25359...more-in-ubuntu

    Please try them and let me know if you could load it successfully. Maybe you'd also need to blacklist the native driver to prevent it from loading automatically -
    Code:
    echo "blacklist rtl8723ae" | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
    Quote Originally Posted by anbuck View Post
    I am confused because it says the license is GPL, but I thought this was a proprietary driver.
    I have never been very sure about it either. I believe it is just the firmware (.bin) part that is proprietary for most drivers.
    Varun
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  7. #17
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    I tried blacklisting the native driver and also uninstalling the backports version, but I still get the same error when I try to modprobe the proprietary driver. I really appreciate all your help Varun, but I think I'm just going to have to get a new card.

  8. #18
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Yeah, some cards can be stubborn, and we don't seem to have very promising support for this one yet. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but this wiki page may help you make a pick : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...CardsSupported

    May I advise to search the forums and the net to make sure your pick is well supported in Linux and/or can be easily fixed if there are any known issues.

    Also, usually, and naturally, people don't report cards that work smoothly for them. So it would be a great help to the community if you report your both cards (this one and the new one you get) and their performance on that wiki page.
    Varun
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  9. #19
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Thanks again for all your help even though we couldn't find a solution!

    That wiki is not easy to edit. I added my card under Realtek->PCI because there was no miniPCI link for Realtek and I couldn't get it to add the link correctly. On the edit page, the text is all smashed together. It's like trying to edit minified javascript.

  10. #20
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    Re: Realtek RTL8723AE: Slow and intermittent wifi loss

    Yeah, I don't find the Moin Wiki very intuitive either. Although it seems the format issue you mentioned has been fixed (apparently by yourself ) : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ha...rdsRealTek#PCI

    By the way, a 'Special' Thanks to you for taking time to add your experience with the card there. It is a great source of help for all of us. I applaud your willingness to contribute even though your experience with the drivers was not so good. =D>
    Varun
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