Have NO internet! Can not get new wifi adapter [supposedly Linux-friendly] to work

[crazybear]

-snip- will replace with new one shortly

The strangest things are happening...sometimes I will get good internet connection, other times there is none!

[jeremy31]

I might have found something

cd /lib/firmware/rtlwifi
sudo wget https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/plain/rtlwifi/rtl8812aefw.bin
sudo wget https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/plain/rtlwifi/rtl8812aefw_wowlan.bin

Reboot, you can also try disabling the kernel module power management with

echo "options rtl8821ae ips=N" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf

This firmware has been released about 6 weeks ago https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux...4001fc7afff7a5

[crazybear]

Right now, sometimes I get internet [and it is good]; other times I get zero - and never know nor can I see what causes the change. It is driving me insane - and still having to go back to the Windoz disk to even type this.
I will run another analytical on the system.....

The new firmware I downloaded - but haven't the faintest idea of what or how to deal with it and wouldn't without specific step-by-step instructions. Besides, I use the rtl8821ae driver. Isn't this for the other?

[crazybear]

to your suggested command all got in response was

rtl8821ae ips=N

- nothing more to

echo "options rtl8821ae ips=N" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf

[crazybear]

https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/4cpjhCXPnn/

Is the latest. At the moment, for reasons unknown, I again have internet in Ubuntu.

Oh, by the way, each time I have to go into terminal and tell it to connect to the preferred AP. There must be a way to have it do that automatically, but how I don't know. Would be appreciated.

[jeremy31]

Right now, sometimes I get internet [and it is good]; other times I get zero - and never know nor can I see what causes the change. It is driving me insane - and still having to go back to the Windoz disk to even type this.
I will run another analytical on the system.....

The new firmware I downloaded - but haven't the faintest idea of what or how to deal with it and wouldn't without specific step-by-step instructions. Besides, I use the rtl8821ae driver. Isn't this for the other?

Your device just uses the rtl8821ae driver but it is a rtl8812ae chipset and that is why it needs that firmware. To auto connect to wifi, go into Network Manager connections and set one to automatically connect when in range

[crazybear]

OK, thanks, now I understand why I would need the firmware update - but looking in the package I have no idea how to install the firmware - guidance gladly appreciated. It contains a long list of devices, but not mine and even if ASUS was listed, I wouldn't know what to do.

Way back at the start of this long thread I mentioned I have no Network Manager that is supposed to be 'there', so there is no setting for connect automatically...... How to re-install Network Manager? I think long ago there was one. All I have is something called Netspeed preferences which is not very good. Addendum....stranger still, in Synaptic it shows several files installed when I put 'Network Manager' in the search box....but I can't find it nor can I launch it from terminal.

[jeremy31]

Do you have an icon in the notification area/taskbar for wifi/ethernet? That normally can be left/right clicked for options such as editing network connections

[crazybear]

Do you have an icon in the notification area/taskbar for wifi/ethernet? That normally can be left/right clicked for options such as editing network connections

No. I remember there was one in my earlier versions of Ubuntu, but think not in 16.04 for me. There is just an area of up and down arrows and I can have it show the number of bytes or bits up and down. No other setting other than what it monitors [LAN 1, LAN 2, this wifi device it is now set on, etc.] I always connected before by LAN, so it was never an issue. Now it is. Another thing that is happening strangely - when I do get internet in Ubuntu it is quite good; but it sometimes just stops [even though the netspeed monitor - which I have to right click where those arrows are to make appear] shows a LOT of bytes going up and down as before.....and the connection is not reported as lost - but something is blocking somewhere. It can happen without opening any new program or window or doing anything. Other times it does seem [maybe] connected to opening a new program/browser - but often not.

How do I apply this new firmware that I downloaded? - and do you think it will make any difference? I'm NO expert at all, but I don't think it would explain the on sometimes off sometimes connection to the internet while the packets are still flowing - but who knows......

[jeremy31]

The new firmware should be in use as the driver will load it if it is found in /lib/firmware/rtlwifi
The last script result you posted shows that the wifi switched between the router and the extender device, it might be worth shutting the extender off
See if network-manager-gnome is installed