No WiFi After Updates - Reinstall doesn't Fix (Ubuntu 18.04)

**ishmael3** · August 7th, 2020

Greetings;

I installed Ubuntu 18.04 on an HP-Stream-Laptop-11 about a year ago (single boot). Working great until the latest update.

Immediately after update restart there was no wifi access. I could find no cause for problem so reinstalled 18.04 (from same live USB as first installation). But, after several reinstall attempts, still no wifi!

Interestingly, Wifi works great when machine is booted from the live USB, and works during the install. Then, after restart... no wifi!

My first idea was that it had something to do with "MOK generation and signing," which I don't really understand, but think that I followed the procedure correctly as stated here. (I don't remember how the MOK step went on the install a year ago. There were no MOK notices after the recent update.)

Any help greatly appreciated. The laptop has no ethernet capability, only wifi (when working!). I would like to keep secure boot rather than going legacy -- in case that seems like the issue.

If it helps, "sudo lshw -c network" returns the following:

Code:

admin-user@tiny-blue:~$ sudo lshw -c network
  *-network DISABLED         
       description: Wireless interface
       product: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
       logical name: wlo1
       version: 00
       serial: 40:5b:d8:44:42:0b
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtw_pci driverversion=5.4.0-42-generic firmware=N/A latency=0 link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
       resources: irq:124 ioport:1000(size=256) memory:91100000-9110ffff

"sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3" returns:

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3
 01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device [10ec:c822]
     Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:85f7]
     Kernel driver in use: rtw_pci
     Kernel modules: rtwpci

"rfkill list all" returns:

Code:

  
  admin01@tiny-blue:~$ rfkill list all
  1: phy0: Wireless LAN
      Soft blocked: yes
      Hard blocked: no
  3: hci0: Bluetooth
      Soft blocked: no
      Hard blocked: no

WiFi worked great until the recent update. Still works fine if running Ubuntu from live USB. Any help greatly appreciated. (Really wanting to do this without going to legacy mode.)

Thanks much.

**jeremy31** · August 7th, 2020

Have you tried a BIOS reset?

**stevermann** · August 7th, 2020

Originally Posted by ishmael3

WiFi worked great until the recent update. Still works fine if running Ubuntu from live USB. Any help greatly appreciated. (Really wanting to do this without going to legacy mode.)

I AM NOT AN EXPERT

But this really sounds like a driver problem.

I would try running "sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3" on both the normal boot and the USB boot and compare the outputs.
And, now we are completely out of my knowledge scope. I have absolutely no clue how to install or update drivers in Linux.

When you fix this, please report back to the forum. I am sure others will want to know how you fixed it.

**chili555** · August 8th, 2020

admin01@tiny-blue:~$ rfkill list all
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: no
3: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

Soft blocked:Yes suggests that the Airplane Mode is set to On in Network Manager. Please switch it off.

**ishmael3** · August 8th, 2020

Hello,

Thanks, folks, for reading and responding!

chili555 -- I don't know why that soft block was there. Airplane mode was definitely off. I ran "rfkill list all" again this morning as part of comparison suggested by stevermann and there were no blocks. See comparison below.

jeremy31 -- Can you explain what you're meaning by a "BIOS reset" and why it might apply? Searching the phrase pulls up several different procedures.

stevermann -- I was intending to do that comparison. Here's the results; one set when booted to "live USB" (wifi working), and other set booted to "installed system" (no wifi).

Booted from "live USB:" "sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3" and "rfkill list all" (YES wifi)

Code:

 ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3
 01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device [10ec:c822]
     Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:85f7]
     Kernel driver in use: rtw_pci
     Kernel modules: rtwpci
 
  ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ rfkill list all
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
     Soft blocked: no
     Hard blocked: no
 1: phy0: Wireless LAN
     Soft blocked: no
     Hard blocked: no
 ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Booted from "installed system:" "sudo lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3" and "rfkill list all" (NO wifi)

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3
 01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device [10ec:c822]
     Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:85f7]
     Kernel driver in use: rtw_pci
     Kernel modules: rtwpci
  
 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ rfkill list all
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
     Soft blocked: no
     Hard blocked: no
 1: phy0: Wireless LAN
     Soft blocked: no
     Hard blocked: no

But here's what might be the most interesting, a comparison of "sudo lshw -c network" booted "live" vs booted "installed:

Booted from "live USB:" "sudo lshw -c network" (YES wifi)

Code:

 ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo lshw -c network
   *-network                  
        description: Wireless interface
        product: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
        vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
        physical id: 0
        bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
        logical name: wlo1
        version: 00
        serial: 40:5b:d8:44:42:0b
        width: 64 bits
        clock: 33MHz
        capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
        configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtw_pci driverversion=5.0.0-23-generic firmware=N/A ip=192.168.254.25 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
        resources: irq:16 ioport:1000(size=256) memory:91100000-9110ffff

Booted from "installed system:" "sudo lshw -c network" (NO wifi)

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ sudo lshw -c network
 [sudo] password for admin01:  
   *-network DISABLED         
        description: Wireless interface
        product: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
        vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
        physical id: 0
        bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
        logical name: wlo1
        version: 00
        serial: 40:5b:d8:44:42:0b
        width: 64 bits
        clock: 33MHz
        capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
        configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtw_pci driverversion=5.4.0-42-generic firmware=N/A latency=0 link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
        resources: irq:123 ioport:1000(size=256) memory:91100000-9110ffff

I see a number of differences in the "configuration" sections of the last comparison but I do not know if they are significant, or (if they ARE important) where to go from here.

Thanks in advance for any advice or help offered.

**ishmael3** · August 10th, 2020

Greetings,

I am in way over my head here, but it's looking like stevermann maybe has it right.

I'm finding a number of recent posts (and some not so recent) about wifi problems from Linux users whose machines use Realtek network devices like mine, or similar.

And specifically finding recent posts about a bug concerning certain Realtek drivers [like here] that may be the same as mine. Frankly, I am unclear about my exact driver designation (is it only "rtw_pci" or something else more precise?).

Anyway, here's my simple-minded analysis -- please correct and advise:

The system operates with different Kernels depending on whether it is booted from the Live USB or from the Installed System.:

Kernel-- LIVE (WiFi working)

Code:

 ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ uname -r
 5.0.0-23-generic

Kernel-- LOADED (WiFi NOT working)

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ uname -r
 5.4.0-42-generic

The same driver appears to be used either way, but I'm not sure about that (is "driverversion=5.0.0-23-generic" really a different driver from "driverversion=5.4.0-42-generic"?):

Driver - LIVE (WiFi working)

Code:

 ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo lshw -c network
   *-network   
   ...               
 driver=rtw_pci driverversion=5.0.0-23-generic

Driver - LOADED (WiFi NOT working)

Code:

 admin-user@tiny-blue:~$ sudo lshw -c network
   *-network DISABLED   
    ...    
 broadcast=yes driver=rtw_pci driverversion=5.4.0-42-generic

So, I'm thinking, if drivers ARE the same, can I regain WiFi by just rolling back to a previous kernel (if that's even possible -- I am reading that this may be more difficult with 18.04 than with 16.04)?

And, if the LIVE version driver IS different, can I roll that back also?

I don't know if I'm on the right track here. Also I am only a basic command line user. An opinion and some guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Remember that the machine has no internet capabilities at the moment -- which wouldn't seem to be a problem since (apparently) I already have whatever is needed to make a working WiFi system!

Also wondering, if rolling back does solve this problem, will the problem just reappear again at every new system update?

Thanks!

**chili555** · August 10th, 2020

The same driver appears to be used either way, but I'm not sure about that (is "driverversion=5.0.0-23-generic" really a different driver from "driverversion=5.4.0-42-generic"?):

Quite possibly it has been updated in four kernel versions.

*-network DISABLED

This is likely the real problem; why is it 'DISABLED'? At first, it appeared to be Airplane Mode but that is evidently not the case.

Frankly, I am unclear about my exact driver designation (is it only "rtw_pci" or something else more precise?).

The exact name of the driver is, indeed, rtwpci. Learn more:

Code:

modinfo rtwpci

When significant events occur, they are recorded by the system in a message log. You can (but please don't) read the log with:

Code:

dmesg

It is much more productive to read the message log and only see lines related to your problem, instead of sorting through the hundreds of lines in the entire log. Therefore, I suggest that we look at lines about the driver, rtwpci and the interface, wlo1.

Code:

dmesg | grep -e rtw -e wlo

As a bit of a hunch, let's also look at:

Code:

cat /etc/netplan/*.yaml

Once we see what the system says here, we'll be in a better position to offer a solution.

**ishmael3** · August 11th, 2020

Hi, chili55,

Thank you for suggested ways to proceed -- and for the brief explanations of the commands! Here are the results:

modinfo rtwpci

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ modinfo rtwpci
 filename:       /lib/modules/5.4.0-42-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtwpci.ko
 license:        Dual BSD/GPL
 description:    Realtek 802.11ac wireless PCI driver
 author:         Realtek Corporation
 srcversion:     69885917D4A4AF9C677E63B
 alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000D723sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
 alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000C822sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
 alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000B822sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
 depends:        mac80211,rtw88
 retpoline:      Y
 intree:         Y
 name:           rtwpci
 vermagic:       5.4.0-42-generic SMP mod_unload  
 signat:         PKCS#7
 signer:          
 sig_key:         
 sig_hashalgo:   md4
 parm:           disable_msi:Set Y to disable MSI interrupt support (bool)

dmesg | grep -e rtw -e wlo

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ dmesg | grep -e rtw -e wlo
 [    5.500074] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for rtw88/rtw8822c_wow_fw.bin failed with error -2
 [    5.500084] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to request firmware
 [    5.513163] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: Firmware version 5.0.0, H2C version 14
 [    6.113068] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0 wlo1: renamed from wlan0
 [    8.583610] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [    8.645707] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [    8.647650] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   19.010460] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   19.012005] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   29.022288] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   29.023779] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   39.018813] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   39.020445] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   49.027984] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   49.029963] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   59.022940] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [   59.024410] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2077.334445] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2077.367562] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2077.369449] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2088.020988] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2088.022507] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2098.028843] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2098.030267] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2108.020962] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2108.022581] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2118.019447] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2118.020991] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2128.021268] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 2128.023020] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3346.428408] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3346.457498] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3346.459041] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3357.024103] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3357.026899] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3367.029105] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3367.031842] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3377.019029] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3377.020518] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3387.021965] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3387.023547] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3397.024154] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion
 [ 3397.025959] rtw_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to wait firmware completion

I can't interpret all that, but I Googled "failed to wait firmware completion" and found a lot of very recent hits that seemed to have Realtek-driver-issue written all over them!

cat /etc/netplan/*.yaml

Code:

 admin01@tiny-blue:~$ cat /etc/netplan/*.yaml
 # Let NetworkManager manage all devices on this system
 network:
   version: 2
   renderer: NetworkManager

I won't try to guess the next step. I'll wait to hear what you think. Thanks much for the help.

**chili555** · August 11th, 2020

Direct firmware load for rtw88/rtw8822c_wow_fw.bin failed with error -2

Does the firmware file exist on your system?

Code:

sudo updatedb
locate rtw8822c_wow_fw.bin

If you find it, ideally in /usr/lib/firmware, check its size and permissions:

Code:

ls -al /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8822c_wow_fw.bin

Ideally, you'll see:

Code:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 138720 Jul 15 09:11 /usr/lib/firmware/rtw88/rtw8822c_wow_fw.bin

If you do NOT find it, let's see what version of linux-firmware is insrtalled:

Code:

sudo dpkg -s linux-firmware | grep Version

We hope it is 1.187.2. If it is not 1.187.2, then:

Code:

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/poo....187.2_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i linux-firmware*.deb

Reboot and show us again:

Code:

dmesg | grep -e rtw -e wlo

Thank you for suggested ways to proceed -- and for the brief explanations of the commands!

I am always happy to explain as we go along to those new Ubuntians who are curious and intrepid. Sadly, a great many posters here just want the simple command to spring the wifi to life.

----------

Reference: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1262...262183#1262183

**ishmael3** · August 11th, 2020

chili555,

Thanks again for the help. I am looking forward to going through those commands and learning what's going on. Looks interesting. Unfortunately today is looking kind of crazy for me so it will likely have to wait for tomorrow. (I see a "wget" command in there... remember, my machine is a bit limited in internet access at the moment.)

Cheers

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