Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS, network disconnects every so often? Fix?

[geekgeek4]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to Linux and so I'm not completely sure what information I can provide to best debug this issue. Please let me know and I can provide whatever logs etc. needed.

It appears that after a recent update, my network sometimes disconnects for about 2 minutes, and can happen twice every hour or so. It just disconnects and automatically reconnects. I notice because my zoom meetings drop. I am using Wifi, and before, I never experienced this issue and have been therefore running Ubuntu 20.04 for the past 10 months without any issues of any kind. It seems like this issue surfaced after an update about 1-2 weeks ago.

I verified that it is not my wifi/network. While my computer is disconnected from the internet (note that the Wifi in the top right corner still shows as connected), I tried connecting using my phone and wifi, and verified that my phone was able to communicate using my Home Network's IP address to the internet while my computer was disconnected. This was to make sure it wasn't piggy backing on LTE Data.

For this reason, I am certain it is simply the operating system.

I'm not sure how to tackle this issue. I tried forgetting my Wifi network and then reconnecting. This did not resolve the issue.

I've also assigned a static IP Address to my system in the Router. It has been this way for several months.

Overall, nothing has really changed, other then the SW update.

[chili555]

Your wireless may be dropping because of power management; that is, the feature where the card partially powers down to save battery power during periods of inactivity and then, ideally, powers back up seamlessly when activity resumes. Let's disable power saving to see if it helps. From the terminal:

sudo sed -i 's/3/2/' /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/*

Your wireless may be dropping because the channel to which it was connected has suddenly changed.

Please check the settings in the router. WPA2-AES is preferred; not any WPA and WPA2 mixed mode and certainly not TKIP. Second, if your router is capable of N speeds, you may have better connectivity with a channel width of 20 MHz in the 2.4 GHz band instead of automatic 20/40 MHz, although it is likely to affect N speeds. I recommend a fixed channel, either 1, 6 or 11, rather than automatic channel selection. Also, be certain the router is not set to use N speeds only; auto B, G and N is preferred.

Your wireless may be dropping because there are two wireless access points with the same name and password. This is typical when you have a 2.4 gHz segment and a 5 gHz segment of the same router. Your wireless may be roaming, looking for a better connection. If this is the case, I suggest that you rename the access points; something like myrouter2.4 and myrouter5.

After making these changes, reboot the router.

Next, I recommend that your regulatory domain be set explicitly. Check yours:

sudo iw reg get

If you get 00, that is a one-size-maybe-fits-all setting. Find yours here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2 Then set it temporarily:

sudo iw reg set IS

Of course, substitute your country code if not Iceland. Set it permanently:

sudo nano /etc/default/crda

Change the last line to read:

REGDOMAIN=IS

Proofread carefully, save and close the text editor.

Is there any improvement?

[geekgeek4]

Thank you very much.

I removed the power management as you recommended. I also set my country code.

To answer your question, the security tab says WPA & WPA2 Personal. On the details tab, it says it is using WPA2. The only non-mixed option I see under Security is WPA3, but that does not work with my router.

I do only have one AP. As you mentioned, it does have 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz, and does band steer to always use 5G when possible. For now, I was hoping to keep it one name, but if the changes made so far do not do anything, I will certainly follow your advice.

With that being said, my wifi configuration and overall my entire system did not change in any way. The only thing that changed is the update. I wonder if Ubuntu will release a patch of some kind. I do recognize that there are steps that I could take to address the problem, but it appears to me it is purely Ubuntu.

Thank you again. I will report back if I keep on seeing the issue.

[geekgeek4]

I also noticed that I had some unknown, surrounding networks saved. I don't know the password to these, but these networks had the gear icon next to them and had the option to forget the network. Of course, with no password, the connection would never be established with my neightbor's networks. However, I'm wondering if there were moments where it would try to connect to those. Perhaps, I accidentally clicked on the network but did not enter the password, and it stayed as a remembered network. In any event, I have forgotten these networks just in case they are the culprit.

[chili555]

To answer your question, the security tab says WPA & WPA2 Personal. On the details tab, it says it is using WPA2.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I am refering to settings in your router. Please check in the adminitration pages for your router; something like this:

[geekgeek4]

Thank you.

My router is WPA only. I don't have the option to set it to anything else. I have the Ubiquiti Unifi AC Lite.

[geekgeek4]

Issue is still happening.

Is there a way to submit feedback to Ubuntu? They should simply fix the update or revert it.

[CelticWarrior]

My router is WPA only. I don't have the option to set it to anything else. I have the Ubiquiti Unifi AC Lite.

That model, at least the one they're currently selling, surely supports WPA2. Any router who doesn't is hopelessly obsolete.

[geekgeek4]

Well, my devices all use WPA2 to connect to it. However, in the settings, it shows WPA and I have no option to select differently. However, it is likely implementing WPA2, since all my devices default to that when connecting.

[geekgeek4]

This issue is breaking my downloads, prints, Zoom sessions etc. Terrible that this update was pushed. Is there anything else that can be done in Ubuntu? Is there a way to see if the developers are looking into this? Can I submit a complaint somewhere to Ubuntu? If it won't/can't be resolved, I'll have to move to a different OS. That is pretty much the only thing that I can do then.