[Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

Rademes · 2020-12-29 22:35

Q4OS Centaurus 3.13 Trinity x64.
For some reasons my WiFi randomly disconnects. No warnings, no errors. Just disconnects, and Network Manager does not show SSID of my network (attachment). I have to reboot my PC to reconnect again.
I have tried to install Network Manager from software centre, disabling IPv6, disabling power saving...no results...
Please help, this is very annoying, especially when you do important work using Internet, WiFi disconnects and you have to reboot your PC to connect again.
In Linux Mint I have never had this problem. Also the same network adapter is on my second PC, running MX18. No problems there either. I have this problem only on Q4OS...

Last edited by Rademes (2021-01-15 13:01)

Attachments:

WiFi_Disconnects.png, Size: 130.4 KiB, Downloads: 326

SystemInfo2.png, Size: 36.67 KiB, Downloads: 385

bin · 2020-12-30 08:02

Possible quick fixes:-
Enable backports and install the latest kernel from there 5.9.0-0.bpo.2-amd64

According to https://packages.debian.org/search?keyw … are-ralink there is a firmware update in Buster backports - firmware-misc-nonfree - so I would also give that a whirl as well.

MX does make extensive use of upstream packages and so it may well be that they already have that firmware on board which would explain why it works.

The iwconfig is a bit of a puzzle. At the time that was done had wifi dropped off? If so it would be interesting to see one when it is working normally as a basis for comparison.

q4osteam · 2020-12-30 14:00

You could temporarily install Q4OS network manager from the software center to exclude possible Trinity network manager fail. It will replace TDE network manager applet with its GTK counterpart. Another try would be to use "nmtui" terminal tool to connect wireless networks. You should also remove all the saved wireless networks first to initialize them again.

Rademes · 2020-12-30 19:10

@bin
iwconfig is shown on working WiFi connection. I have done this screenshot while reporting this issue. In attachment is another iwconfig on working WiFi. Sorry for wrong screenshot name.

bin wrote:

MX does make extensive use of upstream packages and so it may well be that they already have that firmware on board which would explain why it works.

Yes, but I have used MX 18.3, which is Debian Stretch based, so it is older than Q4OS Centaurus...
@q4osteam
I have installed Q4OS network manager from the software center a week ago. I have this problem with this Q4OS network manager, and also I had this problem with TDE network manager.

Last edited by Rademes (2020-12-30 19:55)

Attachments:

iwconfig2.png, Size: 14.42 KiB, Downloads: 337

NetworkManager.png, Size: 61.65 KiB, Downloads: 332

bin · 2020-12-31 07:43

Given this is a desktop I am puzzled by the figures in the 2 iwconfig screenshots

The first one shows a bit rate of 1Mb/s and signal level of -11dBm
The later shows a bit rate of 135 Mb/s and a signal level of -9dBm

The signal level is almost impossibly low unless your router and dongle are practically touching - which they probably are not. I have no explanation for this - typically anything around -30dBm is fine.

I sort of get the feeling that the connection is trying to go too fast for whatever reason and eventually just going wrong.

One possibility would be to try setting the bitrate manually. This used to be possible via iwconfig, but it relies on the driver behaving with that command.

sudo iwconfig [Interface] rate 54M

This may well error.

The other option would be via the newer iw command https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/use … ntation/iw

sudo iw wlxxxxxxx set bitrates legacy-2.4 6 9 12 18 24 36 48 54

reset via sudo iw wlanX set bitrates

Rademes · 2020-12-31 10:42

Yes, my Internet Provider decided to give us a New year gift. It made its Internet faster than usual (15-40Mbps), but now it is as you can see in first attachment.
But iwconfig still change its values. When Firefox is closed it shows 1Mbps, When I run Firefox and browse it shows 121Mbps and even 150Mbps (second attachment). But it never caused problems earlier. Also my WiFi is capable to run at 150Mbps, according to its specifications.
https://www.alfa.com.tw/products/awus03 … 1029374024
------------------------------------------------------------------
Wireless Frequency / Max. Data Rate(*) 150Mbps
USB Interface mini USB 2.0 type A
Chipset Ralink RT3070
WiFi Standards IEEE 802.11/b/g/n
WiFi Frequency 2.4GHz
Antenna Connector RP-SMA female x 1
Antenna Type 2.4GHz 5dBi dipole antenna
Wireless Performance 802.11b: up to 11Mbps
802.11g: up to 54Mbps
802.11n: up to 150Mbps
Wireless Security WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA Mixed, WPS
Interface USB 2.0, Mini USB, type B female connector
OS Requirement Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1 and Windows 10 32/64bit,
macOS 10.5 to 10.14 or later
Linux
------------------------------------------------------------------

Last edited by Rademes (2020-12-31 10:46)

Attachments:

iwconfig3.png, Size: 38.25 KiB, Downloads: 323

InternetSpeed.png, Size: 20.79 KiB, Downloads: 299

Rademes · 2021-01-02 19:17

Unfortunately, your advises did not solved my problem... WiFi still disconnects randomly. Here is iwconfig after wireless has been disconnected.

Last edited by Rademes (2021-01-02 19:17)

Attachments:

wireless_disconnected.png, Size: 12.36 KiB, Downloads: 304

bin · 2021-01-03 06:35

Random wifi disconnection is, I am sorry to say, something that plagues linux. A simple search for the topic will throw up hundreds of cases of the same problem.

If it worked OK on MX then I'd suggest revisiting the latest version and see if that is still the case.

Rademes · 2021-01-15 13:00

I have moved my WiFi USB adapter farther from computer system block (case) and made some modifications in Network Manager (attachments). Now my WiFi does not disconnects anymore.

Last edited by Rademes (2021-01-15 13:11)

Attachments:

network1.png, Size: 32.75 KiB, Downloads: 422

network2.png, Size: 42.92 KiB, Downloads: 391

iwconfigNEW.png, Size: 46.9 KiB, Downloads: 389

q4osteam · 2021-01-15 15:49

Thanks for posting the solution, we will check that out.

Rademes · 2021-01-16 19:29

Sorry, I forgot to say, that I also have modified file: /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf as shown in attachment.

Attachments:

NetworkManagerConf.png, Size: 152.59 KiB, Downloads: 484

Q4OS Forum

#1 2020-12-29 22:35

[Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#2 2020-12-30 08:02

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#3 2020-12-30 14:00

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#4 2020-12-30 19:10

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#5 2020-12-31 07:43

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#6 2020-12-31 10:42

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#7 2021-01-02 19:17

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#8 2021-01-03 06:35

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#9 2021-01-15 13:00

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#10 2021-01-15 15:49

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

#11 2021-01-16 19:29

Re: [Solved] WiFi randomly disconnects

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