[SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

Taraq · 2013-12-05 00:34:00

I'm just starting out with arch on my laptop, and I'm most of the way through the setting up wifi guide, but when I try to set up the wifi this happens:

# ip link set wlp2s0 up
RTNETLINK answers: Operation not possible due to RF-kill

I've downloaded rfkill:

# rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
     Soft blocked: no
     Hard blocked: yes

And I'm having trouble undoing the hard block. I've confirmed that the toggle key for wifi on my laptop does still work in arch, even though most of the other FN functions don't, but it only toggles the soft block, and I'm not sure how to undo the hard blocking. So if anyone could give me any pointers on how to remove the hard block, that would be fantastic. Thanks everyone!

EDIT: I've tried the suggestion in the thread right below this, but no luck.

Last edited by Taraq (2013-12-10 03:32:16)

maxarsys · 2013-12-05 00:53:53

Maybe try :

$sudo ip link set ethXXX down
$sudo ip link set wlp2s0 up

while X11 is not running.

Taraq · 2013-12-05 01:29:06

maxarsys wrote:

Maybe try :
$sudo ip link set ethXXX down
$sudo ip link set wlp2s0 up
while X11 is not running.

When I use

# ls /sys/class/net

I don't see any ethXXX things at all, I did the same thing anyway with enp1s0 and still had the same result, unfortunately.

alezost · 2013-12-05 05:57:24

It may sound crazy but turning into sleep mode helped me:

# systemctl start systemd-suspend

After awakening hard block disappeared.

However that didn't helped me a lot as i have RT3290. In the case you
use the same card, it works with aur package - https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=161952

maxarsys · 2013-12-05 06:09:30

Are you the same user as the other post -> https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=173808 ?

Do you have more than one wireless interface or just phy0 ? try to blacklist hp-wifi and reboot, it is probably due to additional drivers.

Trilby · 2013-12-05 12:47:27

What kind of laptop is it? Is there a physical wifi switch (often on the side of the laptop)?

GloW_on_dub · 2013-12-05 13:49:51

It may also be a "physical" switch triggered by fn+fX key combination

had wifi been working with windows before ?

Humble_Panda · 2013-12-05 23:20:01

I read some time ago that for some people the following works. Try as root:

$ echo "blacklist hp_wmi" > /etc/modprobe.d/hp.conf

Then reboot, and as root again:

$ rfkill unblock all

Good luck.

Taraq · 2013-12-06 02:45:37

Alright, thanks for all the advice everyone. I used:

# echo "blacklist hp_wmi" > /etc/modprobe.d/hp.conf

followed by a reboot and the hard block was gone, however I'm stumped again further into the wifi setup. I set up a passphrase with:

# wpa-passphrase SSID passphrase

But now when I set up wpa_supplicant:

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

It returns "Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant," but

# iw dev wlp2s0 link

still shows no connections.

dazemc · 2013-12-06 02:55:41

Have you tried just running
wifi-menu
?

Taraq · 2013-12-06 03:00:09

dazemc wrote:

Have you tried just running
wifi-menu
?

When connecting with wifi menu I get an error, and the log shows the following:

WPA association/authentication failed for interface 'wlp2s0'
Failed to bring the network up for profile 'wlp2s0....'
netctl@....service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Failed to start Networking for netctl profile ...
Unit netctl@...service entered failed state.

dazemc · 2013-12-06 05:19:13

Taraq wrote:

Alright, thanks for all the advice everyone. I used:
# echo "blacklist hp_wmi" > /etc/modprobe.d/hp.conf
followed by a reboot and the hard block was gone, however I'm stumped again further into the wifi setup. I set up a passphrase with:
# wpa-passphrase SSID passphrase
But now when I set up wpa_supplicant:
# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
It returns "Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant," but
# iw dev wlp2s0 link
still shows no connections.

did you run

# dhcpcd wlp2s0

after

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Maybe try

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf -D nl80211

Last edited by dazemc (2013-12-06 05:22:04)

Trilby · 2013-12-06 11:46:53

Taraq wrote:

# wpa-passphrase SSID passphrase

But now when I set up wpa_supplicant:

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

You need to direct the output of wpa_passphrase to /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf.

Also, you did put your SSID and passphrase in place of those words, right?

Taraq · 2013-12-07 02:42:14

dazemc wrote:

did you run

# dhcpcd wlp2s0

after

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Maybe try

# wpa_supplicant -B -i wlp2s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf -D nl80211

Yes, I did run dhcpcd wlp2s0. wpa_supplicant successfully initializes when I run it with -D nl80211, but there's no change in the end result.

Trilby wrote:

You need to direct the output of wpa_passphrase to /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf.
Also, you did put your SSID and passphrase in place of those words, right?

I am directing the output of wpa_passphrase (now), still no change, and I did use my SSID and passphrase in there instead of the placeholders.

bjornoslav · 2013-12-07 11:18:10

This is my wifi commands I use on my laptops, your mileage may vary (beware, I use Crux Linux, not Arch).

First I enter the SSSID and password of the network and save them to a file:

wpa_passphrase "my_network" "password" >> /etc/wifi.conf

To start the wifi connection:

wpa_supplicant -B -D nl80211 -i wlan0 -c /etc/wifi.conf
dhcpcd wlan0

To stop the wifi connection:

killall -q /sbin/dhcpcd
killall -q /usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant

Implement as necessary, replacing the wlan0 with the name of your interface.

Taraq · 2013-12-08 03:19:43

bjornoslav wrote:

This is my wifi commands I use on my laptops, your mileage may vary (beware, I use Crux Linux, not Arch).
First I enter the SSSID and password of the network and save them to a file:
wpa_passphrase "my_network" "password" >> /etc/wifi.conf
To start the wifi connection:
wpa_supplicant -B -D nl80211 -i wlan0 -c /etc/wifi.conf
dhcpcd wlan0
To stop the wifi connection:
killall -q /sbin/dhcpcd
killall -q /usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant
Implement as necessary, replacing the wlan0 with the name of your interface.

That's pretty much what I'm using now, but it's just not connecting to the network, even though it shows up in wifi-menu and when I scan.

bjornoslav · 2013-12-08 10:09:33

Check if you are able to connect to other wifi networks, not just yours.
Check your router's settings: channels, encryption standard (my commands are for WPA 1/2 only, there's a different one for WEP), is it b/g or b/g/n, is there a MAC address whitelist (i.e. if only the computers with their MAC address on the whitelist can access the router via wifi) etc.
Check if there is interference from any other routers, Bluetooth devices and microwave ovens, since they all operate on the same frequency. Move them away from your router and if it's a router then change it's channel via its web interface.

bjornoslav · 2013-12-08 10:11:04

One more thing comes to my mind:

Disable and stop the netctl service before you try to manually connect to wifi, or you will not be able to connect since netctl will hold onto the wireless interface.

Taraq · 2013-12-10 03:31:58

Hmm. I tried disabling netctl, and then using wpa_supplicant with the driver suggested above, but that didn't work, but now wifi-menu is working fine, so... problem solved? I'm not really sure what I did to fix it, but everything works fine now. Thanks everyone!

Arch Linux

#1 2013-12-05 00:34:00

[SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#2 2013-12-05 00:53:53

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#3 2013-12-05 01:29:06

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#4 2013-12-05 05:57:24

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#5 2013-12-05 06:09:30

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#6 2013-12-05 12:47:27

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#7 2013-12-05 13:49:51

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#8 2013-12-05 23:20:01

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#9 2013-12-06 02:45:37

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#10 2013-12-06 02:55:41

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#11 2013-12-06 03:00:09

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#12 2013-12-06 05:19:13

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#13 2013-12-06 11:46:53

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#14 2013-12-07 02:42:14

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#15 2013-12-07 11:18:10

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#16 2013-12-08 03:19:43

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#17 2013-12-08 10:09:33

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#18 2013-12-08 10:11:04

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

#19 2013-12-10 03:31:58

Re: [SOLVED] Wifi Hard Blocked on Laptop

Board footer