Arch Linux

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Wireless connection keeps dropping

So my wireless connection keeps dropping. I'm not certain whether it's a problem on my end or a problem with my ISP. Sometimes it's worse than other times, but in general it's pretty bad. What could be causing this?

MickeyRat

Member

Registered: 2011-11-15

Posts: 135

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

Well the first question that comes to mind is can/have you tried running wired to see if it drops then?  That would tell you whether it's the ISP.  What kind of hardware are you using, laptop, network card?  Do you have any other hardware to try?  Perhaps see if it drops on a friend's hardware.  I had this problem on an Acer Aspire One.  A BIOS upgrade fixed it.

---

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
- Oscar Wilde

samiam

Banned

From: EAX

Registered: 2010-08-20

Posts: 58

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

The system log will probably provide useful information. What's in it?

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

Well the first question that comes to mind is can/have you tried running wired to see if it drops then?  That would tell you whether it's the ISP.  What kind of hardware are you using, laptop, network card?  Do you have any other hardware to try?  Perhaps see if it drops on a friend's hardware.  I had this problem on an Acer Aspire One.  A BIOS upgrade fixed it.

I can't get a cable here. I'm on the second floor, getting a cable here would require clearing out 5 bookcases, moving them all off the wall then running a cable through the entire living room.

Output of dmesg -w is in here: http://pastebin.com/jjPFJPDp
output of iwconfig is in here: http://pastebin.com/Wvn9aLCE

Sorry I couldn't reply earlier, was at school (posted this at school actually).

The problem has been going on for a while. Sometimes it's really bad for a couple of days, sometimes there's no problems for weeks.

Last edited by kahrkunne (2014-06-19 15:18:22)

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

...anyone?

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,354

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

Please do not bump without providing new information.

Usually, this is caused when more than one thing is trying to control the wireless.  Check what services are running. are you using netctl, wicd, NetworkManager? Did you make the mistake of enabling the dhcpd service along with one of the systems I mentioned?

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

The problem has barely occured for the last 2 or 3 days, except for the occaisional 3 second during disconnect, which is good. Still, a 3 second disconnect is still terrible for some games I'm playing.

I used to use netctl but recently I switched to NetworkManager, which has decreased the frequency and duration of the problem. I'm pretty sure the dhcpcd service is not enabled. I'm using dhclient instead of dhcpcd now, but I'm not sure if it has affected the problem in any way.

Sorry about the bump, most forums I post on do allow this (or provide a handy "bump" button somewhere that allows you to bump your thread). I don't browse these forums often, so I forgot that this isn't allowed here.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,354

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

Could you post the output of systemctl --type=service --no-pager
?

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

http://pastebin.com/PWpYpX81

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,354

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

That looks okay, I think.  You are using NetworkManager, but I also see that the wpa_supplicant service is running.  I don't use NetworkManager myself, but IIRC, it starts the wpa_supplicant service.  You might want to check that you don't have the wpa_supplicant service enabled ans that it is being started by NetworkManager.

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

kahrkunne

Member

Registered: 2013-08-24

Posts: 88

Re: Wireless connection keeps dropping

The problem hasn't occured anymore today. I guess the problem is related to my ISP and not to my arch installation, because it seems entirely random. I thought this already at first, but because switching to NetworkManager made the problem occur much less often, it made me think it might be a problem on my end after all, but I guess not.