Arch Linux

Voblin

Member

Registered: 2014-09-24

Posts: 1

Wi-Fi stopped working about a week ago, workaround is available

Laptop HP ZBook 15
Wi-Fi stopped working, did not change any configuration when it happened around kernel upgrade 3.16.2-1 -> 3.16.3-1, ~ September 17 - 19
Going back to 3.16.2-1 did not help, also tried to downgrade other packages, such as linux-firmware, used "pacman -U" to downgrade
Found a similar https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1451445, but the exact https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ne … ice_failed did not help. After some troubleshooting, here is what I do each time to connect to a Wi-Fi (I have a script):

$ rfkill unblock all      # More details are in the other log below
$ ifconfig wlo1 down
$ netctl start w           # Now it will work

Unless there is a better one, this workaround can help the others, please consider amending https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ne … ice_failed
Also, if anyone is up for a solid fix, or a better workaround, here is a more detailed information, all commands are performed right after boot:

$ cat /etc/netctl/w
Description='Automatically generated profile by wifi-menu'
Interface=wlo1
Connection=wireless
Security=wpa
ESSID=Whatever
IP=dhcp
Key=DoesNotMatter

$ netctl start w                   
Job for netctl@w.service failed. See 'systemctl status netctl@w.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.

$ systemctl status netctl@w.service
● netctl@w.service - Networking for netctl profile w
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/netctl@.service; static)
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2014-09-25 01:00:02 MSK; 4s ago
     Docs: man:netctl.profile(5)
  Process: 1204 ExecStart=/usr/lib/network/network start %I (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 1204 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

$ journalctl -xn                   
Sep 25 00:59:56 se network[1204]: Starting network profile 'w'...
Sep 25 01:00:02 se network[1204]: Failed to bring the network up for profile 'w'
Sep 25 01:00:02 se systemd[1]: netctl@w.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 25 01:00:02 se systemd[1]: Failed to start Networking for netctl profile w.
-- Subject: Unit netctl@w.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
-- 
-- Unit netctl@w.service has failed.
-- 
-- The result is failed.
Sep 25 01:00:02 se systemd[1]: Unit netctl@w.service entered failed state.

$ lspci -vnn
....
5c:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6235 [8086:088e] (rev 24)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6235 AGN [8086:4060]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 46
        Memory at d0200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
        Capabilities: [c8] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [d0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
        Capabilities: [e0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
        Kernel modules: iwlwifi
....

$ dmesg | grep iwlwifi       # all these messages happen at boot, nothing new at failure time
[    4.459619] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: can't disable ASPM; OS doesn't have ASPM control
[    4.459668] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: irq 46 for MSI/MSI-X
[    4.464362] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: loaded firmware version 18.168.6.1 op_mode iwldvm
[    4.476482] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEBUG disabled
[    4.476484] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEBUGFS disabled
[    4.476485] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEVICE_TRACING enabled
[    4.476486] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6235 AGN, REV=0xB0
[    4.476536] iwlwifi 0000:5c:00.0: L1 Disabled; Enabling L0S

$ ifconfig wlo1 up      # just out of curiosity
SIOCSIFFLAGS: Operation not possible due to RF-kill

$ ifconfig wlo1 down  # attempt to apply https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Netctl#Job_for_netctl.40wlan.28....29.service_failed

$  netctl start w    # no, will not work
Job for netctl@w.service failed. See 'systemctl status netctl@w.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.

$ rfkill list
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: yes
        Hard blocked: no
1: hci0: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no

$ rfkill unblock all

$ ifconfig wlo1 down

$ netctl start w         # Now it will work

Would really appreciate if netctl works without any extra action ...