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#1 2018-10-09 17:28:02

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

[SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

I started having this problem a few days ago. I use rtl8723be and connection would suddenly become very weak and sometimes disconnect (sometimes it even boots disonnected). Sometimes I am able to reconnect by turning off and on the wireless card or requesting an IP address from a DHCP server.

I suspected that it's a hardware issue so I bought a new card (same type). It didn't help, everything's same. Well, almost everything. My first card had only antenna, so I run rtl8723be driver with option

ant_sel=2

. I tried setting it to 1 too but it didn't work. That, of course, didn't fix my problem which led me to  suspect that the issue is in hardware in the first place. Anyway, when I opened the laptop I saw that actually the only antenna I have is labeled 1, not 2. Ok, I thought, maybe the labels are just switched.

When I bought a new card, it had both antennas. I have only one wire so I connected it to the antenna labeled 1. I also removed all driver options, since I heard that they are not needed anymore (I use the newest kernel). It worked fine for a while (nothing new, the old one sometimes worked fine for a few hours) but the same problems came back. I tried setting the antenna again, but this time it didn't work (by that I mean that I couldn't even obtain an IP address) neither with 1 or 2. It only works when ant_sel is unset.

So, what could this be? Drivers? I started having these issues when I upgraded to 4.18.5, but reverting to the older version didn't help so I guess it's just a coincidence. Or something else in hardware doesn't work? Or maybe my network configuration is not good anymore after some network utility or who knows what upgraded?

Any help is appreciated.

Last edited by momu (2019-03-21 19:14:01)

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#2 2018-10-09 23:26:00

ratcheer
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Registered: 2011-10-09
Posts: 912

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

I can't really answer your questions. I bought an HP notebook with that card and I fussed and fought with it for several weeks. Then, I bought an Intel 8265 and have had very few problems since. So, my advice is to just get rid of it.

Well, you could search for Larry Finger on GitHub and try his latest test driver for the 8723. It is probably somewhat better, but I still doubt that you'll be happy with the card.

Also, no matter what card you settle on, you really should use two antennae.

Tim

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#3 2018-11-16 11:18:25

momu
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Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

I sent my laptop to tech support service and they say that hardware is OK. So it's probably something within the OS broken.

Running sudo ip link set dev wlp2s0 up these are the messages I get:

[ 1465.299318] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp2s0: link is not ready
[ 1466.351732] wlp2s0: authenticate with b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea
[ 1466.370194] wlp2s0: send auth to b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (try 1/3)
[ 1466.372361] wlp2s0: authenticated
[ 1466.372917] wlp2s0: associate with b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (try 1/3)
[ 1466.376443] wlp2s0: RX AssocResp from b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (capab=0xc11 status=0 aid=1)
[ 1466.376730] wlp2s0: associated
[ 1467.353238] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlp2s0: link becomes ready

It says IPv6, but I use IPv4. Is this wrong or is supposed to say that?

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#4 2018-11-16 18:01:33

TheSaint
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From: my computer
Registered: 2007-08-19
Posts: 1,523

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

I own a rlt8732bs, but I believe that are pretty crappy.
The module still a staging at kernel.org.


do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint wink

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#5 2018-11-19 11:51:13

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Hmmm... I've noticed something when I run

sudo modprobe rtl8723be

I get these messages:

[nikola@leviathan ~]$ dmesg -w
...
[  449.586851] platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2
[  449.586855] cfg80211: failed to load regulatory.db
...

Could this be that which is causing me issues?

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#6 2018-11-19 13:18:56

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

No. You only need to install and load this if you intend to mess test regulatory variants ;-)
Try

swenc=1 ips=0 swlps=0 fwlps=0

First one will disable HW encryption (though traditionally rather an issue w/ atheros chips) while the other three turn off power saving (what's a good candidate for your scenario)

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#7 2018-11-19 16:19:23

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

No. You only need to install and load this if you intend to mess test regulatory variants ;-)
Try

swenc=1 ips=0 swlps=0 fwlps=0

First one will disable HW encryption (though traditionally rather an issue w/ atheros chips) while the other three turn off power saving (what's a good candidate for your scenario)

Seems to be working great for now, just as it should. I'll report if that changes (sometimes even without these options I have great Wi-Fi for hours). If this actually does work, I'll also try to narrow down which options of these above are required.

Just one thing baffles me: signals are still reported as weak even though everything works very well.

[nikola@leviathan ~]$ sudo iw dev wlp2s0 scan | egrep "SSID|signal"
[sudo] password for nikola: 
	signal: -86.00 dBm
	SSID: Bojler
	signal: -86.00 dBm
	SSID: ZTE_H168N862610

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#8 2018-11-19 16:32:07

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Check dmesg or rather the journal for requests/efforts to lower the txpower, though -86dBm is  pretty crap.
Does it start out w/ this value or do you start w/ higher values and then degrade?
Can you inspect the APs logs?

Defaults are "ips=1 swlps=0 fwlps=1", you could try to just switch to swlps, "ips=1 swlps=1 fwlps=0"

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#9 2018-11-19 16:56:33

momu
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Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

Check dmesg or rather the journal for requests/efforts to lower the txpower, though -86dBm is  pretty crap.
Does it start out w/ this value or do you start w/ higher values and then degrade?
Can you inspect the APs logs?

Defaults are "ips=1 swlps=0 fwlps=1", you could try to just switch to swlps, "ips=1 swlps=1 fwlps=0"

I couldn't find anything in dmesg and in journal that tries to lower txpower. It seems that it starts with this value. And what is AP?
I tried switching only swlps as you suggested and everything works fine but I need more time to truly tell. If that doesn't work I'll switch back to options you suggested first.

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#10 2018-11-19 19:34:53

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

"Access point" (probably your router ;-) -  how far is it away and are there any walls/metals etc. inbetween? Do you get better signals when approaching it?

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#11 2018-11-20 11:09:33

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

"Access point" (probably your router ;-) -  how far is it away and are there any walls/metals etc. inbetween? Do you get better signals when approaching it?

The router is only ~10m away. The machine and the router are separated by two walls. But I'm sure that router is OK since other devices (phones, tablets and laptops) have just fine internet connection. Yes, I do have better signal if I'm closer to the router. For example, when I'm in the room where the router is or in the room directly below I usually have better signal, but the problem still persists anyway.

Last edited by momu (2018-11-20 12:30:42)

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#12 2018-11-20 11:12:25

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Btw,

swenc=1 ips=0 swlps=0 fwlps=0

seems to work. Switching swlps only does not work. I'll experiment later to see which of these options is/are the one(s) that is/are resolving my problem.

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#13 2018-11-20 12:29:48

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Bad news. It seems that ^options do not help after all and that connection was just an accident. Problems showed up again after a few hours even with those options.

I also forgot to mention that sometimes I'm not even able to connect because

[ 3562.787550] wlp2s0: send auth to b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (try 1/3)
[ 3562.890414] wlp2s0: send auth to b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (try 2/3)
[ 3562.993755] wlp2s0: send auth to b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea (try 3/3)
[ 3563.097111] wlp2s0: authentication with b0:ac:d2:53:3e:ea timed out

When I can't connect, I see in dmesg that it just tries to authenticate again and again without success. I need to take out driver or turn off wireless card, sometimes even multiple times, to authenticate successfully.

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#14 2018-11-20 15:02:37

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Can you post a complete journal for a boot where this occurred?

Also try to reproduce this when the signal quality is better.
And try some live distro for the signal quality (could be physical and related to the antenna position in the case)

Is this a 2.4 or a 5GHz connection?

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#15 2018-11-21 12:37:43

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

Can you post a complete journal for a boot where this occurred?

Also try to reproduce this when the signal quality is better.
And try some live distro for the signal quality (could be physical and related to the antenna position in the case)

Is this a 2.4 or a 5GHz connection?

Journal

When the signal quality is better this does not happen.

I tried Ubuntu 16.04 (I used this distro 2 years ago and I remember Wi-Fi working) but I still experience the same issue.

This is 2.4 GHz connection.

Last edited by momu (2018-11-21 12:38:06)

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#16 2018-11-21 12:58:26

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Try to rfkill the bluetooth device.

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#17 2018-11-21 14:31:49

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

Try to rfkill the bluetooth device.

It didn't help.

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#18 2018-11-21 21:19:52

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

'key.
An insufficient signal will eventually cause a connection loss, nothing special about that.
The question is why the signal is so bad.

Apparently it's not BT interference nor the kernel module nor power saving nor the environment (other devices), what makes the physical device a good contender.
Did you somehow reposition the antenna when changing the card?
Is the antenna connection sound?
Did you try the other antenna connector?

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#19 2018-11-21 21:51:34

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

seth wrote:

'key.
An insufficient signal will eventually cause a connection loss, nothing special about that.
The question is why the signal is so bad.

Apparently it's not BT interference nor the kernel module nor power saving nor the environment (other devices), what makes the physical device a good contender.
Did you somehow reposition the antenna when changing the card?
Is the antenna connection sound?
Did you try the other antenna connector?

No, I don't think I did. I'll try other antenna connector, though.

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#20 2018-11-21 22:03:49

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Anyway, I'll find some other HDD to install Windows 10 on it so I'll finally know whether the problem is in hardware or is it in software. If Wi-Fi works on Windows 10, then it's software. If it doesn't, then the problem is in hardware (or in hardware and in software, though I hope not but that is very unlikely anyway).

Last edited by momu (2018-11-21 22:17:38)

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#21 2018-11-24 21:17:35

jeremy31
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Registered: 2015-11-01
Posts: 149

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

I would get rid of the ant_sel setting and see if hooking up the antenna to the other connector makes a difference.  There were some commits made to the kernel that might have messed up the ant_sel parameter

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#22 2019-03-16 10:09:02

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Ok, in tech service they said that they've installed Windows 10 and everything works just as it should. They've also replaced network card, now I have rtl8191se because the problem reappeared with rtl8723be even with Windows 10. I'll see how it works now. If it does not I'm still unsure whether it's the system since they've also said that my phone works too just as it should (exactly the same problem) but it does not (I don't know how close their router is so I don't know whether that could account solely for the signal strength). They've said it worked the entire day but that doesn't mean much since on Arch it also works sometimes the entire day.

If it is not fixed, I'll just upload my Home folder somewhere (anyone know where I can store +300GB btw?) and install Windows 10 but I doubt it will work even then since I'm pretty sure it's not software.

Btw he also tried it on Arch and it was working too.

Last edited by momu (2019-03-16 16:19:57)

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#23 2019-03-16 16:03:43

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Tried the newest Linux Mint just in case. It doesn't work.

Now I'll install Windows 10 (had some problems so I couldn't do it earlier) on Root partition, leaving Swap and Home untouched. If it still doesn't work I'll reinstall Arch on Root, if it does I guess I'll turn Swap and Home into D. I really hope it's not software though, and all my experiments till now confirm it's not but we'll finally find out for real.

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#24 2019-03-16 19:36:20

momu
Member
Registered: 2017-10-14
Posts: 137

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

Ok, good news everyone: Windows 10 performed even worse, Arch is coming back.

I could get only once a page to load even with "decent" connection. So I'm 100% percent sure it's not the software.

I'll see what I can do, but considering I have changed network card 3 times already and now I'm sure it's not the system's fault, the only option left is that wire that connects NIC with the motherboard. If you have any other ideas I'd like to hear them.

Last edited by momu (2019-03-16 19:37:18)

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#25 2019-03-16 20:40:54

seth
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Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 49,971

Re: [SOLVED] rtl8723be extremely weak connection and sometimes disconnects

The antenna condition or position inside the case (afaiu you had it open?)

The other (good) devices in your network are not on a 5GHz connection, are they?

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