[SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

BreadTeleporter · 2023-06-19 10:23:17

When I try to use WiFi on arch, it will randomly drop in speed and sometimes just disconnect, it usually happens 2-3 minutes after connecting to WiFi, It does not usually come back after this.
This happens with NetworkManager and IWD. I have two machines using different WiFi adapters, one is a WiFi card and the other is a USB wireless dongle, it happens on both.
PC 1 uses an Archer T1U from tp-link
PC 2 (not at home rn, so can't see what card it uses, will edit with details later)
This does not happen with ethernet or a phone connected with USB tethering.

Can't get any logs right now, as I am not at home. Will edit some in when I get home (approx 3 hours from time of posting)

Last edited by BreadTeleporter (2023-07-16 20:00:50)

seth · 2023-06-19 12:56:04

Will edit some in when I get home

find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'f:1=<-' ix.io

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-09 11:38:33

Sorry for the late reply, was busy with other things.

The second WiFi adapter is Ralink crop. RT5390 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe (Output from lspci)

the output of:
find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f

and the output of:
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'f:1=<-' ix.io
is here:
http://ix.io/4A9u

seth · 2023-07-09 12:39:59

rt2800pci & mt76x0u

Jul 09 11:09:50 archbtw kernel: rt2800pci 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: renamed from wlan0
…
Jul 09 11:09:57 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-77 noise=9999 txrate=13000
Jul 09 11:21:01 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-69 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:21:05 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-83 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:21:09 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-73 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:21:09 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-73 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:21:50 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-69 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:21:52 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-77 noise=9999 txrate=6000
Jul 09 11:24:25 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-77 noise=9999 txrate=6000

Jul 09 11:24:29 archbtw kernel: mt76x0u 2-1.4:1.0 wlp0s29u1u4: renamed from wlan0
…
Jul 09 11:25:07 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-50 noise=9999 txrate=32600
Jul 09 11:32:40 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-54 noise=9999 txrate=13500

The signal on the Ralink is "meh" to "bad", the mediatek signal is much better.

Jul 09 11:09:57 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: SME: Trying to authenticate with ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:95 (SSID='VM8294472' freq=2412 MHz)
Jul 09 11:09:57 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: Trying to associate with ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:95 (SSID='VM8294472' freq=2412 MHz)
Jul 09 11:24:41 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:95 reason=3 locally_generated=1
Jul 09 11:25:06 archbtw NetworkManager[309]: <info>  [1688901906.9941] Config: added 'ssid' value 'VM8294472'
Jul 09 11:25:06 archbtw NetworkManager[309]: <info>  [1688901906.9941] Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Jul 09 11:25:07 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: SME: Trying to authenticate with ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:96 (SSID='VM8294472' freq=5620 MHz)
Jul 09 11:25:07 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: Trying to associate with ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:96 (SSID='VM8294472' freq=5620 MHz)
Jul 09 11:32:31 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:96 reason=3 locally_generated=1

Former is on 2.4, latter on 5GHz, so you're probably close to the AP?

Jul 09 11:24:41 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp3s0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:95 reason=3 locally_generated=1
…
Jul 09 11:32:31 archbtw wpa_supplicant[324]: wlp0s29u1u4: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ac:f8:cc:e7:2c:96 reason=3 locally_generated=1

There're two voluntary disconnects, first ralink, then mediatek. No beacon looses.

The ralink kernel modules don't allow for antenna selection.
1. Does the NIC maybe use/require an external antenna?
2. Did you open the case and maybe manipulate the antenna?
3. Can you physically manipulate the device to increase the signal? (move or rotate it, the antenna might be in the display.
4. Why does the ralink not connect to the 5GHz network?

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-09 16:55:04

1. No, it's a small card, like a tiny PCIe SSD but for WiFi (Image: https://imgur.com/a/FSFNdNa)
2. Yes, but a while ago, the tiny (and very annoying) antenna cable is plugged in
3. No, that does not work when I tried it, the antenna is also not in the display, as this is a desktop PC (should have mentioned that in original post)
4. It's an older card, from around 2011-2013, so my guess is that it just does not support 5GHz

I am close to the AP, it is in the room below me (I live in a 2 floor house, the computer is on the second floor above the AP)
My guess on why the mediatek has better signal then the ralink is because the mediatek is a usb adapter in the front of the PC, while the ralink is behind the plastic front case

Last edited by BreadTeleporter (2023-07-09 17:01:16)

seth · 2023-07-09 17:19:38

Does the antenna reach out of the PC case? (It's supposed to be EMI shielded, so that't rather important)
Can you (at least theoretically) attach the antenna to the right-hand spot (this might be a physical antenna selection)?

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-09 17:32:01

No, I don't think it does. I also don't know what you mean by the "right hand spot". On my case (Image: https://imgur.com/a/yoDyEtM) there is no way to move the antenna around, its just attached to the case
Also, while taking the front panel off, I accidentally bumped the power button, forcing me to restart the computer, before, the WiFi connection was perfectly fine, even on the ralink, (sway shows 75% signal strength) but after the signal strength dropped to 15%

Sorry if this is not what you asked for, don't really get how most of this works.

seth · 2023-07-09 17:49:25

https://imgur.com/a/FSFNdNa shows two silvery spots on the upper end, next to the screw holes.
The antenna looks somehow mounted to the left one, the question would be whether you can move it to the right one.

Did this (wifi card, antenna and case) come pre-assembled?

If the signal drop was maybe coincidental, there might be interference on the 2.4GHz band (bluetooth, dect, a broken microwave )
Can you switch to a different channel?

If this was not coincidental, some physical manipulation might have occured, the cable isn't loose?

Ftr:

behind the plastic front case

is irrelevant, "behind the rest of the tower" might be much more - can you turn it somewhat (90°-180°)?

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-10 05:16:31

After some very quick google searching, it appears that on other cards (of the same model),
that the right spot is for Bluetooth, and that HP must have removed it for the OEM version of the
card

Yes, the whole PC came pre-assembled (it's an old pre-built by HP from around 2012)

I checked the cable, it's secure on both ends.

Weirdly (should have mentioned this in the original post) this does not happen in Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 10 or 11)
This problem only happens in Linux, so I don't think it's interference, as the same problems would appear there.

seth · 2023-07-10 06:40:44

3rd link below. Mandatory.
Disable it (it's NOT the BIOS setting!) and reboot windows and linux twice for voodo reasons.

WiFi is the primary victim of this, so while not guaranteed, you certainly want to check this (also because windows updates keep re-enabling it)

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-10 07:00:12

Sorry, forgot to say that I don't have Windows installed at all, just arch on my hard drive.

seth · 2023-07-10 07:07:12

Weirdly (should have mentioned this in the original post) this does not happen in Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 10 or 11)

I don't have Windows installed at all

How do we square those two lines?

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-10 18:33:53

seth wrote:

Weirdly (should have mentioned this in the original post) this does not happen in Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 10 or 11)
I don't have Windows installed at all
How do we square those two lines?

I meant that I don't have Windows installed right now and that this did not happen when I last had it installed (which was around a week ago, after going back and fourth between Linux and Windows, the same problem only happening in Linux)

seth · 2023-07-10 19:46:23

I assume you didn't physically move the PC since then?

iw dev wlp3s0 get power_save

Also, while taking the front panel off, I accidentally bumped the power button, forcing me to restart the computer, before, the WiFi connection was perfectly fine, even on the ralink, (sway shows 75% signal strength) but after the signal strength dropped to 15%

Has this situation changed since?

Can you switch to a different channel?

Coming back rto the OP, though and wrt.

one is a WiFi card and the other is a USB wireless dongle, it happens on both.

The journal shows nothing of

randomly drop in speed and sometimes just disconnect, it usually happens 2-3 minutes after connecting to WiFi, It does not usually come back after this.

for either chip and if the mediatek one is affected as well, the signal quality is maybe less relevant to original problem.

BreadTeleporter · 2023-07-16 19:52:17

Turns out I had WiFi power saving on, turning it off with

sudo /sbin/iwconfig wlx18d6c715f8ee power off

seems to have fixed it.
Thanks for your help!

seth · 2023-07-16 19:53:40

\o/
Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2023-06-19 10:23:17

[SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#2 2023-06-19 12:56:04

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#3 2023-07-09 11:38:33

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#4 2023-07-09 12:39:59

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#5 2023-07-09 16:55:04

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#6 2023-07-09 17:19:38

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#7 2023-07-09 17:32:01

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#8 2023-07-09 17:49:25

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#9 2023-07-10 05:16:31

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#10 2023-07-10 06:40:44

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#11 2023-07-10 07:00:12

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#12 2023-07-10 07:07:12

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#13 2023-07-10 18:33:53

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#14 2023-07-10 19:46:23

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#15 2023-07-16 19:52:17

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

#16 2023-07-16 19:53:40

Re: [SOLVED] Unreliable WiFi connection

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