Regular, intermittent loss of communication over WiFi

**Silverclipper** · 21-Oct-2017, 01:36

My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 15 - 5578.

I have been battling this problem for a long time, but I just don't know what to do. It's gotten so bad I can hardly use openSUSE TW anymore.

The problem: I boot up my laptop into openSUSE TW, log in and connect to WiFi. I'm able to pass traffic for a minute or two, then no traffic will go across my WiFi connection. The only way to pass traffic again is to disconnect from my WiFi and reconnect. but that only enables me to pass traffic for another 2-3 minutes, then traffic stops. Repeat over and over and over.

I have ensured the problem is not with my WiFi router because while my openSUSE TW laptop is unable to communicate I am simultaneously able to use another laptop (Windows 10) and an Android phone (Galaxy S5) using the same WiFi. The WiFi router and my laptop do not drop the connection, the connection just stops passing traffic. Other devices continue to work fine. Also, when I dual-boot into Windows 10 on my laptop, I have zero issues with WiFi. Due to the problem only appearing in openSUSE and not Windows 10, I am thinking it's a driver problem. But I really don't know.

Last night I decided to run a continuous ping to google.com from Konsole to see what happens when I am unable to pass traffic. I am going to paste some curated results:

Code:

64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=18 ttl=55 time=82.8 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=20 ttl=55 time=32.3 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=21 ttl=55 time=32.5 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=49 ttl=55 time=33.1 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=50 ttl=55 time=32.9 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=51 ttl=55 time=34.0 ms

Notice how the sequence number goes from 21 to 49. That loss of ability to pass data traffic wasn't too long.

Code:

64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=110 ttl=55 time=32.7 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=111 ttl=55 time=33.1 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=148 ttl=55 time=32.1 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=149 ttl=55 time=32.3 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=150 ttl=55 time=33.4 ms

Again, the above snippet of ping results shows a big gap between sequence 111 and 148.

Code:

64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=241 ttl=55 time=75.4 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=242 ttl=55 time=128 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=364 ttl=55 time=32.4 ms
64 bytes from nrt13s37-in-f14.1e100.net (216.58.220.238): icmp_seq=365 ttl=55 time=32.4 ms

Now that outage above was very long. Several minutes.

Code:

linux-q5o0:~ # uname -a
Linux linux-q5o0 4.13.5-1-default #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Oct 5 18:28:26 UTC 2017 (3fd9659) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Is anyone else having this problem with their Dell Inspiron 15?

I'm happy to provide any information you request while troubleshooting this maddening problem.

**deano_ferrari** · 21-Oct-2017, 01:42

Do you have TLP installed? If not consider installing it as it can help with power management.

https://software.opensuse.org/package/tlp

http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-...tml#networking

Networking

Wifi Power Management

WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=off
WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=on
Sets wifi power saving mode. Adapter support depends on kernel and driver. Possible values:

off – disabled
on – enabled

Note: deprecated config values 1=off/5=on are supported for backwards compatibility.
Hint: power save can cause an unstable wifi link.

**deano_ferrari** · 21-Oct-2017, 01:45

....and to clarify further, I suggest inhibiting wifi power management for both AC and battery operation...

Code:

WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=off

Code:

WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=off

**Silverclipper** · 21-Oct-2017, 01:55

Originally Posted by deano_ferrari

Do you have TLP installed? If not consider installing it as it can help with power management.

https://software.opensuse.org/package/tlp

http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-...tml#networking

Thank you for the reply. It does appear I have it installed, as I do have the /etc/default/tlp configuration file.

Here is my config file: http://paste.opensuse.org/58467906

I should add my laptop is rarely on battery, it's almost always on AC power. In each instance of a communication problem over my WiFi connection my laptop has been on AC power--not battery.

**Silverclipper** · 21-Oct-2017, 01:56

Originally Posted by deano_ferrari

....and to clarify further, I suggest inhibiting wifi power management for both AC and battery operation...

Code:

WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=off

Code:

WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=off

Thanks, I will do that now.

**deano_ferrari** · 21-Oct-2017, 02:01

I should add my laptop is rarely on battery, it's almost always on AC power. In each instance of a communication problem over my WiFi connection my laptop has been on AC power--not battery.

Ok, then this won't help as it's disabled already when on AC....

Code:

# WiFi power saving mode: on=enable, off=disable; not supported by all adapters.
WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=off
WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=on

Not all wifi hardware devices have power management support anyway.

**deano_ferrari** · 21-Oct-2017, 02:03

Post your wireless hardware details...

Code:

/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net

**Silverclipper** · 21-Oct-2017, 02:04

Originally Posted by deano_ferrari

Ok, then this won't help as it's disabled already when on AC....

Code:

# WiFi power saving mode: on=enable, off=disable; not supported by all adapters.
WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=off
WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=on

Not all wifi hardware devices have power management support anyway.

You're right, it won't help me in this case, but it's always good to check. I edited the config file and started the service for the new parameters to take effect.

Oddly enough, tonight I haven't had any trouble whatsoever. It's just so frustrating.

**Silverclipper** · 21-Oct-2017, 02:05

Originally Posted by deano_ferrari

Post your wireless hardware details...

Code:

/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net

Done:

Code:

linux-q5o0:~ # /sbin/lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net
01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wireless 3165 [8086:3165] (rev 79)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4410]
        Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
        Kernel modules: iwlwifi
linux-q5o0:~ #

**deano_ferrari** · 21-Oct-2017, 02:07

Originally Posted by Silverclipper

Last night I decided to run a continuous ping to google.com from Konsole to see what happens when I am unable to pass traffic. I am going to paste some curated results:

Rather than pinging an internet address, a better test would be to ping your router/internet gateway address. That eliminates any external routing/latency influences.

Note: If you didn't migrate your openSUSE account in June 2020, you will need to create a new account with a different email!

NOTE January 2022 - Changes to Gstreamer and Pipewire packages from Packman

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