Weak wifi signal

ionmich · September 24, 2020, 11:45pm

Previously running under 15.1 the signal was stronger, around 55/100, now it’s at 36/100. YaST tells me that package rtl8192eu-kmp-default version 5.6.4_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.21.8-x86_64 is installed.

 :~> cat /proc/version
Linux version 5.3.18-lp152.41-default (geeko@buildhost) (gcc version 7.5.0 (SUSE Linux)) #1 SMP Thu Sep 3 23:02:59 UTC 2020 (a4d139b)

 :~> sudo iwconfig


wlan0     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"INFINITUM7B5A"  Nickname:"<WIFI@REALTEK>"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.452 GHz  Access Point: 80:3F:5D:5C:BA:29   
          Bit Rate:144.4 Mb/s   Sensitivity:0/0  
          Retry:off   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:****-****-****-****-****-****-****-****   Security mode:open
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=95/100  Signal level=36/100  Noise level=0/100
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

Youtube videos hesitate. Now when I boot Ubuntu 20.04 I get no hesitation.

 :~$ iwconfig


wlx503eaa8b90ca  IEEE 802.11  ESSID:"INFINITUM7B5A"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.452 GHz  Access Point: 80:3F:5D:5C:BA:29   
          Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr=2347 B   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=16/70  Signal level=-94 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:16   Missed beacon:0

Since signal levels are in different units it’s hard to compare, but the icon in the Ubuntu panel indicates a much stronger signal. Have I somehow installed the wrong version?

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 12:01am

More strange data. If I disconnect the wifi so I am only using my wired eth0 and put my cursor on the panel icon for the network it reports “Wi-Fi network connection “INFINITUM7B5A” active: INFINITUM7B5A (55%)” which is the signal strength I used to get.

And here is a list of my repositories.

 :~> sudo zypper lr[sudo] password for root: 
Repository priorities are without effect. All enabled repositories share the same priority.


#  | Alias                     | Name                               | Enabled | GPG Check | Refresh
---+---------------------------+------------------------------------+---------+-----------+--------
 1 | Sauerland-update          | Sauerland-update                   | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
 2 | brave-browser             | brave-browser                      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | No
 3 | dvd                       | dvd                                | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
 4 | google-chrome             | google-chrome                      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
 5 | openSUSE-Leap-15.2-1      | openSUSE-Leap-15.2-1               | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
 6 | packman                   | packman                            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
 7 | repo-debug                | Debug Repository                   | No      | ----      | ----
 8 | repo-debug-non-oss        | Debug Repository (Non-OSS)         | No      | ----      | ----
 9 | repo-debug-update         | Update Repository (Debug)          | No      | ----      | ----
10 | repo-debug-update-non-oss | Update Repository (Debug, Non-OSS) | No      | ----      | ----
11 | repo-non-oss              | Non-OSS Repository                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
12 | repo-oss                  | Main Repository                    | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
13 | repo-source               | Source Repository                  | No      | ----      | ----
14 | repo-source-non-oss       | Source Repository (Non-OSS)        | No      | ----      | ----
15 | repo-update               | Main Update Repository             | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
16 | repo-update-non-oss       | Update Repository (Non-Oss)        | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
17 | vivaldi                   | vivaldi                            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes
ion@localhost:~>

deano_ferrari · September 25, 2020, 9:51am

I guess some kind of regression…can you share the actual hardware (and driver) details?

sbin/lspci -nnk|grep -iA3 net

or

inxi -Nxx

*The latter command will provide driver version as well.

BTW, are both distros using the same driver?

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 2:52pm

deano_ferrari:

I guess some kind of regression…can you share the actual hardware (and driver) details?

sbin/lspci -nnk|grep -iA3 net

 # /sbin/lspci -nnk|grep -iA3 net
libkmod: kmod_config_parse: /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf line 2: ignoring bad line starting with '#not'
libkmod: kmod_config_parse: /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf line 3: ignoring bad line starting with '#blacklisted'
00:07.0 Bridge [0680]: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Ethernet [10de:03ef] (rev a2)
    Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:2a72]
    Kernel driver in use: forcedeth
    Kernel modules: forcedeth

Reason for “bad line”…

# cat /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf
#On many Realtek Ethernet controllers the old device driver rtl8xxxu does
    #not work reliably.  To solve this the rtl8xxxu kernel module has to be
    #blacklisted to enable the system to load the new device driver rtl8192eu.
blacklist rtl8xxxu

or

inxi -Nxx

*The latter command will provide driver version as well.

BTW, are both distros using the same driver?

 # inxi -NxxNetwork:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP61 Ethernet vendor: Hewlett-Packard type: network bridge 
  driver: forcedeth v: kernel port: f000 bus ID: 00:07.0 chip ID: 10de:03ef 
localhost:/home/ion #

No, Ubuntu uses rtl8xxxu, and since it works, I didn’t need to change it.

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 7:16pm

More data. I think the problem has been created by the latest software update. When I did an update on #1 desktop I noticed there was an update for blocking rtl8xxx. It flashed by and I couldn’t copy it. I looked at the log file but couldn’t find it. My other desktop (#3) was updated last night and as the usb dongle was not connected at the time being on #1 desktop, I had connected via cable. It has functioned perfectly well unti I tried to connect this morning with the usb dongle. It would not accept the connection password and the connection nickname had changed.

So it looks to me that the software update has caused the problem. Is it possible that the 8192eu driver is now included in rtl8xxx and that I should unblock it?

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 7:33pm

So it looks to me that the software update has caused the problem. Is it possible that the 8192eu driver is now included in rtl8xxx and that I should unblock it?

Maybe.

Insert the dongle and post:

lsusb

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 7:47pm

 :~> lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 2357:0108  
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
ion@localhost:~>

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 7:58pm

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 2357:0108

Delete the rtl8192eu and the blacklixst rpm, restart your computer.

Its in the rtl8xxxu

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 8:46pm

Followed your instruction, and now I have no wifi at all.

 :~> sudo iwconfig[sudo] password for root: 
lo        no wireless extensions.


eth0      no wireless extensions.


ion@localhost:~>

And here is what YaST reports…

 # Status             Package                        | Summary                                  | Installed (Available)     | 5

[Keep]               rtl8xxxu-kmp-default           | RTL8XXXu USB mac80211 Wireless LAN Dr... | 5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8 |  246.9 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8192eu-blacklist-rtl8xxxu   | To favour rtl8192eu blacklist the rtl... | (5.6.4-lp152.21.8)        |      248 B
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-debugsource           | Debug sources for package rtl8xxxu       | (5.2.11-lp152.4.8)        |  700.2 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-default-debuginfo | Debug information for package rtl8xxx... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |    2.8 MiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-preempt           | RTL8XXXu USB mac80211 Wireless LAN Dr... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |  247.4 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-preempt-debuginfo | Debug information for package rtl8xxx... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |    2.8 MiB

So it looks like it’s not in rtl8xxxu-kmp-default.

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 8:53pm

Delete also:

rtl8xxxu-kmp-default

Its in the kernel…

modinfo rtl8xxxu
filename:       /lib/modules/5.8.11-1.gf4bb27a-default/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/rtl8xxxu.ko.xz

That is from kernel:stable kernel but its also in the 5.3 kernel from Leap 15.2

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 9:04pm

Sauerland:

Delete also:
rtl8xxxu-kmp-default
Its in the kernel…
modinfo rtl8xxxu
filename:       /lib/modules/5.8.11-1.gf4bb27a-default/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/rtl8xxxu.ko.xz
That is from kernel:stable kernel but its also in the 5.3 kernel from Leap 15.2

Done as suggested.

 # Status             Package                        | Summary                                  | Installed (Available)     | 5

[Do Not Install]     rtl8192eu-blacklist-rtl8xxxu   | To favour rtl8192eu blacklist the rtl... | (5.6.4-lp152.21.8)        |      248 B
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-debugsource           | Debug sources for package rtl8xxxu       | (5.2.11-lp152.4.8)        |  700.2 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-default           | RTL8XXXu USB mac80211 Wireless LAN Dr... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |  246.9 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-default-debuginfo | Debug information for package rtl8xxx... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |    2.8 MiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-preempt           | RTL8XXXu USB mac80211 Wireless LAN Dr... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |  247.4 KiB
[Do Not Install]     rtl8xxxu-kmp-preempt-debuginfo | Debug information for package rtl8xxx... | (5.2.11_k5.3.18_lp152.41-lp152.4.8) |    2.8 MiB

But, still no connection.

 :~> sudo iwconfig[sudo] password for root: 
lo        no wireless extensions.


eth0      no wireless extensions.


ion@localhost:~>

What next?

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 9:13pm

Post:

ls -al /etc/modprobe.d/

zypper lr -d

zypper se -sir Sauerland-update

zypper se -si rtl

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 9:28pm

  # ls -al /etc/modprobe.d/
total 152
drwxr-xr-x   2 root root   4096 Sep 25 13:18 .
drwxr-xr-x 129 root root  12288 Sep 25 09:44 ..
-rw-r--r--   1 root root   3789 Jun  8 14:25 00-system.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root   1298 May 27 16:08 10-unsupported-modules.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    181 Jul 22 11:50 50-alsa.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root   5009 May 27 16:08 50-blacklist.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    128 Jun 23 07:45 50-bluetooth.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root     33 May 16 09:13 50-ipw2200.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root     34 May 16 09:13 50-iwl3945.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root     18 May 16 09:13 50-prism54.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-adfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-affs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-befs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    664 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-bfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    676 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-cramfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    664 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-efs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    672 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-erofs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    672 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-exofs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-f2fs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    684 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-freevxfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    664 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-hfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-hpfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    664 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-jfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    672 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-minix.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    676 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-nilfs2.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-ntfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-omfs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-qnx4.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-qnx6.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    668 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-sysv.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    664 Jun  8 14:25 60-blacklist_fs-ufs.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root     47 May 27 16:08 99-local.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 ion  users    19 Sep 24 23:14 blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    158 Dec  6  2019 firewalld-sysctls.conf
-rw-r--r--   1 root root    674 Jan  8  2019 tuned.conf
localhost:/home/ion #


# zypper lr -d
#  | Alias                     | Name                               | Enabled | GPG Check | Refresh | Priority | Type   | URI                                                                                             | Service
---+---------------------------+------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------+----------+--------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------
 1 | Sauerland-update          | Sauerland-update                   | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/Sauerland:/hardware/openSUSE_Leap_15.2_Update/ | 
 2 | brave-browser             | brave-browser                      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | No      |   99     | rpm-md | https://brave-browser-rpm-release.s3.brave.com/x86_64/                                          | 
 3 | dvd                       | dvd                                | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | NONE   | http://opensuse-guide.org/repo/openSUSE_Leap_15.2/                                              | 
 4 | google-chrome             | google-chrome                      | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/x86_64                                             | 
 5 | openSUSE-Leap-15.2-1      | openSUSE-Leap-15.2-1               | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/oss/                                   | 
 6 | packman                   | packman                            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | NONE   | http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_Leap_15.2/                                                | 
 7 | repo-debug                | Debug Repository                   | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/oss/                             | 
 8 | repo-debug-non-oss        | Debug Repository (Non-OSS)         | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/non-oss/                         | 
 9 | repo-debug-update         | Update Repository (Debug)          | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/update/leap/15.2/oss/                                        | 
10 | repo-debug-update-non-oss | Update Repository (Debug, Non-OSS) | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/debug/update/leap/15.2/non-oss/                                    | 
11 | repo-non-oss              | Non-OSS Repository                 | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/non-oss/                               | 
12 | repo-oss                  | Main Repository                    | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/oss/                                   | 
13 | repo-source               | Source Repository                  | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/source/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/oss/                            | 
14 | repo-source-non-oss       | Source Repository (Non-OSS)        | No      | ----      | ----    |   99     | NONE   | http://download.opensuse.org/source/distribution/leap/15.2/repo/non-oss/                        | 
15 | repo-update               | Main Update Repository             | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/update/leap/15.2/oss                                               | 
16 | repo-update-non-oss       | Update Repository (Non-Oss)        | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://download.opensuse.org/update/leap/15.2/non-oss/                                          | 
17 | vivaldi                   | vivaldi                            | Yes     | (r ) Yes  | Yes     |   99     | rpm-md | http://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/rpm/x86_64                                                      | 
localhost:/home/ion #


# zypper se -sir Sauerland-update
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...
No matching items found.
localhost:/home/ion #


# zypper se -si rtl
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...


S | Name              | Type    | Version         | Arch   | Repository
--+-------------------+---------+-----------------+--------+---------------------
i | python3-reportlab | package | 3.4.0-lp152.4.4 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Leap-15.2-1
i | python3-reportlab | package | 3.4.0-lp152.4.4 | x86_64 | Main Repository
localhost:/home/ion #

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 9:35pm

Delete this one:

-rw-r–r-- 1 ion users 19 Sep 24 23:14 blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf

As root:

rm /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf

restart your computer

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 9:57pm

Done, rebooted, but still no connection.

 # rm /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtl8xxxu.confrm: cannot remove '/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtl8xxxu.conf': No such file or directory
localhost:/home/ion # 

# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.


eth0      no wireless extensions.


wlan0     IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr=2347 B   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          
localhost:/home/ion #

ionmich · September 25, 2020, 10:04pm

Look, thanks for all the work you have put into this, but I’ve been working on it since yesterday and I’m a bit burned out. I’m going to switch over to Ubuntu which works, and get back to any more suggestions you might have later.

Sauerland · September 25, 2020, 10:08pm

I think you have broken all when you have installed to much kmps…

My last now is to install rtl8192eu and its blacklist once more, I have changed something.

And than reboot.

ionmich · September 26, 2020, 2:37pm

Many thanks, I now have a connection.

Sauerland · September 26, 2020, 4:08pm

On openSUE or Ubuntu?
And the signal-stregth?

ionmich · September 27, 2020, 5:35pm

The openSUSE is stronger than the Ubuntu but still relatively weak, 30%. This is acceptable as I normally connect via eth0. The dongle is for dealing with cable interruptions. I think I can put the matter to rest and thank you for the work I have put you through.