I'm experimenting with an interesting problem that started about a month or two ago. My Linux machine can read Wi-Fi signals and I can connect to my home Wi-Fi network. However, after anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes of uninterrupted work time, the Wi-Fi stops (it still shows up as being connected, but my browser stops working -- both Chrome and Firefox).
Interestingly I have also noticed the following:
- Chrome and Firefox can't connect to the internet but Google Meet and Zoom can continue running as if nothing happened. Slack will also possibly halt.
- This only happens with my home internet provider and at my Mother's house (she has the same internet provider), it works fine in other locations eg. at University/Work (with potentially the same/different) providers.
- Internet connection will interrupt spontaneously on my computer (browsing mainly), but my Android phone can hold the connection steadily to the same Wi-Fi.
- There are no interruptions on the internet in my computer if I use my phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot (the same service as my Wi-Fi, ironically). So I find this a bit strange.
Where is the problem in this situation? And what should I try doing first?
It doesn't seem to be an internet provider problem because my phone would have the same issue. It doesn't seem to be my laptop Wi-Fi card either because I can go with perfect internet when I use my phone as a hotspot provider. So I'm a bit stumped. I will see if I can re-install Chrome/Firefox and perhaps that is the issue.
Some extra details of my setup: ASUS Zenbook. Pure Linux Ubuntu running on MATE. No Windows Dual boot. I recall having some trouble when I bought the computer setting up the Wi-Fi card to work (and got it working by upgrading to a new kernel), but it worked smoothly for about 2 years and I'm only having trouble now.
$uname -r6.5.0-18-generic$uname -aLinux alphastar 6.5.0-18-generic #18~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed Feb 7 11:40:03 UTC 2 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux$lspci [Only relevant network information shown below]01:00.0 Network controller: MEDIATEK Corp. Device 0616
A relevant thread I've also been reading, though I don't think the kernel route will fix this, because I don't get this problem with another network or through my phone hotspot as internet: 22.04, wifi keeps disconnecting for a few seconds frequently
My usual workaround is to just disconnect and re-connect from the Wi-Fi network manually but it's extremely inefficient.
Edit: Not a Chrome/Firefox issue. These were just re-installed.
Edit2: output of
$iwconfiglo no wireless extensions.wlp1s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"MOVISTAR_0468" Mode:Managed Frequency:5.24 GHz Access Point: 26:96:82:24:04:6F Bit Rate=39 Mb/s Tx-Power=3 dBm Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off Power Management:off Link Quality=42/70 Signal level=-68 dBm Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0 Tx excessive retries:2 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
When the error occurs out put of :
$ ping 8.8.8.8[None, it freezes]
When the signal comes back after a minute or so,it starts giving:
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=41 ttl=113 time=451 ms 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=42 ttl=113 time=40.1 ms 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=43 ttl=113 time=42.3 ms 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=44 ttl=113 time=44.0 ms
...
60 packets transmitted, 20 received, 66.6667% packet loss, time 59994msrtt min/avg/max/mdev = 40.077/62.836/450.809/89.075 ms
There is 0 packet loss when the wi-fi is working perfectly.
-- I just encountered a similar problem at a CAFE -- This is the output of $ sudo lshw -c networkWhen it works:
*-network description: Wireless interface product: MEDIATEK Corp. vendor: MEDIATEK Corp. physical id: 0 bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0 logical name: wlp1s0 version: 00 serial: 30:03:c8:39:1a:4d width: 64 bits clock: 33MHz capabilities: pciexpress msi pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless configuration: broadcast=yes driver=mt7921e driverversion=6.5.0-25-generic firmware=____000000-20221227123243 ip=192.168.1.168 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11 resources: irq:108 memory:fcd00000-fcdfffff memory:fce00000-fce07fff
When it doesn't:
*-network description: Wireless interface product: MEDIATEK Corp. vendor: MEDIATEK Corp. physical id: 0 bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0 logical name: wlp1s0 version: 00 serial: 30:03:c8:39:1a:4d width: 64 bits clock: 33MHz capabilities: pciexpress msi pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless configuration: broadcast=yes driver=mt7921e driverversion=6.5.0-25-generic firmware=____000000-20221227123243 ip=192.168.1.168 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11 resources: irq:108 memory:fcd00000-fcdfffff memory:fce00000-fce07fff
- Seems like they are the same.