My WiFi connection is usually strong and solid and reliable. I recently upgraded from 21.04 to 21.10 and now my WiFi connection will simply drop sometimes. My remedy is to go to my menu at the top right of my screen and manually turn off my wifi and then turn it back on again. The computer reconnects, and I'm good...except when I'm not.
I'm running a 2014 MacBook Air, and did a kernel modification via terminal commands, thanks to this forum quite some time ago, and my connection has always been stable and solid through assorted updates to Ubuntu...until now.
Multiple suggestions here have shown me how to check logs and I have tried that, not really knowing what I am looking at, except for words like or Disconnected and Connected.
A recent contribution led me to update some part of my kernel with a new bit of firmware, and showed me how to do that.
After the firmware update I was quickly connected and I thought I was good. Around 1500-ish I was disconnected again.
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1835] settings: Loaded settings plugin: keyfile (internal)
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1835] ifupdown: management mode: unmanaged
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <warn> [1636569288.1837] ifupdown: interfaces file /etc/network/interfaces doesn't exist
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1890] device (lo): carrier: link connected
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1893] manager: (lo): new Generic device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1)
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1907] manager: (wlp3s0): new 802.11 Wi-Fi device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/De>
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1914] device (wlp3s0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed', sys>
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <warn> [1636569288.2109] Error: failed to open /run/network/ifstate
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.2573] modem-manager: ModemManager available
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.3059] device (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> disconnected
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.3059] device (wlp3s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2703] policy: auto-activating connection 'CXNK001D2761' (18cded76-65c0-4f90-a9d1-9e9>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2726] device (wlp3s0): Activation: starting connection 'CXNK001D2761' (18cded76-65c0>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2730] device (wlp3s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-ifa>
later...
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1835] settings: Loaded settings plugin: keyfile (internal)
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1835] ifupdown: management mode: unmanaged
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <warn> [1636569288.1837] ifupdown: interfaces file /etc/network/interfaces doesn't exist
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1890] device (lo): carrier: link connected
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1893] manager: (lo): new Generic device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1)
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1907] manager: (wlp3s0): new 802.11 Wi-Fi device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/De>
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.1914] device (wlp3s0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed', sys>
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <warn> [1636569288.2109] Error: failed to open /run/network/ifstate
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.2573] modem-manager: ModemManager available
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.3059] device (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> disconnected
Nov 10 12:34:48 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569288.3059] device (wlp3s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2703] policy: auto-activating connection 'CXNK001D2761' (18cded76-65c0-4f90-a9d1-9e9>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2726] device (wlp3s0): Activation: starting connection 'CXNK001D2761' (18cded76-65c0>
Nov 10 12:34:52 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636569292.2730] device (wlp3s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-ifa>
Not knowing what I am looking at, for the internal life of this machine, I do have over 400 lines of log copied for this event.
Additional posting per instructions from respondent follows:
$ uname -a
Linux OldMacBookAir 5.13.0-21-generic #21-Ubuntu SMP Tue Oct 19 08:59:28 UTC 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ sudo lshw -class network
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: wlp3s0
version: 03
serial: e0:ac:cb:9d:03:78
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=6.30.223.271 (r587334) ip=192.168.1.23 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
resources: irq:18 memory:c1200000-c1207fff memory:c1000000-c11fffff
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ ls -al /etc/pm/config.d/
ls: cannot access '/etc/pm/config.d/': No such file or directory
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ ls -al /etc/modprobe.d/
total 64
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Oct 16 13:24 .
drwxr-xr-x 141 root root 12288 Nov 4 07:26 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2507 Jul 30 2015 alsa-base.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 154 Feb 16 2020 amd64-microcode-blacklist.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 325 Mar 12 2020 blacklist-ath_pci.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1518 Mar 12 2020 blacklist.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 210 Mar 12 2020 blacklist-firewire.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 677 Mar 12 2020 blacklist-framebuffer.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 156 Jul 30 2015 blacklist-modem.conf
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 41 Jul 14 08:40 blacklist-oss.conf -> /lib/linux-sound-base/noOSS.modprobe.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 583 Mar 12 2020 blacklist-rare-network.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 180 Apr 13 2020 broadcom-sta-dkms.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 127 Jan 22 2020 dkms.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 154 Jun 10 2020 intel-microcode-blacklist.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 347 Mar 12 2020 iwlwifi.conf
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ lspci -knn | grep Net -A4
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03)
Subsystem: Apple Inc. BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [106b:0117]
Kernel driver in use: wl
Kernel modules: bcma, wl
04:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Toshiba Corporation XG4 NVMe SSD Controller [1179:0115] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Toshiba Corporation XG4 NVMe SSD Controller [1179:0001]
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ modinfo w1
modinfo: ERROR: Module w1 not found.
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ sudo iwlist freq
lo no frequency information.
wlp3s0 32 channels in total; available frequencies :
Channel 01 : 2.412 GHz
Channel 02 : 2.417 GHz
Channel 03 : 2.422 GHz
Channel 04 : 2.427 GHz
Channel 05 : 2.432 GHz
Channel 06 : 2.437 GHz
Channel 07 : 2.442 GHz
Channel 08 : 2.447 GHz
Channel 09 : 2.452 GHz
Channel 10 : 2.457 GHz
Channel 11 : 2.462 GHz
Channel 32 : 5.16 GHz
Channel 34 : 5.17 GHz
Channel 36 : 5.18 GHz
Channel 38 : 5.19 GHz
Channel 40 : 5.2 GHz
Channel 42 : 5.21 GHz
Channel 44 : 5.22 GHz
Channel 46 : 5.23 GHz
Channel 48 : 5.24 GHz
Channel 50 : 5.25 GHz
Channel 52 : 5.26 GHz
Channel 54 : 5.27 GHz
Channel 56 : 5.28 GHz
Channel 58 : 5.29 GHz
Channel 60 : 5.3 GHz
Channel 62 : 5.31 GHz
Channel 64 : 5.32 GHz
Channel 66 : 5.33 GHz
Channel 68 : 5.34 GHz
Channel 96 : 5.48 GHz
Channel 98 : 5.49 GHz
Current Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ sudo iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
wlp3s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"CXNK001D2761"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:06:31:EA:29:0E
Bit Rate=52 Mb/s Tx-Power=23 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:on
Link Quality=55/70 Signal level=-55 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ inxi -Fxz
Command 'inxi' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install inxi
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ nmcli device wifi list
IN-USE BSSID SSID MODE CHAN RATE SIGNAL B>
* 00:06:31:EA:29:0E CXNK001D2761 Infra 6 130 Mbit/s 70 ▂>
00:06:31:EA:43:4F Horgan 5G Infra 149 540 Mbit/s 55 ▂>
00:06:31:EA:43:48 Horgan 2G Infra 1 130 Mbit/s 50 ▂>
14:59:C0:47:A8:2B Horgan 2G_2GEXT Infra 1 130 Mbit/s 47 ▂>
00:06:31:EA:29:15 CXNK001D2761 Infra 64 540 Mbit/s 44 ▂>
00:06:31:E6:E7:B6 Journey Infra 6 130 Mbit/s 42 ▂>
14:59:C0:47:A8:2D Horgan 2G_5GEXT Infra 153 270 Mbit/s 20 ▂>
00:06:31:E6:E7:BD Journey_5G Infra 132 540 Mbit/s 17 ▂>
ESCOC
$ sudo lsmod | grep w1
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ iwlist scan | egrep -i 'ssid|quality'
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.
Quality=52/70 Signal level=-58 dBm
ESSID:"CXNK001D2761"
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05ac:0291 Apple, Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 05ac:828f Apple, Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0a5c:4500 Broadcom Corp. BCM2046B1 USB 2.0 Hub (part of BCM2046 Bluetooth)
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ usb-devices
T: Bus=01 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#= 1 Spd=480 MxCh=11
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=01 MxPS=64 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0002 Rev=05.13
S: Manufacturer=Linux 5.13.0-21-generic xhci-hcd
S: Product=xHCI Host Controller
S: SerialNumber=0000:00:14.0
C: #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=0mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
T: Bus=01 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=02 Cnt=01 Dev#= 2 Spd=12 MxCh= 3
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS= 8 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=0a5c ProdID=4500 Rev=01.00
S: Manufacturer=Apple Inc.
S: Product=BRCM20702 Hub
C: #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=94mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
T: Bus=01 Lev=02 Prnt=02 Port=02 Cnt=01 Dev#= 6 Spd=12 MxCh= 0
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=01 Prot=01 MxPS=64 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=05ac ProdID=828f Rev=01.50
S: Manufacturer=Apple Inc.
S: Product=Bluetooth USB Host Controller
C: #Ifs= 4 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=0mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 3 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=01 Prot=01 Driver=btusb
I: If#=0x1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=e0(wlcon) Sub=01 Prot=01 Driver=btusb
I: If#=0x2 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=ff Prot=ff Driver=btusb
I: If#=0x3 Alt= 0 #EPs= 0 Cls=fe(app. ) Sub=01 Prot=01 Driver=(none)
T: Bus=01 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=04 Cnt=02 Dev#= 3 Spd=12 MxCh= 0
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=00(>ifc ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=05ac ProdID=0291 Rev=01.71
S: Manufacturer=Apple Inc.
S: Product=Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
S: SerialNumber=FM7520759T7G6LMAN6F
C: #Ifs= 3 Cfg#= 1 Atr=a0 MxPwr=500mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=03(HID ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=usbhid
I: If#=0x1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=03(HID ) Sub=01 Prot=01 Driver=usbhid
I: If#=0x2 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=03(HID ) Sub=01 Prot=02 Driver=bcm5974
T: Bus=02 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#= 1 Spd=5000 MxCh= 4
D: Ver= 3.00 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=03 MxPS= 9 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0003 Rev=05.13
S: Manufacturer=Linux 5.13.0-21-generic xhci-hcd
S: Product=xHCI Host Controller
S: SerialNumber=0000:00:14.0
C: #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=0mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/wl.conf
cat: /etc/modprobe.d/wl.conf: No such file or directory
gandyman@OldMacBookAir:~$ grep [[:alnum:]] /sys/module/w1/parameters/*
grep: /sys/module/w1/parameters/*: No such file or directory
Leaving what I have posted to this point, as it has all been asked for by those who are helping me.
I did my daily check for updates and installed same...at which point my wifi disconnected and refused to re-connect. Am obviously connected now, as you are reading this. I shut down, waited a few moments and re-started, and connected. The journal selection shows the moment when I could not re-connect.
Nov 12 09:08:03 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729683.7820] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Nov 12 09:08:03 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729683.7827] audit: op="radio-control" arg="wireless-enabled:on" pid=1615 uid=1000 re>
Nov 12 09:08:03 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729683.7833] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi now enabled by radio killswitch
Nov 12 09:08:03 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729683.8360] device (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> discon>
Nov 12 09:08:03 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729683.8360] device (wlp3s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supp>
Nov 12 09:08:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729701.0282] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set disabled
Nov 12 09:08:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729701.0283] device (wlp3s0): state change: disconnected -> unavailable (reason 'none>
Nov 12 09:08:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729701.0318] audit: op="radio-control" arg="wireless-enabled:off" pid=1615 uid=1000 r>
Nov 12 09:08:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729701.0330] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi now disabled by radio killswitch
Nov 12 09:08:28 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729708.6032] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Nov 12 09:08:28 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729708.6046] audit: op="radio-control" arg="wireless-enabled:on" pid=1615 uid=1000 re>
Nov 12 09:08:28 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729708.6054] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi now enabled by radio killswitch
Nov 12 09:08:28 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729708.6518] device (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> discon>
Nov 12 09:08:28 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729708.6518] device (wlp3s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supp>
Nov 12 09:09:15 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729755.7470] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set disabled
Nov 12 09:09:15 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729755.7470] device (wlp3s0): state change: disconnected -> unavailable (reason 'none>
Nov 12 09:09:15 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729755.7528] audit: op="radio-control" arg="wireless-enabled:off" pid=1615 uid=1000 r>
Nov 12 09:09:15 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729755.7534] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi now disabled by radio killswitch
Nov 12 09:09:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729761.3285] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Nov 12 09:09:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729761.3294] audit: op="radio-control" arg="wireless-enabled:on" pid=1615 uid=1000 re>
Nov 12 09:09:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729761.3299] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi now enabled by radio killswitch
Nov 12 09:09:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729761.3878] device (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> discon>
Nov 12 09:09:21 OldMacBookAir NetworkManager[741]: <info> [1636729761.3879] device (wlp3s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supp>
none of this means anything to me, except for "disconnected".
While I have gotten significant help with this issue, the problem is not solved. The driver for my wifi device allows the computer to "see" the device, but the reason for its disconnecting has not been sorted. I have done the best I know how, to comply with the help I have gotten. I do not know how to quantify who has helped me more. I am certainly willing for my "points" to go to whomever is appropriate, and I will yield to the decision of this organization. Whatever I'm holding can certainly go wherever it should, and I am fine with that. Thank you all.
