Score:1

Wifi and Bluetooth on MSI Pro Z690-A Wifi motherboard

id flag

I built a desktop computer for my son at Christmas; it’s all working well except the wifi and bluetooth which came preinstalled on the Mobo.

I installed 20.04.3 LTS desktop, but when Wifi and BT wouldn’t’ work I wondered if it might be that the hardware is very new, so changed to Ubuntu desktop 21.10. Still unable to get either to work. The GUI menu just doesn’t find any BT or Wifi adapters.

I do have internet access to that computer via ethernet cable so can download anything required. Wifi would be much better longer term and it would be nice to use the Bluetooth.

Of note, it’s dual boot Windows 11 and wifi / BT both work in Windows (I had to install drivers that came with the Mobo to get the wifi working). I tried from a live USB session in case I’d done something funny on the installation but still not able to use wifi or BT.

Specs:

  • Motherboard: MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI DDR4 (MS-7D25)

  • RAM: 16GB DDR4

  • Processor: Intel i5 12gen 12600K

  • Ubuntu version: desktop 21.10; linux kernel 5.13.0-28-generic

MSI’s documentation says in the spec that the mobo has an Intel Wifi 6 module.

Any advice on how to get BT & Wifi working in Ubuntu? If it’s just too new, it’s not a major problem as we can use the wired connection but seems a shame not to have it available.

I did find this No network on Ubuntu 21.10 - MSI PRO Z690-A WI-FI question which is similar - looks like the OP resolved it by upgrading the Linux kernel to 5.15 ... if that is safe (I have no experience of manually forcing a kernel upgrade) then I'll do it, but I would like advice on the safety of this if it's the recommended strategy.

Please let me know if any other information would be useful. I've pasted the output from sudo dmesg | grep iwl below - I'm no expert, but looks like a lot of errors!

Many thanks.

sudo dmesg|grep iwl output:

[    4.630211] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    4.633211] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-63.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.634862] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-62.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.635215] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-61.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.635892] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-60.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.635902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-59.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.636829] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-58.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.636838] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-57.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.636845] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-56.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.636852] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-55.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638741] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-54.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638755] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-53.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638766] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-52.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638775] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-51.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638784] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-50.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638793] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-49.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638802] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-48.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638811] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-47.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638820] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-46.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638828] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-45.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638837] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-44.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638848] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-43.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638860] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-42.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638868] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-41.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638877] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-40.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638886] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-39.ucode failed with error -2
[    4.638887] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: no suitable firmware found!
[    4.638889] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: minimum version required: iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-39
[    4.638891] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: maximum version supported: iwlwifi-so-a0-hr-b0-63
[    4.638892] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: check git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
Litchy avatar
eg flag
I have the same issue and same error log with you. I searched and replaced the firmware but did not find the suitable one. But after I updated the kernel to 5.16 and reboot the wifi works. For bluetooth, mine just work when I open system settings and enable it, the bluetooth icon appears on the top-right panel.
Score:2
ru flag

Install backport-iwlwifi-dkms...

sudo apt update

sudo apt install dkms linux-firmware backport-iwlwifi-dkms

reboot

Check your BIOS version...

MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI DDR4 (MS-7D25)

sudo dmidecode -s bios-version

Go to the MSI web site and check for a newer BIOS.

Will avatar
id flag
thank you very much. Wifi working really well now, thanks! I still can't see the bluetooth - do you have any suggestions to get that working? I'm not sure why the question was closed as the answers in the linked question are much less satisfactory - your answer worked perfectly for my wifi problem without the need to force a kernel upgrade.
heynnema avatar
ru flag
@Will Open the Bluetooth Settings panel, and check that the switch at the top of the panel is in the ON position. Also check `rfkill list`. Did you check your BIOS version?
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