Trisquel software update broke my WiFi connection

9 replies [Last post]
amenex
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Joined: 01/03/2015

Thankfully there is a clone of my ThinkPad T420 handy ...

Everything was fine this morning while I downloaded emails, but then
the Trisquel software update popup appeared, and I proceeded with the
58+/- MB update. Afterwards, I proceeded with some LibreOffice Calc.
spreadsheet editing ... suddenly it was 12:43 PM EDT and I noticed that
the WiFi wasn't connected ...

dmesg |tail-100 says:
[ 688.650872] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 9 using ehci-pci
[ 688.757565] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0cf3, idProduct=9271
[ 688.757577] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=16, Product=32, SerialNumber=48
[ 688.757583] usb 2-1.2: Product: UB93
[ 688.757589] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: ATHEROS
[ 688.757594] usb 2-1.2: SerialNumber: 12345
[ 688.759155] usb 2-1.2: ath9k_htc: Firmware ath9k_htc/htc_9271-1.4.0.fw requested
[ 688.759482] usb 2-1.2: Direct firmware load failed with error -2
[ 688.759491] usb 2-1.2: ath9k_htc: Firmware htc_9271.fw requested
[ 689.048834] usb 2-1.2: ath9k_htc: Transferred FW: htc_9271.fw, size: 50980
[ 689.290394] ath9k_htc 2-1.2:1.0: ath9k_htc: HTC initialized with 33 credits

I have two of these: Extended-range and thumbnail, both USB-connected. They're sold
by Think Penguin and have been 100% satisfactory in my experience for years.

I tried editing the [empty] connection; when I disable it, the usual Wi-Fi
disconnected popup appears in the expected place, but I get no response at all
when I subsequently enable it. nor when I unplug either one and insert it
in another USB port ... nor after a reboot with the adapter in place ... nor
when I insert either one after a reboot.

The same WiFi adapter[s] automatically connect when I re-insert one in a USB
port in this T420 clone ... on which I have not yet updated the software.

Upon re-editing the WiFi connection, I see that all the settings are the same
on the T420 clone as on the broken one.

It appears as though the Think Penguin firmware upgrade permanently installed
on both the T420 clone and its broken twin initially fails to load but
subsequently loads successfully, followed by no further activity. The dmesg
response is shown above; it's the same for either WiFi device.

Here's what happens on the T420 clone when I re-insert the extended-range WiFi
adapter, according to dmesg |tail -100:
[ 2409.060178] usb 2-1.1: ath9k_htc: USB layer deinitialized
[ 2409.848115] usb 2-1.1: new high-speed USB device number 8 using ehci-pci
[ 2409.957236] usb 2-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0cf3, idProduct=9271
[ 2409.957248] usb 2-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=16, Product=32, SerialNumber=48
[ 2409.957255] usb 2-1.1: Product: UB91C
[ 2409.957261] usb 2-1.1: Manufacturer: ATHEROS
[ 2409.957267] usb 2-1.1: SerialNumber: 12345
[ 2409.957984] usb 2-1.1: ath9k_htc: Firmware ath9k_htc/htc_9271-1.4.0.fw requested
[ 2409.958319] usb 2-1.1: Direct firmware load failed with error -2
[ 2409.958329] usb 2-1.1: ath9k_htc: Firmware htc_9271.fw requested
[ 2410.245114] usb 2-1.1: ath9k_htc: Transferred FW: htc_9271.fw, size: 50980
[ 2410.486568] ath9k_htc 2-1.1:1.0: ath9k_htc: HTC initialized with 33 credits
[ 2411.558453] ath9k_htc 2-1.1:1.0: ath9k_htc: FW Version: 1.3
[ 2411.558464] ath9k_htc 2-1.1:1.0: FW RMW support: Off
[ 2411.558470] ath: EEPROM regdomain: 0x833a
[ 2411.558474] ath: EEPROM indicates we should expect a country code
[ 2411.558479] ath: doing EEPROM country->regdmn map search
[ 2411.558483] ath: country maps to regdmn code: 0x37
[ 2411.558487] ath: Country alpha2 being used: GB
[ 2411.558491] ath: Regpair used: 0x37
[ 2411.567684] ieee80211 phy4: Atheros AR9271 Rev:1
[ 2411.581488] ath9k_htc 2-1.1:1.0 wlx00c0ca82ec36: renamed from wlan0

Thanks

George Langford

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Joined: 07/24/2010

Are you using Trisquel 8's default kernel? If so, try to upgrade it. Installing the linux-image-generic-hwe-8.0 package and rebooting should do it: https://trisquel.info/issues/27129

amenex
Offline
Joined: 01/03/2015

Easier said than done, especially with no working Internet connection
on the affected ThinkPad T420.

I do have some space on a USB flashdrive ... and my trusty T420 clone.

George Langford

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Joined: 07/24/2010
amenex
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Joined: 01/03/2015

OK ... sort of.

I used
wget -drc http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-image-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb > /media/george/IPv4/Destination/
and
http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-modules-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb

and then double-clicked down through a series of subdirectories
/media/george/IPv4/Desktop/BLBK5/FirstFile ...
to the final
/media/george/IPv4/Desktop/BLBK5/FirstFile/archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l
which then performed the install automatically and without complaint.

Alas, still no WiFi activation; but my Desktop needs work afterwards (different resolution, menu bar, etc.).

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Joined: 07/24/2010

wget -drc http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-image-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb > /media/george/IPv4/Destination/

None of those three options is useful here. The redirection is not either: the working directory is used. You always make things so complicated...

If you really want to use Wget, just execute:
$ cd /media/george/IPv4/Destination/
$ wget http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-image-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-modules-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb

and then double-clicked down through a series of subdirectories

So, you execute Wget instead of right clicking on two links on this Web page and choosing "Save Link As...", but you then take a graphical file manager to navigate down a deep branch of the file hierarchy (deep because you added options you do not understand to wget) instead of using cd and the auto-completion of the shell...

Alas, still no WiFi activation;

Does additionally installing http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb help?

amenex
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Joined: 01/03/2015

wget -drc http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-image-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb > /media/george/IPv4/Destination/

None of those three options is useful here. The redirection is not either: the working directory is used. You always make things so complicated...

Bear in mind that I was forced to use the working directory in the flash drive, because that flash drive
was my only usable file-transfer medium at the time.

If you really want to use Wget, just execute:
$ cd /media/george/IPv4/Destination/

That part is correct.

$ wget http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-image-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-modules-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb

There's a missing step in the above script: Transfer the T420 clone to the bottom of the pile on my
physical desk, restart the crippled T420, plug the flash drive into the USB port, and then invoke the
installer from the working directory on the flash drive.

So, you execute Wget instead of right clicking on two links on this Web page and choosing "Save Link As...", but you then take a graphical file manager to navigate down a deep branch of the file hierarchy (deep because you added options you do not understand to wget) instead of using cd and the auto-completion of the shell...

Those steps were not available on the T420 clone, because that computer had no electronic connection
to the WiFi-less T420 in spite of its close physical proximity.

Nevertheless, read on:
Does additionally installing
http://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/l/linux-hwe/linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-112-generic_4.15.0-112.113~16.04.1+8.0trisquel3_amd64.deb help?

Now, several hours after the above discourse, I bit the bullet, re-learned how to navigate the grub
menu by consulting my library of spiral notebooks, activated an earlier version of Trisquel 8, and
continued with my usual morning ritual of downloading emails, trashing spam, etc. with an un-buggy
Trisquel operating system, which makes the WiFi connection seamless.

Now, the installation of the linux-modules-extra from Abrowser from its address line was trivial,
and the result was completely satisfactory after re-booting the current operating system.

The condensed version of my reply is Yes!

Thank you.

George Langford

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Joined: 07/24/2010

Those steps were not available on the T420 clone, because that computer had no electronic connection to the WiFi-less T420 in spite of its close physical proximity.

I had understood: you can "Save Link As..." a file on a flash drive.

loldier
Offline
Joined: 02/17/2016

"Close physical proximity" could be an asset.

Connecting two computers using ethernet.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/474939/how-to-connect-two-ubuntu-computers-with-ethernet-cable

A crossover cable is not needed. Ethernet devices made in the last 10 or so years support auto MDI-X which eliminates the need for a crossover cable.

amenex
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Joined: 01/03/2015

The "updated laptop" is till giving me cause for worry ...

Today about noon, after letting the laptop run a big script grepping an even larger set of data files, I returned to find
the wifi dongle uncooperative, but after considerable editing and swapping my two dongles back & forth, I managed to
obtain a reliable wireless reconnection to the router. I then applied the Disconnect function, unplugged the dongle, and
went about my business.

An hour later, I looked at the "Edit Connections" function, and to my surprise, there were three SSID's listed:
Wi-Fi Last Used
SSID4 2 now
SSID4 1 1 hour ago
SSID4 1 month ago

The upper two of these are news to me. My active SSID is SSID4, not SSID4 1 or SSID4 2.

Where should I look for information about this behavior ?