RT3290 Wifi stopped working after upgrade from 14.04 LTS to 16.04 LTS

[Arto Makkonen]

After today's upgrade to Ubuntu 16.04 Wifi is not working any longer. Networks are not seen, and the wireless network indicator icon is "empty".

The Wifi worked just fine with 14.04 before the upgrade, and it also works in the Windows 10 Boot of this computer.

I've run the following commands and rebooted without results:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

The logs in this bug were created by booting without the Ethernet connection, and by plugging in the Ethernet cable before sending in 'ubuntu-bug linux'.

I observed that the Wifi did work a couple of times when I booted with the Ethernet cable plugged in. Error is back when booting without the Ethernet cable.

Please let me know if you need additional information.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic 4.4.0-34.53
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-34.53-generic 4.4.15
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-34-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: arto 3396 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: arto 3396 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Mon Aug 15 23:24:13 2016
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=8b70a4a1-df29-4f51-9b65-c2a17b4361a2
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-09-18 (332 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04f2:b40e Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd HP Truevision HD camera
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:8000 Intel Corp.
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP 15 Notebook PC
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-34-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=c1e1c032-887a-44c8-b4d2-0850b57082e8 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.3
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-08-15 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 05/21/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde
dmi.bios.version: F.18
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 2212
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 86.28
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Chassis Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsyde:bvrF.18:bd05/21/2014:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHP15NotebookPC:pvr0976100000405F00000620180:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn2212:rvr86.28:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: HP 15 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: 0976100000405F00000620180
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.8 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.8-rc2/

[Arto Makkonen (arto-o-makkonen)]

Thanks for your response. Just tested with the latest upstream kernel rc2-generic_4.8.0 and the bug is still there.

Also with this version I noticed that sometimes booting with the Ethernet cable connected wakes up Wifi as well, but this is not 100 % repeatable. Without the cable I cannot activate Wifi or see any networks.

Modified the error status and tags as requested.

[Arto Makkonen (arto-o-makkonen)]

Additional information: let me attach a screenshot of the networking indicator icon menu: Below 'Wifi networks' it says 'device not ready' (in Finnish: 'Wifi-verkot', 'laite ei valmis').

[Giampiero Salvi (giampisalvi)]

Hi,
something similar happened to my system with the following differences:
- The wifi device is
02:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8723AE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
- The device was working fine after upgrading to Ubuntu 16.04, but stopped working after the latest kernel update (4.4.0-34-generic)

In the network drop-down menu, the device is listed, but it is "disconnected" (inactive) and I could not find a way to wake it up.

From sudo lshw:
           *-network
                description: Wireless interface
                product: RTL8723AE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
                vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
                logical name: wlan1
                version: 00
                serial: 6c:71:d9:d6:3d:37
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
                configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtl8723ae driverversion=4.4.0-34-generic firmware=N/A latency=0 link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
                resources: irq:19 ioport:e000(size=256) memory:f7c00000-f7c03fff

The system is an Intel NUC, product code D54250WYK, with Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4250U CPU @ 1.30GHz. Let me know if you want more information from my system

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Arto Makkonen, could you please provide the full computer model as noted on the sticker of the computer itself (not from the Bug Description, or the result of a terminal command)?

[Arto Makkonen (arto-o-makkonen)]

Here's the information from the sticker:

Product: J2U45EA#UUW
Serial: CND4250FMY
Model: 15-r085noRev: 2212-100

Hope this helps.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Arto Makkonen, to keep this relevant to upstream, one would want to test the latest mainline kernel (now 4.8-rc4) as it is released.

Could you please advise?

[Arto Makkonen (arto-o-makkonen)]

Good news - I removed my WLAN dongle to test with the built-in WLAN again and I cannot reproduce this bug with 4.8-rc4. Strangely enough I also cannot reproduce it with 4.4.0-34 or 4.4.0-36 either. Either the bug has been fixed by an update outside the kernel or it is hiding.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Arto Makkonen, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1613437/comments/10 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.

[Valtteri Suojanen (vsuojanen)]

also with my laptop after upgrading from 14.04 to 16.04.
I had another problem already in 14.04 with wifi device driver when it used to drop link some time after not being used - I had to use RF key on keyboard to make it up again. But back to this bug...

Following happened:
1. 14.04 -> 16.04 upgrade updates my machine
2. using 16.04 good after that
3. the WLAN built-in device drops and machine is shutdown
4. the Ubuntu OS couldn't but the device up anymore
5. So I tried resolving my WLAN status hitting many times radio switch on keyboard, and also without success to enable it in NetworkManager, these activities in the system just didn't make the built-in device up so ...
6. I removed laptop battery, no difference
7. entered BIOS, reset defaults and WLAN device was back in Ubuntu.
8. Now in 16.04 everything is back as in 14.04 (also the other problem which I believe is some driver issue unrelated to this bug)

This just might sound crazy but my assumption is that the upgrade and shutdown while built-in WLAN was disabled in RF was the reason for the WLAN device not to come up again after boot just by pressing the RF key on keyboard. I can't make the difference between hardware and software blocking when it comes to RF key on keyboard. I believe it's software blocked when you do it with the keyboard (?)

But why WLAN got disabled in BIOS and why RF key press did not bring it up anymore in 16.04?

I would not be writing here if I had any doubt that after the upgrade someone came in middle, entered BIOS and disabled WLAN in BIOS.

Writing comment because this bug seemed to affect me also.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Valtteri Suojanen, as the issue is closed resolved for the original reporter, this report wouldn't have anything to do with your problem.

However, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with the Ubuntu repository kernel (not mainline/upstream) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

Please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Asrian Howard-Jones (adrian-9)]

Running freshly configured Ubuntu 16.04 off an OCZ SSD on a Dell Optiplex 760.
Does not find Wifi dongle following reboot.
Workaround seems to be going into the edit connections screen and telling it to save the wifi password again. That and, (or?) unplugging and then replugging the wifi dongle.

Similar problem on a Dell Optiplex 755 also but with Ubuntu 16.04 loaded as an upgrade from 14.04.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Asrian Howard-Jones, as the issue is closed resolved for the original reporter, this report wouldn't have anything to do with your problem.

However, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with the Ubuntu repository kernel (not mainline/upstream) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

Please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.