10ec:b723 Realtek RTL8723BE wireless card drops connection

[Sebastian]

I am using Lenovo M30-70.

I tried many workarounds from https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1320070 but no change, the connection is lost after a while.

Finally I tried the rtlwifi_new driver from https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=83641#c1.
I first thought it works stable but after a while it also loses the connection (see my comment there). After reconnect it works for a while again.
I uninstalled the rtlwifi_new driver for this bug report.

(Bluetooth does not work at all, it doesn't find any devices)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.04
Package: linux-image-3.19.0-17-generic 3.19.0-17.17
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-17.17-generic 3.19.6
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-17-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.17.2-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: sledzik 2179 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed May 13 22:51:38 2015
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=d61164da-04eb-444a-a976-6a1f91fc4ffb
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-03-11 (63 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Release amd64 (20141022.1)
MachineType: LENOVO ZIUS6
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.19.0-17-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=40721d88-7203-4dfa-ac65-1a2b204fea34 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.19.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.19.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.143
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to vivid on 2015-04-06 (36 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 8BCN45WW(V3.08)
dmi.board.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: INVALID
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: 00000000INVALID
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: INVALID
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr8BCN45WW(V3.08):bd10/15/2014:svnLENOVO:pnZIUS6:pvrINVALID:rvnLENOVO:rnINVALID:rvr00000000INVALID:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrINVALID:
dmi.product.name: ZIUS6
dmi.product.version: INVALID
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[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 v4.1 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'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-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/v4.1-rc3-vivid/

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

Tested with linux-image-4.1.0-040100rc3-generic_4.1.0-040100rc3.201505102036_amd64.deb
(Difficult to test because no mouse pointer is visible)

Bios can not be updated, because it is only provided as an windows .exe file (not even dos).

[Christopher M. Penalver (penalvch)]

Sebastian, one would have to use a temporary Windows install as previously advised to update the BIOS.

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

Sorry, I can/will not do a BIOS update.
The last time as I updated from V3.07 to V3.08 I temporary run Win 7 to execute the BIOS update file and it went wrong. The update has freezed while writing the BIOS and my laptop was damaged. I had to replace a the mainboard with a new one.
So I am afraid of another damage and I said I will never make a BIOS update on this notebook again. :-(

Note: The behaviour of connection drops is the same as using the new driver rtlwifi_new (https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=83641#c1). After reconnect it is working again for a while.

[AceLan Kao (acelankao)]

Put the attached new firmware in
   /lib/firmware/rtlwifi/
And try the proposed kernel 3.19.0-26
I believe it helps

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

Thank you very much, this firmware is so much better!
The connection is very stable and faster, although it hangs up sometimes when changing the bandwidth.
The dmesg says at that time:
AP (mac number) changed bandwidth, new config is 2452 MHz, width 1 (2452/0 MHz)

But after a clic on my ssid to reconnect (on the network manager) it is up again within seconds.
This happens about one time per several hours. I am using my notebook about 3-4 hours at evening so I mostly have to reconnect only one time and that within first hour (sometimes but rarely I wait for several seconds and it comes back again by itself).

But I am very happy because as I said it works generally much stable and faster.
Thank you!

[AceLan Kao (acelankao)]

Hi Sebastian,

Yes, we found the issue, too. With the new firmware, we still encounter the issue around once a day.
We're still working on it, and will get back to you when we have any progress.

[Avirup Das (avirup-das)]

Tested on HP 15-AF006AX with the latest final build of Ubuntu 15.10, Kernel v4.2

The connection is stable, no disconnection for long hours. However, the signal strength issue persists. I cant get my wifi work beyond 1.5m radius of the the router.

The wifi does work fine on Windows system so, we can exclude the hardware issues.

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

I am also using the latest build of Ubuntu 15.10 on my Lenovo M30-70.
I still have to reconnect the wifi connection, somedays more and somedays less often.
The overall performance is poor, the speed while copying local files stays mostly under 2MB/s (I am about 3 meters away from the router).

[Alan Thompson (keys84)]

I have submitted my bug [Bug #1516251] as a duplicate of this but Im still not 100% if it is..
could somebody have a look please? Thanks

[dark-vader (inigo-delgado)]

Clarifying the signal strength problem:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2304607&page=4

It appears to be 2 antennas and only one connected in many laptops...

[marco.pallotta (marco-pallotta)]

On Ubuntu 14.04 it seems that the following command fix the issue:

echo "options rtl8723be fwlps=N ips=N" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8723be.conf
(the reboot the system)

[Vincenzo (vp92)]

@marco-pallotta: it is more like a workaround instead of a fix.

Are there news on a real fix for the firmware?

[marco.pallotta (marco-pallotta)]

@Vincenzo maybe it's a workaround or maybe realtek module is for many devices and for just rtl7323be the installer should insert in modprobe dir just the options I wrote.
In one forum I have read something similar but I'm not sure if it's true or not.

[J A Brown (inisfad)]

Is there any further information on this bug? I am using an HP Pavilion 15, with RT8723be, on Ubuntu 14.04/ 3.19. I'm having the same issue as this bu (and previous #1320070), and am hesitant about following some of the suggestions as posters tend to report that they do not work, blacklist the card, etc. The wifi works for about 30 minutes, must reboot to regain connection, and speed ridiculously slow. Thanks to advise.

[Vincenzo (vp92)]

@J A Brows: From what I know the bug is still unpatched. The solutions proposed by some in my case tend to stop working when, for example, a system update is performed.

[schuko24 (gerd-saenger)]

Have you already checked post #13? In my case, the hp pavillion runs like a charm after switching the antenna cable to the second socket on the wifi-card.

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

The best solution so far for me is from the same Thread as #13 but two pages later (page 6):
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2304607&page=6

There is an alternative driver rock.new_btcoex this works for me much better on my lenovo m30-70.
But I did not switch to antenna 2, I am still on 1, this was better for me.

[marco.pallotta (marco-pallotta)]

I can confirm that the solution proposed on #14 (or, as just sayd by @Vincenzo, maybe rather a workaround) works also on 16.04.
With this ubuntu version I added "options rtl8723be ips=0 swlps=0 fwlps=0" in my /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8723be.conf to be sure to disable all module power save controls (with 14.04 I didn't include swlps and I remembered that one time the bug happened).

[marco.pallotta (marco-pallotta)]

After some months I have unfortunately to correct my last posts: the workaround I posted works at 90% but many times the card drops many packets.
Moreover even when it works the performance are very poor: 2-3Mbps vs the real speed of 12-13Mbps.

So the problem remains.

[Sebastian (s-plaza)]

I wrote 2 short scripts for replacing the drivers after new installation or kernel upgrades:
The first rtl8723be_install.sh is for download and installation of an alternative driver after a new installation, the second rtl8723be_reinstall.sh for re-installation after a kernel upgrade.

"rtl8723be_install.sh":

sudo apt-get install build-essential git
git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtlwifi_new/
cd rtlwifi_new
make
install
sudo make install
echo "options rtl8723be swenc=1 fwlps=0 ips=0" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8723be.conf
sudo modprobe -r rtl8723be
sudo modprobe rtl8723be

"rtl8723be_reinstall.sh":

cd rtlwifi_new
make clean
git pull
make clean && make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe -rv rtl8723be
sudo modprobe -v rtl8723be

This is for me the best solution so far.