rtl8192cu driver and D-Link DWA-121 USB WiFi dongle LED issues - Ubuntu 18.04

[Aptivi]

In the Linux kernel version 4.15.0-36-generic with the D-Link DWA-121 mini USB WiFi using the rtl8192cu driver on Ubuntu 18.04, it appears that the driver is not controlling the blue LED that blinks when there is download/upload going on, so the LED keeps on.

This will cause users of this dongle to open network statistics to see if there is download/upload going on rather than simply looking at the LED. It's time consuming.

The driver works fine on Windows, so it's a driver issue. It didn't affect my AP performance. It's just the LED that doesn't blink.

- Steps to reproduce:

1. Install Ubuntu 18.04 on a system that has D-Link DWA-121 mini USB WiFi dongle or try it live
2. Look at the statistics light (blue LED) on the dongle. It's not blinking, whether there is download/upload or not.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-36-generic 4.15.0-36.39
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-36.39-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-36-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.15.0-36-generic.
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.4
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: eofla 1001 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'V8235'/'VIA 8235 with ALC650F at 0xe000, irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC650F'
   Components : 'AC97a:414c4723'
   Controls : 62
   Simple ctrls : 36
CurrentDesktop: LXDE
Date: Thu Oct 11 19:15:25 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-09-28 (13 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Lubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release i386 (20180725)
MachineType: MSI MS-6712
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-36-generic root=UUID=e0d9a13c-6776-4241-b61f-164ae076b371 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.15.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.15.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.173.1
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: irda via_ircc
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/02/01
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: Version 07.00T
dmi.board.name: MS-6712
dmi.board.vendor: MSI
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0123ABC
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Uknown Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Version 1.00
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrVersion07.00T:bd04/02/01:svnMSI:pnMS-6712:pvr1.0:rvnMSI:rnMS-6712:rvr1.0:cvnUknownChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrVersion1.00:
dmi.product.name: MS-6712
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: MSI

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Cristian Aravena Romero (caravena)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.19-rc7 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/v4.19-rc7/

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]