software-properties-gtk erroneously reports that certain Intel wireless adapter cards are not working

Bug #1859308 reported by Naël
210
This bug affects 42 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Low
Unassigned
Groovy
Won't Fix
Low
Unassigned

Bug Description

On Ubuntu 20.04 (development branch), as of today, Additional Drivers (software-properties-gtk 0.98.6) reports that the device "Intel Corporation: Wireless-AC 9260" is not working, and suggests using a manually installed driver (cf. screenshot).

However the device is working correctly:

  * lsmod | grep iwlwifi, lspci -v, lshw, dmesg | grep iwlwifi all show
    that its driver iwlwifi is in use
  * ls /lib/firmware/*9260* show that the appropriate firmware files
    are present

And I am indeed writing this bug report connected to an ac (5 GHz) wifi network, where I can verify a ~130-160 Mbps download speed, so software-properties-gtk shouldn't report the device as not working and suggest manually installing a driver. Not sure why it says so?

EDIT: bug confirmed as affecting the following Intel wireless adapter cards, and assumedly more to come:

  Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
  Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
  Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260
  Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
  Intel Wireless-AC 9260

Also for reference here are the specs of Intel adapter cards:

  ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark.html#@WirelessNetworking

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: software-properties-gtk 0.98.6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-9.12-generic 5.4.3
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-9-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu15
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sun Jan 12 00:53:43 2020
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/software-properties-gtk
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-12-29 (13 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Alpha amd64 (20191226)
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python3.7
PackageArchitecture: all
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.7, Python 3.7.6, python3-minimal, 3.7.5-1ubuntu1
PythonDetails: /usr/bin/python2.7, Python 2.7.17, python-minimal, 2.7.17-1
SourcePackage: software-properties
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :

In case it is relevant, note that I am starting the kernel with the option "pci=nommconf" to work around an issue with my PCIe SSD.

Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :
description: updated
Changed in software-properties (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
status: New → Confirmed
importance: High → Low
tags: added: champagne desktop-lts-wishlist
Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

The label is confusing but the status is mostly coming from ubuntu-drivers. Alberto do you have an idea what's going on there?

$ ubuntu-drivers device
states
manual_install: True
driver : backport-iwlwifi-dkms - distro free

$ ubuntu-drivers install
No drivers found for installation

(from similar situation with Wi-Fi 6 AX200 on an XPS13)

Is that expected?

Revision history for this message
tjiagoM (tjiagom) wrote :

I would like to add that, as described here (https://askubuntu.com/questions/1208247/this-device-is-not-working-message-in-additional-drivers-in-asus-zenbook-ubu) this is affecting me in Ubuntu 18.04, not just 20.04 as reported here.

Revision history for this message
Pachuca (pachuca) wrote :

I'm also having this problem after reinstalling 18.04 on the same machine and the problem didn't exist before. Here's all the details https://askubuntu.com/questions/1203558/ubuntu-18-04-intel-wireless-ac-9260-this-device-is-not-working-under-additiona

Revision history for this message
Mario Vukelic (kreuzsakra) wrote :

I am seeing this on an Asus Zenbook UX561UD after upgrade to 20.04. I am pretty sure that it was not there before on 19.10 and earlier. I have no notes about this and I am pretty anal about this machine (I certainly checked the additional drivers after initial installation).

In the past I had secure boot enabled on this machine, but disabled it when I upgraded to 20.04. Maybe a connection? I will test with re-enabling secure boot in the next days.

Revision history for this message
Mario Vukelic (kreuzsakra) wrote :

re-enabling secure boot makes no difference

Revision history for this message
Richard Anthony Horan (richard378) wrote :

I have the same issue which goes away when I install a newer kernel then the default Ubuntu kernel.

Revision history for this message
Raz Ziv (raz-ziv) wrote :

I'm also affected. "Intel corporation: Wireless 8260" on 19.10

Revision history for this message
Darin Miller (darinmiller) wrote :

Also affects Intel Wireless 3165 on the Kubuntu 20.04 RC.

Revision history for this message
Darin Miller (darinmiller) wrote :

Also, not sure if its related but if a graphics driver is installed via the Addition Drivers option, the process correctly informs that a restart is necessary, but the Restart button on the Additional Drivers tab does not work. Separate bug?

Revision history for this message
Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa) wrote :

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu ISO testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1859308

tags: added: iso-testing
Revision history for this message
hackel (hackel) wrote :

Same for me.
❯ ubuntu-drivers devices
== /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:3b:00.0 ==
modalias : pci:v00008086d00002723sv00001A56sd00001654bc02sc80i00
vendor : Intel Corporation
model : Wi-Fi 6 AX200
manual_install: True
driver : backport-iwlwifi-dkms - distro free

I do not even have backport-iwlwifi-dkms installed. iwlwifi is working fine.

iwlwifi 0000:3b:00.0: Detected Killer(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW), REV=0x340

Revision history for this message
Decio Della Fortuna (decio-dellafortuna) wrote :

Also affects Intel Corporation Wireless 8260 (rev 3a) on the Ubuntu 20.04

Revision history for this message
Mason Bee (masonbee) wrote :

For me it works on 5GHz but not on 2GHz wireless.

Revision history for this message
Joerg Baeuerle (schorsch81) wrote :

I have the same problem with a fresh install of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS release on a Dell Latitude E5440 with Intel Wireless 7260.

Also, the wifi connection is quite unstable and would sometimes freeze altogether, until I disconnect and connect again.
With Ubuntu 18.04 on the same machine I have never had any problems before.

Naël (nathanael-naeri)
summary: - software-properties-gtk erroneously reports that Intel Wireless-AC 9260
- device is not working
+ software-properties-gtk erroneously reports that certain Intel wireless
+ adapter cards are not working
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Naël (nathanael-naeri) wrote :

Description updated to reflect that this issue is not specific to a particular Intel wireless card. A number of different cards are concerned.

Revision history for this message
Tarassov Sergey (satarasov) wrote :

I am experiencing same problem with Intel Wireless-AC 8265 on Ubuntu 20.04.
Writing this using 5G network.

> ubuntu-drivers devices

== /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.5/0000:3c:00.0 ==
modalias : pci:v00008086d000024FDsv00008086sd00000050bc02sc80i00
vendor : Intel Corporation
model : Wireless 8265 / 8275
manual_install: True
driver : backport-iwlwifi-dkms - distro free

"This device is not working" in Additional Drivers.

tags: added: rls-ff-incoming
Revision history for this message
Jouke (digigram) wrote :

same here on lenovo x1 carbon u20.04 upgraded from 18.04:

ubuntu-drivers devices
== /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0 ==
modalias : pci:v00008086d000024FDsv00008086sd00001130bc02sc80i00
vendor : Intel Corporation
model : Wireless 8265 / 8275 (Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265)
manual_install: True
driver : backport-iwlwifi-dkms - distro free

ubuntu-drivers install
No drivers found for installation.

Changed in software-properties (Ubuntu):
assignee: nobody → Olivier Tilloy (osomon)
Olivier Tilloy (osomon)
tags: removed: rls-ff-incoming
Revision history for this message
Olivier Tilloy (osomon) wrote :

This looks very similar to bug #1878553.

ubuntu-drivers-common reports that iwlwifi is "manually installed" because "modinfo iwlwifi" returns !0. This causes software-properties-gtk to display this confusing, mostly greyed out piece of UI.

The iwlwifi module is part of the kernel (/lib/modules/5.4.0-31-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwlwifi.ko is installed by linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-31-generic), which explains why the adapter card works out of the box. Therefore the DKMS module really shouldn't be needed in most cases (although I'm not sure how often the module is updated as part of kernel updates VS backport-iwlwifi-dkms updates).

ubuntu-drivers-common probably needs to be made aware of such modules shipped by the kernel, to avoid incorrectly labelling them as "manually installed".

affects: software-properties (Ubuntu Groovy) → ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu Groovy)
xuu (xuu)
Changed in ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu Groovy):
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
Olivier Tilloy (osomon)
Changed in ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu Groovy):
status: Fix Released → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Yevhen (y.vitiuk) wrote :

Reproduced on Ubuntu 20.04 with Intel Corporation Wireless 3165, as also mentioned in this comment - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-drivers-common/+bug/1859308/comments/14
with the same message, but with disabled buttons "Apply Changes" and "Revert".

Please check this link for issue details - https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2443894&p=13959817&posted=1

Host machine - Dell Inspiron 7559, multiboot.
Details:
- Kernel version(`uname -r`): 5.4.0-31-generic
- OS: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Desktop
- Wifi card - Intel 3165AC + BT4.2 [802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2, Dual Band 2. 4&5 GHz, 1x1]

@osomon(Olivier Tilloy):

Will the fix of this bug:
1) allow to use some of manual installed compatible(non-trigerring "...not working" message) driver*?
Or
2) just enable "Apply changes" button(see this screen for details - https://imgur.com/7ILFptF and the issue - https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2443894&p=13959817&posted=1)?

*eg: of different from default shipped driver version due to some relatively-old-hardware.

Revision history for this message
Rael Gugelmin Cunha (rael-gc) wrote :

Why the fix is released only for Groovy and not Focal?

Revision history for this message
Lance Parsons (lparsons) wrote :

I'm having the same problem, except my wifi connects, but gives me no internet. Dell Precision 5520, Unbuntu 20.04.

Revision history for this message
Lance Parsons (lparsons) wrote :

Correction: I have the same display issue, but WiFi IS working on Dell Precision 5520, Unbuntu 20.04.

My apologies, there was an unrelated DHCP issue, but this display problem got me going down the wrong path to fix it.

Revision history for this message
Lyubomir (mystiquewolf) wrote :

Also experience the issue with Intel Corporation Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168NGW [Stone Peak]. Ubuntu 20.04.

Revision history for this message
Edward Gibbs (gibbs-edward) wrote :

I have the same issue with 8260 on 20.04. Without backports installed the wi-fi worked but there was often a very long delay when connecting to or loading a site. Ran speed test (google speed test) and there was a 15 - 20-second delay connecting to the server, but then good speed (around 40 MBPS) was reported. This was repeatable. Installed backports and selected it as the driver and the delay disappeared. Now connects instantly and reports the same good speed.

tags: removed: champagne
Revision history for this message
Maciej (linean) wrote :

I have the same issue with 20.04 and Intel AX200. It works quite well but I'm unable to authorize with some 2.4GHz hotspots.

tags: added: rls-gg-incoming
tags: removed: rls-gg-incoming
Changed in ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu Groovy):
status: Confirmed → Won't Fix
tags: added: dt-197
Revision history for this message
Sandeep B (ksandeep56) wrote :

I don't know whether its an erroneous report or not, but I am seeing This device is not working. And my internet slows down sometimes. Sometimes after being the laptop idle for some time the internet stops working.

Olivier Tilloy (osomon)
Changed in ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu):
assignee: Olivier Tilloy (osomon) → nobody
Changed in ubuntu-drivers-common (Ubuntu Groovy):
assignee: Olivier Tilloy (osomon) → nobody
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