WiFi doesn't work intermittently; need to boot into Windows to fix it

[aisajib]

I've been facing it every now and then, but it's becoming more frequent, so I'd like to figure out a solution.

Every so often, I boot into Zorin OS and discover that the WiFi doesn't work. The WiFi icon is missing in the system tray. But lsusb lists the adapter.

Restarting as many times as I want doesn't produce anything different. The only fix is to boot into Windows and then restart into Zorin. Then the WiFi is found without any further issues.

My current config:

Any ideas why this happens and how I can prevent it?

[StarTreker]

Click logo bottom of screen, then click on settings.

Click on Power in the list...

See the toggle for WIFI can be turned off to save power? Make sure its not toggled on, it can cause issues on systems that can't wake after sleep.

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[aisajib]

Interestingly, I don't have those options.

FWIW, my laptop's been plugged in this whole time. (It happened just again.)

[StarTreker]

I'm on OS 16.3, so our options are slightly different, but more or less the same. For example, your power performance options. Right now yours are set on balanced which should be fine, but you could try high performance.

You might need someone more knowledgeable to help you because I am now at a loss.

PS: Make sure "SECURE BOOT" and "FAST BOOT" are disabled in the "BIOS."

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[Ponce-De-Leon]

Beneath Fast Boot and Secure Boot turned off in BIOS, check if Fast Start-Up in Windows is turned off.

For Your Wifi, You could take a Look in the ''Additional Drivers'' Tab in Software & Updates if there is a Driver offered.

You could try to reinstall the linux-firmware Package with the Command sudo apt reinstall linux-firmware

[aisajib]

@Ponce-De-Leon

Beneath Fast Boot and Secure Boot turned off in BIOS, check if Fast Start-Up in Windows is turned off.

Secure Boot was turned off, but I noticed Fast Boot was enabled. I disabled it, but that didn't help. I still booted into Zorin with no WiFi.

@Ponce-De-Leon

For Your Wifi, You could take a Look in the ''Additional Drivers'' Tab in Software & Updates if there is a Driver offered.

None is offered there.

@Ponce-De-Leon

You could try to reinstall the linux-firmware Package with the Command sudo apt reinstall linux-firmware

I'll try this and report back any improvements. Thanks!

[Aravisian]

What is your WiFi card?

sudo lshw -C network

[aisajib]

@Aravisian

What is your WiFi card?

  *-network                 
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       logical name: enp3s0
       version: 05
       serial: 04:42:1a:87:28:2d
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=6.8.0-52-generic firmware=rtl8125b-2_0.0.2 07/13/20 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
       resources: irq:51 ioport:d000(size=256) memory:fc900000-fc90ffff memory:fc910000-fc913fff
  *-network UNCLAIMED
       description: Network controller
       product: Wi-Fi 6 AX200
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
       version: 1a
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
       resources: memory:fc800000-fc803fff

This output is from when WiFi wasn't working.

[aisajib]

This is when WiFi is working:

 *-network                 
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       logical name: enp3s0
       version: 05
       serial: 04:42:1a:87:28:2d
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=6.8.0-52-generic firmware=rtl8125b-2_0.0.2 07/13/20 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
       resources: irq:51 ioport:d000(size=256) memory:fc900000-fc90ffff memory:fc910000-fc913fff
  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       product: Wi-Fi 6 AX200
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
       logical name: wlp4s0
       version: 1a
       serial: 3c:21:9c:53:15:e2
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlwifi driverversion=6.8.0-52-generic firmware=77.2df8986f.0 cc-a0-77.ucode ip=192.168.31.234 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
       resources: irq:102 memory:fc800000-fc803fff

[Aravisian]

@aisajib

Wi-Fi 6 AX200

Notorious.

Yes, that card is unstable on GnuLinux.
You might ensure the module prober is using iwlwifi for it, but aside from that, my usual recommendation is to replace it or use a WiFi dongle.
You can do a search on Wi-Fi 6 AX200 to see just how persistently it remains a trouble-maker.

[aisajib]

@Ponce-De-Leon

You could try to reinstall the linux-firmware Package with the Command sudo apt reinstall linux-firmware

I've just tried it, though I noticed some odd stuff during installation:

Unpacking linux-firmware (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.36) over (20220329.git68
1281e4-0ubuntu3.36) ...
Setting up linux-firmware (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.36) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.0-52-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/ip_discovery.bin for module am
dgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vega10_cap.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_cap.bin for mod
ule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_cap.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/aldebaran_cap.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_0_toc.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes1.bin for mo
dule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for mod
ule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mes.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/smu_14_0_2.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/dcn_3_5_1_dmcub.bin for module
 amdgpu
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.0-51-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/ip_discovery.bin for module am
dgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vega10_cap.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_cap.bin for mod
ule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_cap.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/aldebaran_cap.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_0_toc.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes1.bin for mo
dule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for mod
ule amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/gc_11_0_3_mes.bin for module a
mdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/smu_14_0_2.bin for module amdg
pu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/dcn_3_5_1_dmcub.bin for module
 amdgpu

[Aravisian]

@aisajib

though I noticed some odd stuff during installation:

You can read more here:

Linux-firmware sources (Possible missing firmware)

Some of us will occasionally experience the i915 "Possible Missing Firmware" warning. EDIT: A recent Update may make some of this Obsolete. If you are reading this after the updates released by 16 Dec 2021 and still having Firmware Warnings, perhaps the below will help you. I gathered all the listed files into one directory and this can be handled here: However, this only covers users with the i915 modinfo warning. Others have the AMD warnings and so forth. Other users may be having troubl…

[aisajib]

@Aravisian

You can do a search on Wi-Fi 6 AX200 to see just how persistently it remains a trouble-maker.

UGHHGH! The laptop came with a MediaTek WiFi adapter, which routinely had issues on Windows. We don't have Amazon here, and laptop WiFi adapters are usually tricky things to find. Yet, I had a third-party import the Intel AX200 from Amazon US and installed it on my laptop. It's been smooth-sailing since then.

I had no idea this was a troublesome adapter for Linux, especially since it's been running well for the last few months.

Given how widespread this adapter is used (on laptops and mini PCs (My new Beelink also has this)) which adapter is best suited for Linux-based OS?

[Aravisian]

Well, have you tried

sudo modprobe iwlwifi

I recommend checking hardware compat using the database:

Linux Hardware Database

[aisajib]

@Aravisian

Well, have you tried

sudo modprobe iwlwifi

Just did. I'll report back if it solves the issue.

[aisajib]

Unfortunately, the problem persists.

[Aravisian]

@aisajib

Unfortunately, the problem persists.

I think your best bet, then, is a compatible WIFI USB adapter.

[StarTreker]

https://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wireless-Internet-Supported-DWA-181-US/dp/B07YYL3RYJ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=QL9A3&content-id=amzn1.sym.1e740ee2-ebac-498f-a702-cd53df994072&pf_rd_p=1e740ee2-ebac-498f-a702-cd53df994072&pf_rd_r=02STQY1JTG91YJRKBXJ0&pd_rd_wg=2QuQO&pd_rd_r=7bfd57b5-d2d9-4e29-911a-d954fc546a0a&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_dealz_cs

Might be what OP will need to solve their lack of WIFI issue. Affordable to buy, supports previous and current WIFI standards, and supports Linux.

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[aisajib]

Thanks! We don't have Amazon here (and this will be hard to find in local shops). I guess I'll wait for my next trip abroad.