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I'm running

uname -r
4.10.6-1-ARCH

on my Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition (2014). I'm currently having strange problems with my WiFi (I use NetworkManager with nm-applet for KDE):

  1. At the most superficial level I observed that sometimes it works perfectly: when I boot my PC, it has already connected to the WiFi, and sometimes it won't connect in any manner (the WiFi is always the same);

  2. I try to restart NM and the problem persists.

  3. Sometimes, if I reboot my laptop it works again, sometimes not.

  4. I tried to use nmcli:

    nmcli connection up My-WiFi

then I observe

dmesg
[  250.165837] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlp2s0: link becomes ready
[  250.255882] wlp2s0: Limiting TX power to 14 dBm as advertised by 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  272.004204] wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[  275.432861] wlp2s0: authenticate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  275.435513] wlp2s0: send auth to 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  275.440164] wlp2s0: 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 unexpected authentication state: alg 0 (expected 0) transact 256 (expected 2)
[  275.538092] wlp2s0: send auth to 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 2/3)
[  275.540879] wlp2s0: authenticated
[  275.544662] wlp2s0: associate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  275.546811] wlp2s0: RX AssocResp from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=4)
[  275.548267] wlp2s0: associated
[  275.653364] wlp2s0: Limiting TX power to 14 dBm as advertised by 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  297.004547] wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[  300.433810] wlp2s0: authenticate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  300.437019] wlp2s0: send auth to 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  300.438771] wlp2s0: authenticated
[  300.441086] wlp2s0: associate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  300.443198] wlp2s0: RX AssocResp from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=4)
[  300.444175] wlp2s0: associated
[  300.530232] wlp2s0: Limiting TX power to 14 dBm as advertised by 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  322.003946] wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[  325.430498] wlp2s0: authenticate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  325.433405] wlp2s0: send auth to 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  325.435168] wlp2s0: authenticated
[  325.437533] wlp2s0: associate with 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (try 1/3)
[  325.439710] wlp2s0: RX AssocResp from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=4)
[  325.440978] wlp2s0: associated
[  325.618536] wlp2s0: Limiting TX power to 14 dBm as advertised by 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3
[  347.007641] wlp2s0: deauthenticating from 00:3a:9a:32:62:d3 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[  347.023798] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp2s0: link is not ready
[  347.025937] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp2s0: link is not ready
[  692.002060] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp2s0: link is not ready

There is always the same error. I do not know how to fix.  Notice the following:

  1. My PC is Linux-friendly (was sold with Ubuntu), in particular 
    lspci -k 
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 6b)
    Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260
    Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
    Kernel modules: iwlwifi
  2. All necessary services are active:
systemctl --type=service
UNIT                                                LOAD   ACTIVE SUB     DESCRIPTION                                   
dbus.service                                        loaded active running D-Bus System Message Bus                      
gssproxy.service                                    loaded active running GSSAPI Proxy Daemon                           
kmod-static-nodes.service                           loaded active exited  Create list of required static device nodes fo
lm_sensors.service                                  loaded active exited  Initialize hardware monitoring sensors        
NetworkManager.service                              loaded active running Network Manager                               
ntpd.service                                        loaded active running Network Time Service                          
polkit.service                                      loaded active running Authorization Manager                         
rtkit-daemon.service                                loaded active running RealtimeKit Scheduling Policy Service         
sddm.service                                        loaded active running Simple Desktop Display Manager                
systemd-backlight@backlight:intel_backlight.service loaded active exited  Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backl
systemd-backlight@leds:dell::kbd_backlight.service  loaded active exited  Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of leds:
systemd-journal-flush.service                       loaded active exited  Flush Journal to Persistent Storage           
systemd-journald.service                            loaded active running Journal Service                               
systemd-logind.service                              loaded active running Login Service                                 
systemd-random-seed.service                         loaded active exited  Load/Save Random Seed                         
systemd-remount-fs.service                          loaded active exited  Remount Root and Kernel File Systems          
systemd-sysctl.service                              loaded active exited  Apply Kernel Variables                        
systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service                  loaded active exited  Create Static Device Nodes in /dev            
systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service                      loaded active exited  Create Volatile Files and Directories         
systemd-udev-trigger.service                        loaded active exited  udev Coldplug all Devices                     
systemd-udevd.service                               loaded active running udev Kernel Device Manager                    
systemd-update-utmp.service                         loaded active exited  Update UTMP about System Boot/Shutdown        
systemd-user-sessions.service                       loaded active exited  Permit User Sessions                          
udisks2.service                                     loaded active running Disk Manager                                  
upower.service                                      loaded active running Daemon for power management                   
user@1000.service                                   loaded active running User Manager for UID 1000                     
wpa_supplicant.service                              loaded active running WPA supplicant

  1. If I use a USB wired Ethernet shield I can connect with NM without problem;

  2. I tried also to connect directly with wpa_supplicant, but was impossible, due to authentication errors.  However, I stress that my userid and password are correct since sometimes I'm able to connect without any problem.

What should I do?

G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica'
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MaPo
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    Havent pre-2016 XPS models huge problems with interference between wifi and USB devices due the interfaces being near each other, that have been somewhat mitigated in newer releases? Are you using USB devices when you have got that problem? – Rui F Ribeiro Apr 03 '17 at 13:44
  • I noticed that plugging in usb eth shield can modify the behavior of the wifi error. But it doesn't seem to be deterministic. However rationally thinking it should be possible to spot the problem. – MaPo Apr 03 '17 at 14:32
  • Extarct the iwlwifi-7260-ucode-22.1.7.0.tgz to your /lib/firmware then reload the iwlwifi – GAD3R Apr 03 '17 at 16:28
  • without using pacman? – MaPo Apr 03 '17 at 16:47
  • @GAD3R I try to reload the module but apparently it was already in use. So I rebooted my pc, but the result is the same – MaPo Apr 03 '17 at 17:02
  • I have the same problem with 4.15.0-13-grneric on my XPS 13 latest version. – Elod Jul 14 '18 at 13:07
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    Four upvoted answers, one accepted, here: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/386925/aborting-authentication-by-local-choice-reason-3-deauth-leaving-when-trying – Rob Aug 20 '18 at 08:32
  • Make sure you don't have a hardware network switch turned off. That recently had me tearing my hair out over my nonfunctioning wifi. – Nonny Moose Jan 01 '19 at 01:06
  • Try the rmmod / modprobe w/ option steps from post https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2266388&p=13233069#post13233069 – rhoyerboat Aug 19 '19 at 11:00
  • Could it be that someone in your surroundings is teasing you with a deauther device? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcAcQQPRYrk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPFs4mueUtk&t=16s – Marc Aug 01 '19 at 20:56
  • Don't some hacking attempts brake ones connection to capture the handshake? :p – WGRM Mar 06 '20 at 16:28
  • Maybe you can disable the NetworkManager by service NetworkManager stop – jrglndmnn Jan 14 '21 at 06:50

2 Answers2

1

I see you have both NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant running. My laptop (Inspiron 7590) with Intel 9560-ac wifi card had a similar problem. After replacing wpa_supplicant with NetworkManager things were solved. Before that I tried every single suggestion on the internet without any success.

EDIT: The problem was multiple dhcpcd clients. The system is now stable with wpa_supplicant as well.

NTwoO
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1

It could be that your WiFi chip is faulty. I had that problem in a laptop before and in an Android phone. One thing that may help, if you haven't yet, is to take of the back cover of your laptop and blow it out with a compressor or canned air. Sometimes, dust can be enough to mess up an electronic circuit because it can cause archs / shorts which have the potential to cause anything to happen. I can't say for certain I have "fixed" a WiFi card like this, but I can say I never broke one doing this and usually there is a noticeable speed difference when I exhaust all of the dust from the board.

Alternatively, seeing as how WiFi chip manufacturers primarily support Windows with Linux support spotty at best, it is possible the kernel modules you are using for it is fault. I had THIS problem messing around with monitor mode on a "prism" device (although Linux even told me the prism drivers don't work well with monitor mode).

Lastly, I couldn't help but notice your router is limiting your to 14dbm. Absent an antenna, this is only 25mW of power (actual power of the signal depends both on the dbm of the input device and the gain of the antenna). In the US, you are allowed 1 watt (1000 mW) or EIRP (which is the whole "antenna + transmitter power" formula the FCC uses to regulate the power to 1 watt. Anyway, that could be the cause of part of the problem as well. 25mW = 1/40th of a watt, so it may just be that your WiFi card is limited to whispering. To solve this, try either messing with your WiFi card's regulatory domain, the txpower option in the iw command, or see if there is some setting the router has to limit the txpower of the client.

G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica'
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MarkTheRusty
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