Intel Wireless Issues

[Booshotti]

Hello guys!

I am having some issues with my new laptop and Kali and even other Distros.


I have tried a lot of things and still no luck.

Adapter - Intel Corporation Wireless 7265 (rev 59)

I have downloaded the UCODE files and put them in /etc/firmware and it seems to load on boot but I have noticed I have a hardware lock on the wireless device, Kali is not detecting the laptop being in Airplane mode but on the laptops panel I see the airplane mode symbol glowing.

If I turn it off Airplane mode then enables on Kali, It's almost as if they are working in opposites, Off = On, On = Off


My laptop is an ASUS Vivabook K501U

1: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: asus-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
3: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
7: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

[_defalt]

I have downloaded the UCODE files and put them in /etc/firmware

Last time I remember that firmwares are stored in /lib/firmware. About /etc/firmware I've no idea if this one is correct.

You need to blacklist conflicting module. Can you show the output of lsmod? Your rfkill list all output shows that your physical WLAN is hardblocked. Have you tried rfkill unblock all(It may not work)?

[Booshotti]

Last time I remember that firmwares are stored in /lib/firmware. About /etc/firmware I've no idea if this one is correct.

You need to blacklist conflicting module. Can you show the output of lsmod? Your rfkill list all output shows that your physical WLAN is hardblocked. Have you tried rfkill unblock all(It may not work)?

i have done a fresh install and during the install it asked for the firmware, I put them in /lib/firmware previously I mistyped that

But... I have found a weird fix, If I let the laptop boot and then close the lid for a few seconds so it goes into sleep mode, When I open it again the hardware block is disabled and WiFi works without adding the drivers it requested during install. I'm happy it works but there has to be a fix so I don't have to go into sleep mode everytime I boot up.

Module Size Used by
ctr 16384 3
ccm 20480 3
nls_utf8 16384 1
nls_cp437 20480 1
vfat 20480 1
fat 69632 1 vfat
fuse 98304 3
nfnetlink_queue 20480 0
nfnetlink_log 20480 0
nfnetlink 16384 2 nfnetlink_log,nfnetlink_queue
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 45056 1
snd_hda_codec_conexant 24576 1
snd_hda_codec_generic 69632 1 snd_hda_codec_conexant
joydev 20480 0
snd_soc_skl 57344 0
snd_soc_skl_ipc 32768 1 snd_soc_skl
snd_soc_sst_ipc 16384 1 snd_soc_skl_ipc
snd_soc_sst_dsp 53248 1 snd_soc_skl_ipc
snd_hda_ext_core 28672 1 snd_soc_skl
snd_soc_sst_match 16384 1 snd_soc_skl
arc4 16384 2
binfmt_misc 20480 1
snd_soc_core 208896 1 snd_soc_skl
snd_compress 20480 1 snd_soc_core
dw_dmac_core 24576 1 snd_soc_sst_dsp
asus_nb_wmi 24576 0
i2c_designware_platform 16384 0
asus_wmi 28672 1 asus_nb_wmi
i2c_designware_core 20480 1 i2c_designware_platform
sparse_keymap 16384 1 asus_wmi
iwlmvm 225280 0
intel_rapl 20480 0
mac80211 638976 1 iwlmvm
x86_pkg_temp_thermal 16384 0
intel_powerclamp 16384 0
coretemp 16384 0
nouveau 1486848 1
kvm_intel 188416 0
iwlwifi 147456 1 iwlmvm
kvm 561152 1 kvm_intel
irqbypass 16384 1 kvm
mxm_wmi 16384 1 nouveau
cfg80211 573440 3 iwlwifi,mac80211,iwlmvm
ttm 94208 1 nouveau
uvcvideo 90112 0
videobuf2_vmalloc 16384 1 uvcvideo
snd_hda_intel 36864 3
videobuf2_memops 16384 1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_v4l2 24576 1 uvcvideo
snd_hda_codec 135168 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_ codec_generic,snd_hda_intel
videobuf2_core 36864 2 uvcvideo,videobuf2_v4l2
snd_hda_core 81920 7 snd_hda_ext_core,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_ conexant,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_h da_intel,snd_soc_skl
videodev 176128 3 uvcvideo,videobuf2_core,videobuf2_v4l2
snd_hwdep 16384 1 snd_hda_codec
evdev 24576 17
pcspkr 16384 0
serio_raw 16384 0
i915 1245184 18
media 36864 2 uvcvideo,videodev
snd_pcm 106496 7 snd_hda_ext_core,snd_soc_core,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,s nd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_soc_skl,snd_hda_cor e
snd_timer 32768 1 snd_pcm
i2c_i801 20480 0
snd 81920 16 snd_soc_core,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_hdm i,snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_pcm,snd_hda_codec_gen eric,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_compress
soundcore 16384 1 snd
drm_kms_helper 147456 2 i915,nouveau
sg 32768 0
btusb 45056 0
shpchp 36864 0
btrtl 16384 1 btusb
drm 360448 11 ttm,i915,drm_kms_helper,nouveau
mei_me 32768 0
idma64 20480 0
virt_dma 16384 1 idma64
mei 94208 1 mei_me
processor_thermal_device 16384 0
hci_uart 77824 0
i2c_algo_bit 16384 2 i915,nouveau
intel_soc_dts_iosf 16384 1 processor_thermal_device
intel_pch_thermal 16384 0
elan_i2c 36864 0
btbcm 16384 2 btusb,hci_uart
btqca 16384 1 hci_uart
btintel 16384 2 btusb,hci_uart
int3403_thermal 16384 0
intel_lpss_pci 16384 0
bluetooth 516096 7 btbcm,btqca,btrtl,btusb,hci_uart,btintel
wmi 20480 3 mxm_wmi,nouveau,asus_wmi
rfkill 24576 7 cfg80211,bluetooth,asus_wmi
battery 16384 0
intel_lpss_acpi 16384 0
video 40960 3 i915,nouveau,asus_wmi
intel_lpss 16384 2 intel_lpss_pci,intel_lpss_acpi
asus_wireless 16384 0
mfd_core 16384 1 intel_lpss
int3402_thermal 16384 0
int340x_thermal_zone 16384 3 int3402_thermal,processor_thermal_device,int3403_t hermal
int3400_thermal 16384 0
ac 16384 0
acpi_thermal_rel 16384 1 int3400_thermal
tpm_crb 16384 0
acpi_pad 24576 0
tpm_tis 20480 0
tpm 45056 2 tpm_crb,tpm_tis
processor 36864 0
button 16384 2 i915,nouveau
autofs4 40960 2
ext4 593920 5
ecb 16384 0
crc16 16384 2 ext4,bluetooth
jbd2 106496 1 ext4
crc32c_generic 16384 0
mbcache 16384 6 ext4
algif_skcipher 20480 0
af_alg 16384 1 algif_skcipher
uas 24576 0
usb_storage 69632 2 uas
dm_crypt 24576 1
dm_mod 106496 18 dm_crypt
sd_mod 45056 5
crct10dif_pclmul 16384 0
crc32_pclmul 16384 0
crc32c_intel 24576 8
ghash_clmulni_intel 16384 0
jitterentropy_rng 16384 0
hmac 16384 1
drbg 24576 1
ansi_cprng 16384 0
aesni_intel 167936 9
aes_x86_64 20480 1 aesni_intel
lrw 16384 1 aesni_intel
gf128mul 16384 1 lrw
glue_helper 16384 1 aesni_intel
ablk_helper 16384 1 aesni_intel
cryptd 20480 4 ghash_clmulni_intel,aesni_intel,ablk_helper
ahci 36864 2
libahci 32768 1 ahci
libata 233472 2 ahci,libahci
r8169 81920 0
xhci_pci 16384 0
mii 16384 1 r8169
xhci_hcd 180224 1 xhci_pci
scsi_mod 233472 5 sg,uas,usb_storage,libata,sd_mod
usbcore 241664 6 uas,btusb,uvcvideo,usb_storage,xhci_hcd,xhci_pci
usb_common 16384 1 usbcore
thermal 20480 0
i2c_hid 20480 0
hid 118784 1 i2c_hid
fjes 28672 0

[_defalt]

The asus_nb_wmi module needs to be blacklisted (= prevent it from starting during boot).

Copy-paste the following command into the Terminal and then press ENTER:

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

Using the gedit editor, ADD the following configuration line into the file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:

blacklist asus_nb_wmi

SAVE the change to the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file.

Then REBOOT. This blacklist operation will make the change permanent, even after rebooting. This will force the kernel to stop loading the asus_nb_wmi module, which is causing the kernel to block your wireless adapter.

Out of interest, is your bluetooth working?

[Booshotti]

The acer_wmi module needs to be blacklisted (= prevent it from starting during boot).

Copy-paste the following command into the Terminal and then press ENTER:

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

Using the gedit editor, ADD the following configuration line into the file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:

blacklist asus_wmi

SAVE the change to the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file.

Then REBOOT. This blacklist operation will make the change permanent, even after rebooting. This will force the kernel to stop loading the asus_wmi module, which is causing the kernel to block your wireless adapter.

Out of interest, is your bluetooth working?

Thank you for the help but unfortunately that didn't do the trick I am not too sure about Bluetooth. I never really use Bluetooth so i'm not too worried about that

[_defalt]

Can you show the output of cat /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf?

Also show the output of modinfo asus_wmi | head and modinfo asus_nb_wmi | head.

I'm editing my expected solution in my above post. I'm replacing asus_wmi with asus_nb_wmi. Try this edit.

[Booshotti]

Can you show the output of cat /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf?

Also show the output of modinfo asus_wmi | head and modinfo asus_nb_wmi | head.

I'm editing my expected solution in my above post. I'm replacing asus_wmi with asus_nb_wmi. Try this edit.

cat /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf 
blacklist asus_wmi 

sudo modinfo asus_wmi | head
[sudo] password for nathan: 
filename:       /lib/modules/4.6.0-kali1-amd64/kernel/drivers/platform/x86/asus-wmi.ko
license:        GPL
description:    Asus Generic WMI Driver
author:         Corentin Chary <corentin.chary@gmail.com>, Yong Wang <yong.y.wang@intel.com>
depends:        rfkill,sparse-keymap,wmi,video
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.6.0-kali1-amd64 SMP mod_unload modversions 

udo modinfo asus_nb_wmi | head
filename:       /lib/modules/4.6.0-kali1-amd64/kernel/drivers/platform/x86/asus-nb-wmi.ko
alias:          wmi:0B3CBB35-E3C2-45ED-91C2-4C5A6D195D1C
license:        GPL
description:    Asus Notebooks WMI Hotkey Driver
author:         Corentin Chary <corentin.chary@gmail.com>
depends:        asus-wmi
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.6.0-kali1-amd64 SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           wapf:WAPF value (uint) 

[_defalt]

Did my edit work? I asked you to replace asus_wmi with asus_nb_wmi.

[Booshotti]

Did my edit work? I asked you to replace asus_wmi with asus_nb_wmi.

You're amazing! It's now working, I moved to Debian from Kali because I was having too many issues and I will just run Kali in a VM (I should of done that in the first place)

I did the following commands, not sure if they were needed?

depmod -ae && update-initramfs -u

Out of curiosity what was it you looked for above to realise something was conflicting? So in the future I can troubleshoot a similar issue myself, thanks for the help!

[_defalt]

I knew it from the first place when I see your output of rfkill list all. There were 2 wireless interfaces phy0 and asus-wlan. This was causing a driver conflict. One is preventing other to run and blocking wireless adapter to work. lsmod shows the list of running modules and who is using them.
I just had to look who was using wmi. It was asus_wmi but blacklisting it didn't work so I checked again to see who is using asus_wmi. The culprit was asus_nb_wmi.
Blacklisting can't always be a solution. For wireless issues it is easy. However in cases when a module is being used by multiple parameters which runs your system then blacklisting them may prevent linux to boot.