Wireless not connecting...

[Robert Heller]

At Wed, 29 May 2019 08:22:04 +0100 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:

> 
> On Tue, 28 May 2019 at 22:54, Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> > At Tue, 28 May 2019 22:04:50 +0100 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > On Tue, 28 May 2019 at 21:38, Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I just installed 18.04 on an older Hp Laptop.  Everything is working, except
> > > > (of course!) the WiFi.
> > >
> > > Have you done a full update/upgrade and checked if there are any
> > > additional drivers to install? (Software & Updates > Additional
> > > Drivers).
> > > Also check that the mother board BIOS is the latest.
> >
> > I did a fresh install from and up-to-date mirror of the repo.  I *presume*
> > that is pretty much fully up-to-date.
> 
> A false assumption, though it depends on your definition of 'pretty
> much' of course.  How would you know whether there is something
> relevant that has been updated?

I just did apt-get update/apt-get dist-upgrade and it pulled 8 packages: three 
for initramfs-tools, and 5 for thunderbird...  Somehow I doubt these would 
have any relavence... (from a mirror that ran debmirror early this morning).

(The machine seems to also have a flakey USB port... as well.)

> 
> >  I did not check for Additional drivers.
> 

OK, Just checked for "Additional Drivers" -- none are available and no 
propietary drivers are in use.

The wireless NIC is a Realtek RTL8188EE, which appears to be a supported (?) 
driver in the stock kernel (yeah, Realtek wireless NICs are crap, but they are 
*supported* crap).

The thing is I am beginning to think this is not really a driver issue.  The 
device is seen and mapped to a driver: rtl8188ee (presumably this is the 
proper driver for this NIC).

The NIC *sees* the SSID, but it just cannot connect.  It also seems like it 
is at the edge of the range.  I know the AP is fine because my lenovo laptop 
(sitting right next to the HP) is connecting just fine, as is a teenager's 
iPhone sitting nearby.

> The solution to that problem is reasonably obvious.
> 
> You have not answered whether there is an update for the mother board
> BIOS available.

I will look into this one, but I seriously doubt it is going to make any 
difference.

> 
> My strategy in these matters is always to do the obvious things first.
> It may not help but it can save a lot of time looking for more subtle
> issues.
> 
> Another thought, can you still boot into Windows?  If so then check it
> works there.
> 
> Colin
> 

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