Can kernel modules/configurations fix the Intel 9560 Wi-Fi problem?

Question

Many questions here asking about Intel 9650 WiFi. I had such a case a month ago as well and the fix in this post did work.

But a month later, Wi-Fi does not work even on that kernel version, that I used earlier.

TL/DR: The accepted answer quotes another one, and the first sequence of commands did work and make WiFi start without a reboot in -42 kernel.

Expanded question

How it happened:

February

Installed with some unknown kernel version.
Ran version -29, then updated to -40, and Wi-Fi stopped working.
Downgraded to -29 that was still there as recommended and it worked normally.

March

Reinstalled the whole system.
On first launch, WiFi not working.
Checked kernels, and there were -18 and -42. (I conclude that -18 was in the USB stick, made a month ago, and -42 was downloaded recently.)

I tried installing version -29:

sudo apt install linux-image-5.3.0-29-generic \
                 linux-headers-5.3.0-29-generic \
                 linux-headers-5.3.0-29

Successfully booted with -29, and Wi-Fi still didn`t work.

I'm ignorant of how kernels are configured, but my theory is that Ubuntu might somehow configure them on installation via official installer, but not when using apt. That's why -29 worked properly earlier, and did not work yesterday.

I tried -18, and on that version, Wi-Fi did work.

Hence the question: is it possible to configure kernel modules to make Intel 9560 Wi-Fi work? If so, how?

TESTS

In kernel versions -29 and -42, dmesg | grep iwl returned nothing. Moreover, yesterday, I used a smartphone as USB modem to connect to any network. Today it stopped working in -29 & -42 (but did work in -18, so it's not a hardware issue).

In -18:

[    2.174871] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    2.183202] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 43.2.23.17
[    2.183451] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 48.4fa0041f.0 op_mode iwlmvm
[    2.227912] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz, REV=0x354
[    2.372979] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: 98:af:65:d9:76:64
[    2.388138] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3 wlo1: renamed from wlan0
[    3.567359] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: BIOS contains WGDS but no WRDS

Modprobe results:

-42:

$ sudo modprobe iwlwifi  
modprobe: ERROR: ../libkmod/libkmod-module.c:832 kmod_module_insert_module() could not find module by name='iwlwifi'
modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'iwlwifi': Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
$ sudo modprobe iwlwifi && dmesg | grep iwl
modprobe: ERROR: ../libkmod/libkmod-module.c:832 kmod_module_insert_module() could not find module by name='iwlwifi'
modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'iwlwifi': Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

-18: sudo modprobe iwlwifi | grep iwl shows no output.

Reinstalling modules

sudo apt install --reinstall linux-image-5.3.0-42-generic linux-modules-5.3.0-42-generic linux-headers-5.3.0-42-generic

Succesfully installed.

sudo apt purge backports-iwlwifi-dkms

Wrote that can't fund such package.

Rebooted under -42, ran

sudo modprobe iwlwifi && dmesg | grep iwl
modprobe: ERROR: ../libkmod/libkmod-module.c:832 kmod_module_insert_module() could not find module by name='iwlwifi'
modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'iwlwifi': Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

Output is the same as before.

PARTIAL SUCCESS

As recommended here, I tried installing linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-18-generic (and same for -29, and -42). -18 was already here, but not extra...-29, nor -42. Rebooted in all 3 versions, here are the results:

USB network now works in all versions (it did in -18 before thanks to -extra-)
WiFi works in -18 and -29.
WiFi still not working in -42.

On -42,

sudo modprobe iwlwifi shows nothing.

sudo dmesg | grep iwl shows

    [    2.901091] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
    [    2.908481] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 43.2.23.17
    [    2.908735] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 48.4fa0041f.0 op_mode iwlmvm
    [    2.953059] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560, REV=0x354
    [    3.978778] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Collecting data: trigger 15 fired.
    [    3.978869] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Start IWL Error Log Dump:
    [    3.978874] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Status: 0x00000000, count: 92409126
    [    3.978875] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Loaded firmware version: 48.4fa0041f.0
    [    3.978877] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x2EF5BBF1 | ADVANCED_SYSASSERT          
    [    3.978877] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x509FEA52 | trm_hw_status0
    [    3.978878] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xB79F92B3 | trm_hw_status1
    [    3.978879] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x01F784C4 | branchlink2
    [    3.978880] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x830DBEFD | interruptlink1
    [    3.978880] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xA9DF0E01 | interruptlink2
    [    3.978881] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x190058B4 | data1
    [    3.978882] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x7582BEBE | data2
    [    3.978883] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x916DC435 | data3
    [    3.978883] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xDCE030F6 | beacon time
    [    3.978884] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xD3D55A0E | tsf low
    [    3.978885] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x9B56DB75 | tsf hi
    [    3.978886] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x8AF1A773 | time gp1
    [    3.978886] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x008C95D4 | time gp2
    [    3.978888] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x3EB309E9 | uCode revision type
    [    3.978888] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x8EECEB01 | uCode version major
    [    3.978889] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x8BC406BA | uCode version minor
    [    3.978890] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x0A196B08 | hw version
    [    3.978891] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x7186726C | board version
    [    3.978891] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x6874A736 | hcmd
    [    3.978892] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xFBDCA85C | isr0
    [    3.978893] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xB7564E59 | isr1
    [    3.978893] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xF3216FA3 | isr2
    [    3.978894] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x10C6AD0D | isr3
    [    3.978895] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x7BA1FB60 | isr4
    [    3.978896] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xFD30064F | last cmd Id
    [    3.978896] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x88D90F82 | wait_event
    [    3.978897] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x8C5542EA | l2p_control
    [    3.978898] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xFDD368FB | l2p_duration
    [    3.978898] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x5EDBF9EF | l2p_mhvalid
    [    3.978899] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x5D9274E9 | l2p_addr_match
    [    3.978900] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xB4656752 | lmpm_pmg_sel
    [    3.978901] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x5BBD761D | timestamp
    [    3.978901] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xEB75A2DA | flow_handler
    [    3.978944] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Start IWL Error Log Dump:
    [    3.978945] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Status: 0x00000000, count: 7
    [    3.978946] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x201013F1 | ADVANCED_SYSASSERT
    [    3.978947] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000000 | umac branchlink1
    [    3.978948] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xC008CF5C | umac branchlink2
    [    3.978948] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000000 | umac interruptlink1
    [    3.978949] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000000 | umac interruptlink2
    [    3.978950] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000003 | umac data1
    [    3.978951] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x20000302 | umac data2
    [    3.978951] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x01300202 | umac data3
    [    3.978952] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000030 | umac major
    [    3.978953] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x4FA0041F | umac minor
    [    3.978954] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00005D2A | frame pointer
    [    3.978954] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xC0887F58 | stack pointer
    [    3.978955] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000000 | last host cmd
    [    3.978956] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000000 | isr status reg
    [    3.978980] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Fseq Registers:
    [    3.978983] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00000003 | FSEQ_ERROR_CODE
    [    3.978985] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x00260000 | FSEQ_TOP_INIT_VERSION
    [    3.978987] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x80020006 | FSEQ_CNVIO_INIT_VERSION
    [    3.978990] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x0000A384 | FSEQ_OTP_VERSION
    [    3.978992] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x1704F891 | FSEQ_TOP_CONTENT_VERSION
    [    3.978994] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x4552414E | FSEQ_ALIVE_TOKEN
    [    3.978997] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x20000302 | FSEQ_CNVI_ID
    [    3.978999] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x01300202 | FSEQ_CNVR_ID
    [    3.979001] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x20000302 | CNVI_AUX_MISC_CHIP
    [    3.979006] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x01300202 | CNVR_AUX_MISC_CHIP
    [    3.979010] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0x0000485B | CNVR_SCU_SD_REGS_SD_REG_DIG_DCDC_VTRIM
    [    3.979044] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: 0xA5A5A5A2 | CNVR_SCU_SD_REGS_SD_REG_ACTIVE_VDIG_MIRROR
    [    3.979073] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: SecBoot CPU1 Status: 0x5c9d, CPU2 Status: 0x3
    [    3.979074] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Failed to start RT ucode: -110
    [    3.979077] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Firmware not running - cannot dump error
    [    3.990800] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Failed to run INIT ucode: -110

PLAYING WITH THE FIRMWARE

As suggested here doing this:

sudo rmmod iwlmvm sudo rmmod iwlwifi sudo cp /lib/firmware/iwlwifi-Qu-b0-jf-b0-48.ucode{,.bak}

I have no idea which exact firmware file is used, so guessing blindly. If I understand correctly, chili555 means, Qu-b0 is the newer, and Qu-a0 is the older version, and the older one did work.

So I have Qu-b0 and Qu-c0, and I back up both and copy -b0 to -c0.

sudo cp /lib/firmware/iwlwifi-Qu-b0-jf-b0-48.ucode /lib/firmware/iwlwifi-Quz-c0-jf-b0-48.ucode
sudo modprobe iwlwifi
dmesg | grep iwl

[ 1099.637128] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 43.2.23.17
[ 1099.637276] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 48.4fa0041f.0 op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1099.641714] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560, REV=0x354
[ 1100.656047] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Collecting data: trigger 15 fired.
[ 1100.656153] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Start IWL Error Log Dump:
[ 1100.656160] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Status: 0x00000000, count: 92409100
[ 1100.656164] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Loaded firmware version: 48.4fa0041f.0
[ 1100.656731] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: SecBoot CPU1 Status: 0x5c9d, CPU2 Status: 0x3
[ 1100.656735] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Failed to start RT ucode: -110

The version in the log is the same as before.

Downloading the updated firmware:

wget http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux-firmware/linux-firmware_1.183.2_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i linux*.deb

Still the same, dmesg shows the same firmware version and same errors.

INTEL FIRMWARE FILES

Here I downloaded the firmware and unpacked the files into /lib/firmware, but dmesg shows the same log as earlier.

SOLUTION THAT WORKED

The accepted answer quotes another one: Dell Vostro no WiFi in Ubuntu 18.04, and the first sequence of commands did work and make WiFi start without a reboot in -42 kernel.

There is no difference in kernel 5.3.0-29-generic installed from the repositories or from live USB. That theory is very unlikely to be correct. — mikewhatever, Mar 21 '20 at 16:31
Please boot into 5.3.0-42 and run: dmesg | grep iwl Next, edit your question to add the result. — chili555, Mar 21 '20 at 16:50
@chili555 added in the end of the qustion. No output in 29, 42, some output in -18. — culebrón, Mar 21 '20 at 17:36
Is there output in -42 from: sudo modprobe iwlwifi && dmesg | grep iwl — chili555, Mar 21 '20 at 17:41
Please check here: https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi#about_dual-boot_with_windows_and_fast-boot_enabled — chili555, Mar 21 '20 at 21:23
@chili555 oh, that's not my case, I have only Ubuntu on my machine.
I tried firmware from Intel website, still no change. — culebrón, Mar 21 '20 at 21:24
in the chat we figured out that I managed to get some commands wrong. — culebrón, Mar 21 '20 at 21:49

chili555 · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-21T21:11:22.813

1

While booted into -18, please do:

sudo apt install --reinstall linux-image-5.3.0-42-generic linux-modules-5.3.0-42-generic linux-headers-5.3.0-42-generic
sudo apt purge backports-iwlwifi-dkms

If the latter is not installed so not removed, that's fine; just proceed.

Reboot into -42 and show us:

sudo modprobe iwlwifi && dmesg | grep iwl

EDIT: Please also do:

sudo apt install --reinstall linux-generic
sudo apt install --reinstall linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-42-generic

Failed to run INIT ucode: -110

Please be certain that you have the latest firmware:

wget http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux-firmware/linux-firmware_1.183.2_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i linux*.deb

Next, please undertake the steps here: Dell Vostro 5490 no WIFI in Ubuntu 18.04

edited Mar 21 '20 at 21:11

answered Mar 21 '20 at 19:48

chili555

60,188

Did it, same result. USB network not working either. – culebrón Mar 21 '20 at 20:41
See my edit above in a few moments. – chili555 Mar 21 '20 at 20:53
I actually, got something working, and the output you were looking for. – culebrón Mar 21 '20 at 20:55
Question is: how do I see which firmware file is used, and how do I point at one? (is it on boot or image generation?) – culebrón Mar 21 '20 at 21:24