Issues with WLAN

[RasmusP]

Hi,
Recently, my X200s has begun disconneting from the system randomly, so that it is no longer useable until I reset. The message in my /var/log/errors is 'MAC is deep sleep'. (See this thread. Some times my WLAN will stay connected to the computer for days without problems, but sometimes it will just drop out after a couple of hours or less. I am always able to 'recover' the card by restarting the system.

I was wondering whether it is hard to get

• to easily get access to the WLAN card and see if it is properly installed:
• and wheteher it is feasible to get a new WLAN card.

I am rather happy about my PC as it has got a 1440x900 screen, so I would rather not have to replace it. . . Unfortunately, warranty ran out half a year ago. . .

One weird thing is bluetooth never drops out, but they seem to be controlled by the same card, no?

Thanks in advance,
Rasmus

edit: I have the Intel WiFi Link 5100/5300 WLAN controller on an X200s. I run Archlinux.
edit2: The FRU of my WLAN is 43Y6495. Some people on ebay are selling FRU 43Y6459 for a reasonable price. Would I be able to replace my current card with this FRU?

[emtee3511]

Have you tried lowering the Roaming Aggressiveness? You can find that in the Device Manager / Network Adapter / WiFi Link 5100 / Advanced tab / Roaming Agressiveness/ and try lowering from whatever it is currently set. Also check the Power Management tab to make sure to uncheck "allow computer to turn off this device to save power."

You have probably already done this, but just in case...

[RasmusP]

Hi Emtee,

This is on GNU/Linux, so I haven't got the device manager.

In general, any such issue should /not/ cause the device from being 'hardware' disconnected from the computer. Also, I tried starting my system with a live USB with kernel v3.0, and here I also experiened the same problem.

I suspect it is hardware failure.

Could the hardware kill switch on the side be broke so that this caused the issue as oppose to WLAN hardware failure? I noticed that often, when I use the hardware switch, I am not able to re-enable my WLAN.

Thanks,
Rasmus

[Soul_Est]

Ironically, I'm running the exact same setup as you are with a X200s (Model 7470) and Arch Linux. The Intel 5100/5300 you have should not be acting like that. What are you using for power management and what are you using for network management? Are you running a DM/DE, DM/WM or just a WM? Have you done pacman -Syu today?

The Bluetooth card is a USB device and is completely separate from the Intel 5100/5300 which is a mPCIe device.

For the moderators: Please move this thread to the Linux Questions forum.

[RasmusP]

Model 7469 here. I agree the card shouldn't be acting like that. It is very annoying. The new kernel 3.3 seems to be better, but I still experience the problem. I will not rule out hardware failure as I have even had some problems right after stard up. This is definitely a very recent problem: kernel 3.2 I reckon.

True about bluetooth; that was a silly question.

I run i3 btw. No dm, although I have had Gnome 3 installed along side, but not currently.

For specific error see this thread

I have ordered a replacement card (they were USD 15 shipped...) and will test.

[Soul_Est]

You really are running the same setup as me. Do you use Opera and urxvt as well?
I do hope that the new card works out well for you. I take it that the card you ordered is an Intel 5300? If so, that is the same one in my machine and it should work flawlessly.

[RasmusP]

Urxvt: Yes. But I use Firefox/Aurora

It was listed as the same FRU as my current card, and obvioisly the same model (Intel 5300).

[Soul_Est]

Urxvt: Yes. But I use Firefox/Aurora

After the resource usage problems I had with Chromium and after experiencing similar problems is Firefox, I just stuck with Opera this time around.

It was listed as the same FRU as my current card, and obvioisly the same model (Intel 5300).

Beware the WLAN switch (Fn + F5) which is still "on" no matter what you do. It seems tied directly to the BIOS or EC. I tried redirecting it's event with acpid but it doesn't work.

[RasmusP]

For the record, switching the wifi card seems to have solved my problems. I did not experiment with old wifi card so it could be that it was just not properly connected. . .u

[Soul_Est]

Glad to read that switching the card solved your problems.