Wireless adapter unclaimed after update and reboot

Question

I run Ubuntu 20.04 and this script every day:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y && sudo apt -f install && sudo apt autoremove -y && sudo apt autoclean && sudo snap refresh

After the end of every day, I power down my desktop. Maybe not the smartest script, but this is the first problem it's caused in 2 years or so... (I assume this problem is due to an update.)

This morning, when I booted, when I search for Wi-Fi in settings:

No Wi-Fi Adapter Found

I've been using the wireless adapters on my motherboard, which I'm assuming an update broke the drivers for. For now I'm using the sub-optimal powerline Ethernet.

Nothing shows up for sudo rfkill list all and the wireless device is not show when using ip a or ifconfig. (This also goes for Bluetooth, which is also on the motherboard and also enabled in the BIOS.)

Here's some partial output showing my wireless adapter being unclaimed.

$ sudo lshw -C network

  *-network UNCLAIMED
       description: Network controller
       product: Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168NGW [Stone Peak]
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       version: 10
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
       resources: memory:ab300000-ab301fff

Here's the logs from my /var/log/apt/history.log with yesterday's date:

Start-Date: 2021-06-23  10:11:24
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: gcc-10-base:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), gcc-10-base:i386 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libitm1:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libquadmath0:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libtsan0:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libubsan1:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), liblsan0:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libgomp1:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libgcc-s1:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libgcc-s1:i386 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libatomic1:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libatomic1:i386 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libcc1-0:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libstdc++6:amd64 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04), libstdc++6:i386 (10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04, 10.3.0-1ubuntu1~20.04)
End-Date: 2021-06-23  10:11:25

Start-Date: 2021-06-23  10:27:38
Commandline: apt full-upgrade -y
Requested-By: micah (1000)
Install: linux-modules-extra-5.8.0-59-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-59.66~20.04.1, automatic), linux-headers-5.8.0-59-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-59.66~20.04.1, automatic), linux-objects-nvidia-460-5.11.0-22-generic:amd64 (5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1+1, automatic), linux-modules-5.8.0-59-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-59.66~20.04.1, automatic), linux-modules-5.11.0-22-generic:amd64 (5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1, automatic), linux-modules-nvidia-460-5.11.0-22-generic:amd64 (5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1+1, automatic), linux-hwe-5.8-headers-5.8.0-59:amd64 (5.8.0-59.66~20.04.1, automatic), linux-signatures-nvidia-5.11.0-22-generic:amd64 (5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1+1, automatic), linux-image-5.11.0-22-generic:amd64 (5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1, automatic), linux-image-5.8.0-59-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-59.66~20.04.1, automatic)
Upgrade: linux-headers-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 (5.8.0.55.62~20.04.39, 5.8.0.59.66~20.04.42), linux-libc-dev:amd64 (5.4.0-74.83, 5.4.0-77.86), linux-modules-nvidia-460-generic-hwe-20.04-edge:amd64 (5.8.0-55.62~20.04.1, 5.11.0-22.23~20.04.1+1), initramfs-tools-bin:amd64 (0.136ubuntu6.5, 0.136ubuntu6.6), linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 (5.8.0.55.62~20.04.39, 5.8.0.59.66~20.04.42), linux-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 (5.8.0.55.62~20.04.39, 5.8.0.59.66~20.04.42), gnome-shell-common:amd64 (3.36.9-0ubuntu0.20.04.1, 3.36.9-0ubuntu0.20.04.2), gnome-shell:amd64 (3.36.9-0ubuntu0.20.04.1, 3.36.9-0ubuntu0.20.04.2), initramfs-tools-core:amd64 (0.136ubuntu6.5, 0.136ubuntu6.6), initramfs-tools:amd64 (0.136ubuntu6.5, 0.136ubuntu6.6)
End-Date: 2021-06-23  10:28:42

Start-Date: 2021-06-23  10:28:43
Commandline: apt autoremove -y
Requested-By: micah (1000)
Remove: linux-modules-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-signatures-nvidia-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-objects-nvidia-460-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-hwe-5.8-headers-5.8.0-53:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-image-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-modules-extra-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1), linux-headers-5.8.0-53-generic:amd64 (5.8.0-53.60~20.04.1)
End-Date: 2021-06-23  10:28:48

My hunch is I need to reinstall a specific version of Linux headers or something, but honestly, I'm not too sure. Anyone have an idea of what could get my wireless device reclaimed and usable?

Please run: `sudo modprobe iwlwifi && sudo dmesg | grep iwl` As the output may be lengthy, post the output here and give us the link: http://paste.ubuntu.com Welcome to Ask Ubuntu. — chili555, Jun 24 '21 at 15:50
@chili555 looks like the kernel module was not found: `modprobe: ERROR: ../libkmod/libkmod-module.c:838 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)` — Micah Parks, Jun 24 '21 at 16:39
Restarting, choosing the advanced options in GRUB and using an older version (of the Linux kernel?) brings back the WiFi adapter to full usage. I looks like that kernel module is also present in this version. — Micah Parks, Jun 24 '21 at 16:43
`5.11.0-22-generic` and here's the `/boot` listing: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/xVjcJ6Vdkp/ — Micah Parks, Jun 25 '21 at 13:40
To be clear, in 5.11.0-22, the wireless does *not* work but in 5.8.0-59, it does work. Is that correct? If so, from 5.11, may I see a complete diagnostic? https://askubuntu.com/questions/425155/my-wireless-wifi-connection-does-not-work-what-information-is-needed-to-diagnos/425180#425180 — chili555, Jun 25 '21 at 15:58
I'm using `5.8.0-59-generic` at the moment. (Confirmed with `uname -r`.) Wireless is working as expected. And yes, it does not work with `5.11.0-22-generic`. Here's with `5.8.0-59-generic`: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/bKGZSgfRPf/ Rebooting and will edit for other... — Micah Parks, Jun 25 '21 at 16:22
Can't edit comment. Here's with `5.11.0-22-generic`: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/G6snvMvZQS/ — Micah Parks, Jun 25 '21 at 16:28
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/126867/discussion-between-chili555-and-micah-parks). — chili555, Jun 25 '21 at 19:54

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 25 '21 at 21:09

8

In our chat, we learned that the package linux-modules-extra-5.11.0-22-generic that provides the driver iwlwifi among many others, didn't get installed in your upgrade. I suggested that you do, while booted into kernel version 5.8 where the wireless does work:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install linux-modules-extra-5.11.0-22-generic

Upon rebooting into kernel version 5.11, your wireless is now working.

I also recommended:

sudo apt install --reinstall linux-generic

...because its dependencies and their dependencies include linux-modules extra.

answered Jun 25 '21 at 21:09

chili555

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Amazing to have your help! Thank you so much for taking the time to resolve this! – Micah Parks Jun 25 '21 at 21:13
1

Please make sure that you've checked your Linux kernel version with `uname -r` before copy-pasting the fix! – vassil_momtchev Jun 08 '22 at 19:49

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 31 '23 at 04:36

If you have a dual boot with Windows, you might want to disable the Fast Startup in Windows.

See: https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi#about_dual-boot_with_windows_and_fast-boot_enabled

More: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dual_boot_with_Windows#Fast_Startup_and_hibernation

Wireless adapter unclaimed after update and reboot

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