Wireless does not connect after upgrade to 13.10

[jeremy1701]

I have a Realtek rtl8188ee chipset (basically the same as the ce) that had the same issue with 13.10. Realtek provides drivers you can d/l and install, but the 13.10 linux headers break it. Follow the intructions in the link below to install a modified version of the Realtek driver. It worked for me. Note, I did have to reboot.

askubuntu.com/questions/367587/unable-to-compile-realtek-rtl8188ce-driver-on-ubuntu-13-10

[ianp5a]

Thanks. I did see something similar but you need to compile something or some other complicated stuff I know nothing about. Even more faffing about. Swapping the hardware was much easier.

[Feathers McGraw]

When you say "swapping the hardware", are we talking about a laptop or desktop? Did you actually swap it or are you using a dongle?

Have been tempted to do it myself, but I think windows would kick up a fuss if I changed the wireless card. Not that I've used it in months, but when I replace this laptop I'm planning on keeping it as a "just in case" windows device in case I need it for work, and making the new one Linux only.

[ianp5a]

Mine is a little PCIe plug-in card in a normal (non laptop) PC. The card cost 15€.
See the green card on the lower left of the picture:


The hardware is shown in full here.

[Feathers McGraw]

Thanks! That does look easy, I think having easy access to the hardware is one of the best things about desktops.

Mine is a laptop, unfortunately. I may look into it and see how difficult it looks. My previous experience with this laptop make me think it'll be a pain!

[ianp5a]

Ah yes. Laptops are fiddly. However recent models will have a PCI Express Mini Card for the wifi. So should be cheap to replace.

Link

[richb]

Component replacement on laptops is doable. I have done it several times. Some laptops more easily disassembled than others. Care, focus and note taking are essential to make sure you get it apart without breaking anything and get it back together correctly. More than once I have completed the procedure and have missing screws or one broken tab, or extra parts.

YouTube has many videos on how to disassemble particular models. Some are better than others.

[GreyGeek]

The key to success in replacing components on a laptop, in my experience, is obtaining a service manual for that laptop which explains the tools that should be used and the sequence for disassembling the laptop. I was asked to add some RAM to an Acer Aspire Netbook. It was similar to my wife's and I had upped its RAM from 1GB to 2GB. That made a significant improvement in performance. At least 2X and, at times, 3X. My wife's netbook required that I remove a couple screws to take off the plastic door covering the RAM compartment. Easy as pie. However, the friend's laptop did not have a plastic door over the RAM. One had to take off the entire back plastic panel, but to get to it the keyboard had to be removed to enable access to the screws which held the back panel on. The instructions called for using a credit card or similar plastic to slide along the edge of the keyboard and snap it out. The keyboard resisted all my tries and bungled up a couple of plastic cards. Plastic screw drivers just bent the keyboard rim. A youtube video showed how easy it was to remove the keyboard but following the method shown I could never get the keyboard to pop free. I gave up after a couple hours, embarrassed that I couldn't do it. Without the extra RAM the netbook was as slow as molasses.

It would have been easy for Acer to have kept the RAM door easily accessible on the back of any of their Acer Aspire netbook series, but they chose to go Apple's route and require that the device be sent back to Acer to have the RAM upgraded, for a significant charge, of course. From then on, every time I look at laptops I check to make sure that there are plastic doors on the back that allow easy access to replaceable components like RAM, wifi, IO ports, etc...

[Feathers McGraw]

This is one of the reasons I'd quite like a ThinkPad, they have a good rep for having decent service manuals and easy access to components.

[richb]

I was disappointed that Acer no longer has access panels. I did not realize that when I bought mine. They have lost me as a customer.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[GreyGeek]

I was disappointed that Acer no longer has access panels. I did not realize that when I bought mine. They have lost me as a customer.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

That may be for only later model Aspire Netbooks? My V3-771G 17.3" Acer has access panels.

[richb]

My V5-572G does not.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[GreyGeek]

Wow. That' bad news.

[richb]

I was intending to up the 6 GB ram to 8 GB, (I have the memory in the older laptop and it is compatible), as well as drop in the SSD I have. I have done neither as I know taking it apart will be a daunting task. I have not been able to find a service manual for it, but I know it will be a pry and hope operation.

[Feathers McGraw]

I was considering taking apart my laptop (a HP pavilion dv6 3122-sa) and cleaning the fan, until I looked up how much work it would be and realised it's literally the last thing you get to if you take the whole thing apart!