Kubuntu 18.04.0 LTS and Drivers

[anonprivate]

Hello,

In the past, I have tested version 15 and 16 using liveDVD's and found that I was disconnected from the internet on a frequent basis. I came to the conclusion that this was probably due to the fact that the drivers being used were free and not the non-free versions - I have an Nvidia graphics card installed.

My question is: If I make a live DVD of version 18.04.0 LTS would I have the option of installing the non-free drivers, at the live stage, these would be more suitable for my graphics card.

Is it likely that I will experience the same problem with version 18?

Advise please. I would like to use the latest software as I am well behind the times with version 14.04

Regards

[claydoh]

No. Only free drivers are available on the install images, at least for graphics, for various legal and ethical reasons.
Using free nvidia driver is not likely a cause of internet disconnections. If there is a choice between open and and non-free wifi/ethernet drivers, in my experience the free ones are generally better to begin with.The vast majority only have free drivers anyway iirc . Plus you would see them as available in the Driver Manager after install.

Do you know which wifi/ethernet chip you have?

I am assuming that once installed, that your internet connection is fine? I wonder if the (lack of) speed of the dvd drive is not keeping up and it is talking a small bit of time due to this? Does the same thing occur using a USB stick?

[anonprivate]

I have not tried a LIveUSB.

Does thid help: Network controller: Ralink corp. RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI

[GreyGeek]

Hello,

In the past, I have tested version 15 and 16 using liveDVD's and found that I was disconnected from the internet on a frequent basis. I came to the conclusion that this was probably due to the fact that the drivers being used were free and not the non-free versions -...

My own experience with frequent disconnects is that there were two causes: choice of wifi router and choice of wifi driver param settings.
With my previous wifi router, Cisco LinkSys E2500, the driver would frequently self-modulate to 1 mbps and hang. Disconnecting and reconnecting would fix it for 10-15 minutes but it would, sooner or later drop to 1 mbps and hang. Initially, I used the param settings to adjust the behavior of the wifi driver.

For example, assume your driver is the rlt8192ee.ko (use the real name for your driver)

:~$ [B]modinfo rtl8192ee[/B]
filename:       /lib/modules/4.8.0-42-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8192ee/rtl8192ee.ko
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192eefw.bin
description:    Realtek 8192EE 802.11n PCI wireless
license:        GPL
author:         Larry Finger    <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>
author:         Realtek WlanFAE <wlanfae@realtek.com>
srcversion:     39CAB25197F56D8A8364411
alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000818Bsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        rtlwifi,rtl_pci,btcoexist,mac80211
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.8.0-42-generic SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           [B]swenc[/B]:Set to 1 for software crypto (default 0)  (bool)
parm:          [B] ips[/B]:Set to 0 to not use link power save (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]swlps[/B]:Set to 1 to use SW control power save (default 0)  (bool)
parm:           [B]fwlps[/B]:Set to 1 to use FW control power save (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]msi[/B]:Set to 1 to use MSI interrupts mode (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]debug[/B]:Set debug level (0-5) (default 0) (int)
parm:           [B]disable_watchdog[/B]:Set to 1 to disable the watchdog (default 0)  (bool)

I highlighted in bold print the parameters ("parm") which can be set.

Create a file in /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8192ee.conf and add
options rtl8192ee swenc=0
options rtl8192ee ips=0
options rtl8192ee swlps=0
options rtl8192ee fwlps=0
options rtl8192ee msi=0
etc...
and save it.
Either use systemd to restart your network
or as root
modprobe -r yourwifidriver
modprobe yourwifidriver
or
logout to the login screen and log back in. You can test the settings to see if there is any improvement. for my rtl wifi turning off swenc, swlps and fwlps helped a lot.
BUT, what really helped the most and made setting parms a moot option was switching to a better wifi router.
I am currently running a Buffalo 600N and it gives me almost 300 mbps connectivity (my broadband speed) 100% of the time. It's the first wifi router I've attached to this 2012 Acer V3-771G laptop that wasn't cheap, and the first one that runs faultlessly. The chip in my computer is driven by the ath9k driver. On the E2500 the disconnects and throttle downs was annoying to the extreme. With the Buffalo, same chip but no such nonsense.

[anonprivate]

My own experience with frequent disconnects is that there were two causes: choice of wifi router and choice of wifi driver param settings.
With my previous wifi router, Cisco LinkSys E2500, the driver would frequently self-modulate to 1 mbps and hang. Disconnecting and reconnecting would fix it for 10-15 minutes but it would, sooner or later drop to 1 mbps and hang. Initially, I used the param settings to adjust the behavior of the wifi driver.

For example, assume your driver is the rlt8192ee.ko (use the real name for your driver)

:~$ [B]modinfo rtl8192ee[/B]
filename:       /lib/modules/4.8.0-42-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8192ee/rtl8192ee.ko
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8192eefw.bin
description:    Realtek 8192EE 802.11n PCI wireless
license:        GPL
author:         Larry Finger    <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>
author:         Realtek WlanFAE <wlanfae@realtek.com>
srcversion:     39CAB25197F56D8A8364411
alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000818Bsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        rtlwifi,rtl_pci,btcoexist,mac80211
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.8.0-42-generic SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           [B]swenc[/B]:Set to 1 for software crypto (default 0)  (bool)
parm:          [B] ips[/B]:Set to 0 to not use link power save (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]swlps[/B]:Set to 1 to use SW control power save (default 0)  (bool)
parm:           [B]fwlps[/B]:Set to 1 to use FW control power save (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]msi[/B]:Set to 1 to use MSI interrupts mode (default 1)  (bool)
parm:           [B]debug[/B]:Set debug level (0-5) (default 0) (int)
parm:           [B]disable_watchdog[/B]:Set to 1 to disable the watchdog (default 0)  (bool)

I highlighted in bold print the parameters ("parm") which can be set.

Create a file in /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8192ee.conf and add
options rtl8192ee swenc=0
options rtl8192ee ips=0
options rtl8192ee swlps=0
options rtl8192ee fwlps=0
options rtl8192ee msi=0
etc...
and save it.
Either use systemd to restart your network
or as root
modprobe -r yourwifidriver
modprobe yourwifidriver
or
logout to the login screen and log back in. You can test the settings to see if there is any improvement. for my rtl wifi turning off swenc, swlps and fwlps helped a lot.
BUT, what really helped the most and made setting parms a moot option was switching to a better wifi router.
I am currently running a Buffalo 600N and it gives me almost 300 mbps connectivity (my broadband speed) 100% of the time. It's the first wifi router I've attached to this 2012 Acer V3-771G laptop that wasn't cheap, and the first one that runs faultlessly. The chip in my computer is driven by the ath9k driver. On the E2500 the disconnects and throttle downs was annoying to the extreme. With the Buffalo, same chip but no such nonsense.

Thank you for this very detailed answer.

I can't change the router because it belongs to someone else, but I can check the settings you detailed above.

I will make a livependrive rather than a live DVD and see if that solves the problems. If not, I will look at the parameters.

Best wishes

Ps. What is the best command to detail the wifi driver

[kc1di]

another often overlooked problem with some Realtek wireless cards is power saving settings. Then should be disabled.
you can try this command to disable it:
sudo sed -i 's/wifi.powersave = 3/wifi.powersave = 2/' /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

and then enter this one to restart Network manager :
systemctl stop NetworkManager then
systemctl start NetworkManager
good luck.

[anonprivate]

I made a live pendrive and connected to the router, but it soon disconnected. I checked the drivers and saw the message that no no-free drivers (or words to that effect) were needed for my system

Power savings are switched off.

I suppose I must accept that the programme will not run properly on my machine