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    [SOLVED] Something's wrong

    I'm having an annoying recurring problem, and I don't even know where best to post this. My System76 laptop, running 19.10, keeps losing its connections to...everything [Internet, network], despite showing that it's still connected.

    This started a few weeks ago. I'd be in my room, using my phone to do file maintenance on the laptop, and all of a sudden I'd lose my connection to it. I'll get up, walk to the dining room, open the laptop, check that it's still connected to my Wi-Fi network...then scratch my head as it fails all ping attempts [local and Internet].

    Restarting solves the problem--for hours or minutes or, when I'm REALLY lucky, a day!

    WTF?! It's not a failing hard drive or anything like that. [But my backups are current, since you can't be too safe!] My first inclination is to buy a new laptop; this one is twice as old as I usually use a primary laptop--it's 6+ years old. But two things: 1) System76 discontinued my model, the Kudu Professional, and now that I'm spoiled by its 17.3" screen and FULL keyboard, I don't want to move down. But, 2) I recently spent a ton of money [on a new sprinkler system, with timers and remote controls], and can't justify the cost of System76's current large-screen laptops.

    I've done NOTHING in terms of troubleshooting, other than running it with absolutely none of my usual programs, even Konsole. Please be mindful that I'm primarily in bed, and don't have the energy to do complicated troubleshooting. Do you have any guesses as to what's happening? Easy things I can check or do?
    Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544


    #2
    Not to be obvious but how long has the problem existed? 19.10's EOL was about three months ago wasn't it?
    If you think Education is expensive, try ignorance.

    The difference between genius and stupidity is genius has limits.

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      #3
      A few weeks ago. Nothing unusual precipitated it.

      And regarding 19.10's EOL...I've NEVER, EVER seen a distro stop working just because its EOL date had passed! Good grief, one of my desktops is still humming along on 9.04!
      Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544

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        #4
        So it's connected to your wifi network, which operates in the space between your PC/laptop and the router, and it fails to ping an address on the internet which operates in the wide area network outside your router/"modem". You may want to consider the hardware at the edges of your LAN and your ISPs WAN.
        The next brick house on the left
        Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



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          #5
          Originally posted by jglen490 View Post
          So it's connected to your wifi network, which operates in the space between your PC/laptop and the router, and it fails to ping an address on the internet which operates in the wide area network outside your router/"modem".
          It fails to ping anything, local and Internet, although it says it's still connected to Wi-Fi.

          You may want to consider the hardware at the edges of your LAN and your ISPs WAN.
          I'm not sure I know what you mean. Both the router and modem are brand-spanking new, and powerful! They're a few months old now. Nothing but this one laptop is having this problem.
          Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544

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            #6
            So that leaves the dongle and/or driver as the culprit, I would think.
            The next brick house on the left
            Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



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              #7
              Originally posted by jglen490 View Post
              So that leaves the dongle and/or driver as the culprit, I would think.
              Dongle? Driver? *confused*

              I haven't used a dongle in almost 20 years. As for drivers, they're the same as they were before the problem started.
              Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544

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                #8
                Uh, O.K.
                The next brick house on the left
                Intel i7 11th Gen | 16GB | 1TB | KDE Plasma 5.27.11​| Kubuntu 24.04 | 6.8.0-31-generic



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                  #9
                  Then consider a failing wifi card, or it is loosened in the slot, possibly loose antenna connection(s) or schmutz collecting in the socket even??

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by claydoh View Post
                    Then consider a failing wifi card, or it is loosened in the slot, possibly loose antenna connection(s) or schmutz collecting in the socket even??
                    Loose? Unlikely. [It never gets moved/jostled.]

                    Schmutz collecting? Hmmm...it *is* my cat's favorite [non-Mommy] napping spot. There's undoubtedly some...schmutz in/on/around its various parts.

                    I'm not sure what to check, though. I strongly don't feel like opening it up. [I replaced its keyboard awhile ago, and it was quite a struggle.] What/how would I check?

                    I really wish I could justify buying a new one, but with as little use as it's getting now, combined with factors noted earlier, it just doesn't make sense.
                    Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544

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                      #11
                      "Schmutz" in this case may actually be a condition caused by "heat soak" which used to be quite common in PCs. Heating up of components can occur after shutdown when cooling is stopped but the devices are still hot. This can result in the expansion of a socketed card and it's eventual loosening from it's seat. It the "olden days" we would routinely open the case and re-seat everything not soldered on, including the CPU (back when they had pins and were inserted into a socket). I would do this every few months or when anything started acting oddly. Laptops are less subject to this because more of the components are soldered on.

                      Regardless, you have asked for advice and every suggestion has been met with rejection. So what are you expecting in reply now? It's been suggested you check the drivers, upgrade you install, and check the hardware connections.

                      I suggest you hand the laptop over to someone who can check it out for you or send it back to System 76 for service.

                      Please Read Me

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                        #12
                        I only suggest looking at the hardware as neither the OS nor your network has changed in the past couple of weeks. The only change has been how the wifi card is acting.





                        anyhoo, i'm off to codeine land
                        or is that

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                          #13
                          Well, I have something new to report. Yesterday, I sat down at the laptop for the first time in 2+ weeks. Ouch! My hands got hot!

                          I felt it, sliding over the front area where the touchpad is, on both sides of it, and it was very hot. Its lid is normally closed, but I stuck my trackball in there to prop it open when I left. [I can't leave it fully open: cats!]

                          I don't know if the two issues are related, but being scorching hot is definitely not its normal behavior.

                          Sorry if I've offended or upset anyone. My point has been that I'm physically not up to intense or complicated troubleshooting right now.
                          Xenix/UNIX user since 1985 | Linux user since 1991 | Was registered Linux user #163544

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                            #14
                            If it was that hot, that could be your issue. Maybe a vacuum cleaner can suck out the vents? I had a laptop that continually had a running fan, I pulled it apart and was shocked at how much crap there was in there - and I don't have any cats!

                            Please Read Me

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                              #15
                              "using my phone to do file maintenance on the laptop" Are you using KDE Connect? If so I've had random problems with it along with what you suggest. I reboot the phone and I'm back on. Although I haven't had this problem since using Kubuntu in the last few weeks, which I attribute to the newer kernel.

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