I'm a newbie who recently installed Linux Mint 21 on an old HP 6530b laptop. It's mostly working fine except (among a few other things) it won't detect my home WiFi (or any other WiFi SSIDs). Searching on this forum for a solution, I found the thread: [Solved] Linux Mint Can't Detect WiFi Connections. I tried each of the steps suggested there but haven't been successful. Here (in order) are the terminal commands I copied, tried and the results:
1. Connected laptop to Internet via Ethernet cable. Successful connection.

2. ~$ sudo apt update
[sudo] password:
Ign:1 http://packages.linuxmint.com vanessa InRelease
Hit:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy InRelease
Hit:3 http://packages.linuxmint.com vanessa Release
Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-updates InRelease [114 kB]
Get:5 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-security InRelease [110 kB]
Get:7 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-backports InRelease [99.8 kB]
Fetched 324 kB in 1s (341 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
3 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
~$ apt list --upgradable
Listing... Done
firefox-locale-en/vanessa 108.0.1+linuxmint1+vanessa amd64 [upgradable from: 108.0+linuxmint1+vanessa]
firefox/vanessa 108.0.1+linuxmint1+vanessa amd64 [upgradable from: 108.0+linuxmint1+vanessa]
python3-tz/jammy-updates,jammy-updates 2022.1-1ubuntu0.22.04.0 all [upgradable from: 2022.1-1]

3. ~$ sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
bcmwl-kernel-source is already the newest version (6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu8).
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.

4. ~$ inxi -Nn
Network:
Device-1: Intel WiFi Link 5100 driver: iwlwifi
IF: wls1 state: down mac: 00:26:fc:de:4f:69
Device-2: Broadcom NetLink BCM5787M Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express
driver: tg3
IF: ens5 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: d8:d3:85:08:8b:99

5. ~$ rfkill list
0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes

6. ~$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

ens5 no wireless extensions.

wls1 IEEE 802.11 ESSIDff/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=off
Retry short limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thrff
Power Managementff

7. ~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
zfs 3825664 6
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 77824 1
zunicode 348160 1 zfs
zzstd 491520 1 zfs
zlua 163840 1 zfs
snd_hda_codec_analog 20480 1
zavl 20480 1 zfs
icp 323584 1 zfs
snd_hda_codec_generic 102400 1 snd_hda_codec_analog
ledtrig_audio 16384 1 snd_hda_codec_generic
zcommon 106496 2 zfs,icp
znvpair 98304 2 zfs,zcommon
spl 118784 6 zfs,icp,zzstd,znvpair,zcommon,zavl
usblp 28672 0
snd_hda_intel 53248 3
snd_intel_dspcfg 28672 1 snd_hda_intel
snd_intel_sdw_acpi 20480 1 snd_intel_dspcfg
snd_hda_codec 163840 4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_analog
snd_hda_core 110592 5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_analog,snd_hda_codec
snd_hwdep 16384 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 143360 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
snd_seq_midi 20480 0
wl 6467584 0
snd_seq_midi_event 16384 1 snd_seq_midi
iwldvm 299008 0
mac80211 1249280 1 iwldvm
libarc4 16384 1 mac80211
snd_rawmidi 49152 1 snd_seq_midi
iwlwifi 450560 1 iwldvm
coretemp 24576 0
hp_wmi 20480 0
sparse_keymap 16384 1 hp_wmi
snd_seq 77824 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
input_leds 16384 0
platform_profile 16384 1 hp_wmi
joydev 32768 0
wmi_bmof 16384 0
serio_raw 20480 0
cfg80211 974848 4 wl,iwldvm,iwlwifi,mac80211
snd_seq_device 16384 3 snd_seq,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi
snd_timer 40960 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd 106496 17 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_code c_analog,snd_hda_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi
soundcore 16384 1 snd
tpm_infineon 20480 0
hp_accel 28672 0
mac_hid 16384 0
lis3lv02d 28672 1 hp_accel
sch_fq_codel 20480 2
msr 16384 0
parport_pc 49152 1
ppdev 24576 0
lp 28672 0
parport 69632 3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev
ramoops 32768 0
reed_solomon 28672 1 ramoops
pstore_blk 16384 0
pstore_zone 32768 1 pstore_blk
efi_pstore 16384 0
ip_tables 32768 0
x_tables 53248 1 ip_tables
autofs4 49152 2
btrfs 1556480 0
blake2b_generic 20480 0
xor 24576 1 btrfs
zstd_compress 229376 1 btrfs
raid6_pq 122880 1 btrfs
libcrc32c 16384 1 btrfs
dm_mirror 24576 0
dm_region_hash 24576 1 dm_mirror
dm_log 20480 2 dm_region_hash,dm_mirror
i915 3104768 13
hid_generic 16384 0
usbhid 65536 0
i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915
hid 151552 2 usbhid,hid_generic
ttm 86016 1 i915
drm_kms_helper 311296 1 i915
syscopyarea 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
psmouse 176128 0
sysfillrect 20480 1 drm_kms_helper
sysimgblt 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
firewire_ohci 49152 0
fb_sys_fops 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
cec 61440 2 drm_kms_helper,i915
ahci 45056 2
rc_core 65536 1 cec
libahci 45056 1 ahci
firewire_core 81920 1 firewire_ohci
lpc_ich 28672 0
crc_itu_t 16384 1 firewire_core
tg3 196608 0
drm 622592 6 drm_kms_helper,i915,ttm
wmi 32768 2 hp_wmi,wmi_bmof
video 61440 1 i915

8. ~$sudo modprobe wl
(returns user prompt; no error message)

9. ~$ mokutil --sb-state
EFI variables are not supported on this system

10. ~$ sudo apt -get install mokutil
E: Command line option 'g' [from -get] is not understood in combination with the other options.

11. ~$ sudo mokutil --disable-validation
EFI variables are not supported on this system

12. ~$ sudo modprobe wl
(as in Step 7: returns user prompt; no error message)

13 ~$ uname -r
5.15.0-56-generic

14. ~$ rfkill list
0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes

Now in the previous thread (mentioned at the top) the questioner finally solved the problem by disabling Secure Boot in the BIOS. However, I have searched through my laptop's BIOS and cannot find an option for enabling or disabling Secure Boot. The laptop does have a UEFI option, but after I installed Linux in the laptop (on a new SSD and no other OS on it), I set it up to legacy boot with help from this forum. That thread is: [Solved] Old HP laptop Won't Boot from Newly Installed Mint 21 Cinnamon on New SSD in BIOS mode.
I apologize for the length of this post, but I thought others with knowledge of this kind of issue might understand more about it from the output above than I do.
Thanks in advance.

Hi,

The terminal command 'lspci -vq' (no quotes) will display a very long list of your installed hardware, which should include your wifi card model.
Try the following, the terminal output will be redirected here to a text file, named here as 'myhardware.txt'. You can view this file with any text editor.
Could you post the relevant wifi card details here please. You are looking for something like this:
I'm guessing that you have a Realtek wifi card...

Try this in a terminal:
FYI: In 10 (of your post), you've made a typo.. The command is 'sudo apt-get install mokutil'. This is equivalent to 'sudo apt install mokutil'.

B.

EDIT:
Sorry.. I'd missed it.. You have a Broadcom NetLink BCM5787M. This has had Linux kernel support since about version 2.15 so it should be quite easy to get working.. I'll check my old notes.

Try...
or look for a physical switch on your laptop.

Hi,

Just to check the obvious first..

It's not just this??

From my manual/user guide archives:

(6) Wireless button Turns the wireless feature on or off but does not establish a wireless connection.
NOTE: You must set up or access a wireless network to establish a wireless connection.

B.

Attached Thumbnails

 

SyncOrSwm,

Many of us have come a cropper with this elementary error at some time or other.

Your output shows that wifi is hard blocked, so you just need to switch it on.

bodge99 has already supplied the answer and a photo.

Attached is another photo of the HP 6530b keyboard showing the wifi button just above the f7 key.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Hi all,
I'm quite familiar with the WiFi button on my HP 6530b. Previously, when I had Windows 10 installed, it worked, but now it remains yellow (off) despite pressing it (even hard). So, something else is the problem.

As for the rfkill list settings, I tried 'sudo rfkill unblock all' but it didn't change the hard blocked settings. When I look again with 'sudo rfkill list', both the hp-wifi and the phy0 still show 'hard blocked' and System Settings> Network> WiFi still shows 'unavailable'. (Wondered if computer needed to reboot to effect the changes, but doing so didn't.)

Thanks for your ideas anyway, fatmac and beachboy2. I appreciate all the help I can get.

So, Bodge99, I have successfully used 'sudo lspci -vq > myhardware.txt' and created the myhardware file. Looking through it I found this (below), which seems to be the only component related to wifi. (There's another component for Ethernet, but I presume that's not relevant).

02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100
Subsystem: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100 AGN
Physical Slot: 1
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 30
Memory at d8700000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: [c8] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [d0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Capabilities: [e0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
Capabilities: [140] Device Serial Number 00-26-fc-ff-ff-de-4f-69
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi, wl

Hope you or others can see what software additions or tweaks are needed to get this hardware working.
Much thanks.

Hi,

I'm really having one of those days.. Your Broadcom chip is your ethernet controller.. not wifi.. which is an Intel Corporation Wifi Link 5100 AGN.

The hard block on the wifi card implies that your wifi is manually switched off. I do believe you when you say it's not. This makes me think that the action of the wifi switch is not being detected or processed by the system properly.

Something about this particular laptop model "rings a bell".. I'll look more closely at my old notes and post here later..

B.

Shot in the dark; have you tried holding down the function (FN) key, and pressing F6? I've seen times where the key won't be mapped 100% correctly on laptops, and you have to hold it down. And I'd also check the BIOS settings, too, to make sure it's enabled there.

Re: TBOne's suggestions, no, pressing FN key together with F6 key does not restore function to WiFi key. And, all BIOS settings that seem possibly related to wireless connection are enabled.
Settings are:
BIOS>System Configuration>Built-in Device Options:

Wireless Button State--enabled
Embedded WLAN Device--enabled
Network Interface Controller (LAN)--enabled
LAN/WLAN Switching--enabled
Wake on LAN: Boot to Network--enabled (other options: disabled and Follow Boot Order)
Optical Disk Drive--enabled
Audio Device--enabled
Modem Device--enabled
Microphone--enabled

Hi,

I've found a couple of things that might be related.

First off, I worked on a HP 6530b (win XP era). After a reinstall, the wifi and ethernet wouldn't come up. The computer needed an additional keyboard driver package for these to work.
I assume that this package enabled the wifi & network keys.

I've also worked on an Acer (I've no record of the model) that had similar hardware. It had been installed with Mint 17. The wifi would only work after installing an Acer keyboard driver kernel patch.

Your Bios settings for wifi & lan look good. Afaik, if the 'Wireless Button State' is 'off', then the wifi is then disabled at Bios level. It might be worth trying the wifi with this setting off, just to prove this and therefore eliminate it as a possible cause.

Can you try this.. (with the 'Wireless Button State' set 'on'):
Just after you have cold booted (i.e. after a power on, **not** a reboot).
In a terminal:
This will save all of your kernel messages to a text file. If you open this file in a text editor, have a look for any messages that contain the words 'failed', 'missing', 'unclaimed' etc.
There will be quite a lot of stuff here.. sorry!

B.

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi,

I've also found these (identical problems on similar era HP laptops).

1.) The fix for this one: turn on the wireless while you're at the login screen.. The wifi switch wouldn't toggle after login.

2.) Weird wifi switch behaviour was cleared by restoring the BIOS default settings.

B.

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi,

As an absolute last resort.. have a look at the latter part of https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...s-on-hp-laptop

I haven't actually had to do this..

B

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi Bodge99 and interested others,
Success! I tried disabling 'Enable WiFi button' in BIOS with no success, but when I cold booted again, entered BIOS and restored default settings, keyboard WiFi switch was initially not lit at all and then began blinking (in yellow). Checking System Settings>Network>WiFi brought up the list of SSIDs in my vicinity including my own LAN. I entered my password and connected with no problem. The only weird thing is this blinking yellow WiFi switch on the keyboard. If I tap it, it goes out and a message on screen tells me I'm disconnected. Another tap and it starts blinking yellow again and reconnects. This isn't really a problem as long as I can connect to the internet, but in the past (using Windows OS) this keyboard switch was lit blue when connected. Other keyboard switches continue to show blue when 'on'.
Meanwhile, using sudo dmesg > mydmesg.txt, I found these messages with 'failed' and/or 'missing' in them (didn't find any with unclaimed):
Failed:
[ 8.147639] wl: module verification failed: signature and/or required key missing - tainting kernel

[ 2.774172] ACPI: \_SB_.PCI0.GFX0: _DOD evaluation failed: AE_AML_PACKAGE_LIMIT

Missing:
[ 2.602835] ACPI: OSL: Resource conflict; ACPI support missing from driver?

I wonder if fixing these problems would make the WiFi switch perform the way it's supposed to? If you or others know how to go about fixing these errors, I would certainly appreciate learning about it.
Meanwhile, thanks to all who shared their suggestions.

Hi,

Glad to hear that you've made progress..

Re: Dmesg failures..

It's quite common to see a few error messages here. The kernel is looking for the existence of all sorts of hardware, much of this just won't exist in your laptop.

Ignore the ACPI errors, these just show that you have a slightly non standards compliant Bios (along with about 99% of every other Bios on the planet).
The 'wl' module verification failure: AFAIK, this is associated with Broadcom chips.. I'll need to look further.

The 'tainting kernel' message normally means that some proprietary driver may be problematic in some way.
I'd guess that you can safely ignore this for now but be aware that there are some scenarios that cause the kernel to become tainted may indicate some serious system problems.

I'll look more closely at this one.

Any messages showing "unclaimed" normally indicates detected hardware exists of which the kernel cannot fully identify.. e.g. I've got a fingerprint reader on my laptop that isn't detected properly..

Q. Is your ethernet working??

B.

Hi,

You could try this as an experiment.. It is not essential to do this if your system is working O.K.

Assuming that 'wl' module load isn't actually required..
You can disable the module by blacklisting it. This is easily reversible.
Note: You would normally only blacklist something if it was actually causing problems..

In a terminal:
Replace 'xed' with 'gedit' or the name of your text editor.

Enter the following and save the file. Exit the editor.
Now reboot. The 'wl' module will now be disabled.

If everything works O.K. then "job done".

If it turns out that this module is actually needed then simply delete the 'myblock.conf' file.

You can do this from a terminal:
I would normally try to find out exactly why an un-needed module was being loaded.. if it actually is not required!

B.

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