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I have installed Linux on my Sony Vaio VGNZ31XN replacing Windows Vista.

I am not able to connect to WiFi as internal wireless adapter appears to be hard blocked. The wireless switch at the side of my laptop for the Intel Link 5100 is at the ON position; however, its light which should be on is not.

Before we go on any further, I had PeppermintOS installed as my laptop has aged somewhat, but my problem remains the same after I have completed a clean install of Ubuntu 19.04.

lshw -C network:

  *-network                 
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 19
       bus info: pci@0000:00:19.0
       logical name: enp0s25
       version: 03
       serial: 00:1d:ba:67:5b:d3
       size: 1Gbit/s
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e1000e driverversion=3.2.6-k duplex=full firmware=1.8-3 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=1Gbit/s
       resources: irq:25 memory:ae900000-ae91ffff memory:ae924000-ae924fff ioport:8100(size=32)
  *-network DISABLED
       description: Wireless interface
       product: WiFi Link 5100 
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
       logical name: wlp6s0
       version: 00
       serial: 00:22:fb:39:48:40
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlwifi driverversion=4.15.0-43-generic firmware=8.83.5.1 build 33692 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
       resources: irq:28 memory:ac800000-ac801fff
  *-network DISABLED
       description: Wireless interface
       physical id: 1
       bus info: usb@2:3
       logical name: wlx4cedfb2003ac
       serial: 4c:ed:fb:20:03:ac
       capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rt2800usb driverversion=4.15.0-43-generic firmware=N/A link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11

and rfkill list all:

0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes
2: phy2: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

The "phy2" here is my USB Wireless Adapter that I purchased thinking something was wrong with the built-in adapter. Even though that does not appear to be hard blocked, I could not make use of it to connect or even scan any wireless networks.

My network manager does see the two adapters, but they are grayed out.

Needless to say, I have tried many solutions on this forum, however, with no success.

lsmod:

Module                  Size  Used by
rt2800usb              32768  0
rt2x00usb              20480  1 rt2800usb
rt2800lib             118784  1 rt2800usb
rt2x00lib              57344  3 rt2800usb,rt2x00usb,rt2800lib
uvcvideo               98304  0
videobuf2_vmalloc      20480  1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_memops       20480  1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_v4l2         24576  1 uvcvideo
nouveau              1888256  0
i915                 1814528  8
videobuf2_common       49152  2 videobuf2_v4l2,uvcvideo
coretemp               20480  0
r592                   20480  0
arc4                   16384  4
videodev              200704  3 videobuf2_v4l2,uvcvideo,videobuf2_common
media                  53248  4 videodev,videobuf2_v4l2,uvcvideo,videobuf2_common
pcmcia                 61440  0
memstick               20480  1 r592
kvmgt                  28672  0
yenta_socket           49152  0
iwldvm                233472  0
vfio_mdev              16384  0
mdev                   24576  2 kvmgt,vfio_mdev
vfio_iommu_type1       28672  0
ttm                   102400  1 nouveau
vfio                   32768  3 kvmgt,vfio_mdev,vfio_iommu_type1
mac80211              806912  4 iwldvm,rt2x00lib,rt2x00usb,rt2800lib
pcmcia_rsrc            24576  1 yenta_socket
kvm                   626688  1 kvmgt
pcmcia_core            28672  3 pcmcia,pcmcia_rsrc,yenta_socket
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     53248  1
snd_hda_codec_realtek   114688  1
drm_kms_helper        180224  2 i915,nouveau
snd_hda_codec_generic    77824  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
irqbypass              16384  1 kvm
joydev                 24576  0
input_leds             16384  0
ledtrig_audio          16384  2 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_realtek
serio_raw              20480  0
iwlwifi               311296  1 iwldvm
snd_hda_intel          40960  3
snd_hda_codec         131072  4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_core           86016  5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hwdep              20480  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm               102400  4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
drm                   475136  7 drm_kms_helper,i915,ttm,nouveau
snd_seq_midi           20480  0
snd_seq_midi_event     16384  1 snd_seq_midi
mxm_wmi                16384  1 nouveau
wmi_bmof               16384  0
cfg80211              671744  4 iwldvm,rt2x00lib,iwlwifi,mac80211
snd_rawmidi            36864  1 snd_seq_midi
i2c_algo_bit           16384  2 i915,nouveau
fb_sys_fops            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
syscopyarea            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
sysfillrect            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
sysimgblt              16384  1 drm_kms_helper
snd_seq                69632  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
sony_laptop            61440  0
snd_seq_device         16384  3 snd_seq,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi
snd_timer              36864  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    81920  17 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi
soundcore              16384  1 snd
mac_hid                16384  0
tpm_infineon           20480  0
sch_fq_codel           20480  2
parport_pc             40960  0
ppdev                  24576  0
lp                     20480  0
parport                53248  3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev
ip_tables              28672  0
x_tables               40960  1 ip_tables
autofs4                45056  2
firewire_ohci          40960  0
psmouse               151552  0
i2c_i801               32768  0
ahci                   40960  1
libahci                32768  1 ahci
lpc_ich                24576  0
sdhci_pci              45056  0
cqhci                  28672  1 sdhci_pci
firewire_core          65536  1 firewire_ohci
sdhci                  57344  1 sdhci_pci
crc_itu_t              16384  1 firewire_core
e1000e                245760  0
wmi                    28672  3 wmi_bmof,mxm_wmi,nouveau
video                  45056  3 i915,sony_laptop,nouveau

nmcli:

enp0s25: unavailable
        "Intel 82567LM"
        ethernet (e1000e), 00:1D:BA:67:5B:D3, hw, mtu 1500

wlp6s0: unavailable
        "Intel 5100"
        wifi (iwlwifi), 00:22:FB:39:48:40, hw, mtu 1500

wlx4cedfb2003ac: unavailable
        "ASUSTek Computer USB-N14"
        wifi (rt2800usb), 4C:ED:FB:20:03:AC, hw, mtu 1500

lo: unmanaged
        "lo"
        loopback (unknown), 00:00:00:00:00:00, sw, mtu 65536

sudo lhsw -short -class network:

H/W path         Device           Class       Description
=========================================================
/0/100/19        enp0s25          network     82567LM Gigabit Network Connection
/0/100/1c.1/0    wlp6s0           network     WiFi Link 5100
/3               wlx4cedfb2003ac  network     Wireless interface

networkctl status:

●        State: n/a

rfkill:

ID TYPE      DEVICE              SOFT      HARD
 0 wlan      sony-wifi      unblocked   blocked
 1 bluetooth sony-bluetooth unblocked   blocked
 2 wlan      phy0           unblocked   blocked
 3 wlan      phy1           unblocked unblocked

ls -1 /etc/resolv.conf:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 39 May 10 00:19 /etc/resolv.conf -> ../run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf

lspci -knn | grep -A4 -i "Network controller":

06:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100 [8086:4232]
    Subsystem: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100 AGN [8086:1301]
    Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
    Kernel modules: iwlwifi
0b:04.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II [1180:0476] (rev ba)

cat /var/lib/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.state:

[main]
NetworkingEnabled=true
WirelessEnabled=true
WWANEnabled=true

lsusb:

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0b05:17e8 ASUSTek Computer, Inc. USB-N14 802.11b/g/n (2x2) Wireless Adapter [Ralink RT5372]
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05ca:18b0 Ricoh Co., Ltd Sony Vaio Integrated Webcam
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 147e:1000 Upek Biometric Touchchip/Touchstrip Fingerprint Sensor
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

sudo lshw -C network | grep -i -A12 "Wireless interface":

       description: Wireless interface
       product: WiFi Link 5100
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
       logical name: wlp6s0
       version: 00
       serial: 00:22:fb:39:48:40
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlwifi driverversion=5.0.0-13-generic firmware=8.83.5.1 build 33692 latency=0 link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
       resources: irq:26 memory:ac800000-ac801fff
--
       description: Wireless interface
       physical id: 3
       bus info: usb@2:3
       logical name: wlx4cedfb2003ac
       serial: 4c:ed:fb:20:03:ac
       capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rt2800usb driverversion=5.0.0-13-generic firmware=N/A link=no multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
Improve this question
2
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Mitch ♦
    May 10, 2019 at 17:27
  • I am glad that your problem was solved! Good Luck, @new2linux!
    – Marmayogi
    May 11, 2019 at 21:29

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

I like to post an answer as @Marmayogi has helped me come up with a solution which I think can help others.

First

echo "blacklist iwlwifi" >> sudo /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

Then as this is a VAIO laptop

echo "blacklist sony_laptop" >> sudo /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

and reboot. The USB wifi adapter should automatically be recognized and let you choose from available wifi.

Specifics might differ from laptop to laptop but this method should help if the hard block switch is broken and you are stuck with hard blocked internal wifi adapters.

Improve this answer
1
  • Please correct your commands as follows otherwise this will result in bash: /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf: Permission denied error. Replace first command sudo echo "blacklist iwlwifi" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf with echo "blacklist iwlwifi" >> sudo /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf. The second command should be echo "blacklist sony_laptop" >> sudo /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf instead of sudo echo "blacklist sony_laptop" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf. Good Luck, @new2linux.
    – Marmayogi
    May 11, 2019 at 21:26

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