Ubuntu 18.04 cannot recognize Intel Wireless-AC 9260

Question

I just install Ubuntu 18.04 yesterday, and it seems like Ubuntu cannot detect wifi adapter. The card is working on Windows, so it should not be a problem. I also have the same firmware as the one stated on Intel website (iwlwifi-9260-th-a0-jf-a0-34.ucode). Checking the log, I see iwlwifi failed with error -110.

Any idea how to troubleshoot this issue?

Thanks,

Below is the details log:

$ lspci | grep Network
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Device 2526 (rev 29)

$ dmesg | grep iwlwifi
[    2.536811] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[    2.570596] iwlwifi: probe of 0000:03:00.0 failed with error -110
[  382.228750] iwlwifi: probe of 0000:03:00.0 failed with error -110

$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.
eno1      no wireless extensions.

$ modinfo iwlwifi
filename:       /lib/modules/4.15.0-29-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwlwifi.ko
license:        GPL
author:         Copyright(c) 2003- 2015 Intel Corporation <[email protected]>
description:    Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
firmware:       iwlwifi-100-5.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-1000-5.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-135-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-105-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-2000-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-5150-2.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-5000-5.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-6000g2b-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-6050-5.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-6000-6.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-7265D-29.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-7265-17.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-3168-29.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-3160-17.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-7260-17.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-8265-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-8000C-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-9260-th-b0-jf-b0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-9260-th-a0-jf-a0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-9000-pu-a0-jf-b0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-9000-pu-b0-jf-b0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-9000-pu-a0-jf-a0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-QuQnj-a0-hr-a0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-QuQnj-a0-jf-b0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-QuQnj-f0-hr-a0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-Qu-a0-jf-b0-34.ucode
firmware:       iwlwifi-Qu-a0-hr-a0-34.ucode
srcversion:     6BA065AF04F0DFDB8D91DBF
depends:        cfg80211
retpoline:      Y
intree:         Y
name:           iwlwifi
vermagic:       4.15.0-29-generic SMP mod_unload 
signat:         PKCS#7
signer:         
sig_key:        
sig_hashalgo:   md4
parm:           swcrypto:using crypto in software (default 0 [hardware]) (int)
parm:           11n_disable:disable 11n functionality, bitmap: 1: full, 2: disable agg TX, 4: disable agg RX, 8 enable agg TX (uint)
parm:           amsdu_size:amsdu size 0: 12K for multi Rx queue devices, 4K for other devices 1:4K 2:8K 3:12K (default 0) (int)
parm:           fw_restart:restart firmware in case of error (default true) (bool)
parm:           antenna_coupling:specify antenna coupling in dB (default: 0 dB) (int)
parm:           nvm_file:NVM file name (charp)
parm:           d0i3_disable:disable d0i3 functionality (default: Y) (bool)
parm:           lar_disable:disable LAR functionality (default: N) (bool)
parm:           uapsd_disable:disable U-APSD functionality bitmap 1: BSS 2: P2P Client (default: 3) (uint)
parm:           bt_coex_active:enable wifi/bt co-exist (default: enable) (bool)
parm:           led_mode:0=system default, 1=On(RF On)/Off(RF Off), 2=blinking, 3=Off (default: 0) (int)
parm:           power_save:enable WiFi power management (default: disable) (bool)
parm:           power_level:default power save level (range from 1 - 5, default: 1) (int)
parm:           fw_monitor:firmware monitor - to debug FW (default: false - needs lots of memory) (bool)
parm:           d0i3_timeout:Timeout to D0i3 entry when idle (ms) (uint)
parm:           disable_11ac:Disable VHT capabilities (default: false) (bool)

UPDATE: I tried to update to kernel 4.18 which use newer firmware but got the same issue.

Solution 1

It is a problem with fast startup mode of Windows. I think because in that mode, Windows keeps the wireless adapter for itself when shut down. hence Linux cannot detect it.

Just go into Settings > Power & Sleep > Choose what power button does > Shut down setting > uncheck the Turn on fast startup > save change and it will work.

Solution 2

The Intel 9260-AC Wireless Chipset doesn't work in newer Linux kernels (ex: Ubuntu 18.04).

Here is the kernel bugreport that can be checked for the status.

In my case this was affecting a freshly bought: Lenovo IdeaPad/Yoga S730.

The solution for me was to install Ubuntu 16.04 with an older kernel, which worked without any issue

Edit 2021-01-18

The wireless adapter in the IdeaPad/Yoga S730 is working fine on ubuntu 20.04

Solution 3

iwlwifi-9260-th-b0-jf-b0-34.ucode is included in the package linux-firmware in Ubuntu Bionic.

Try upgrading or reinstalling the package.

apt-get --reinstall install linux-firmware

Don't try to manually install from an archive provided by Intel. Always try to find a package that provides the driver if possible.

Solution 4

I recently had the same issue in Kubuntu 18.04. I don't have any windows installed, so no fast bootup or issues like that. But whenever I shut down, I used to use the buttons from the start menu (Win Key -> Leave -> Shut Down) to shut down. I suspect that might not be shutting down my system well. So I shut down the PC completely using Linux's usual shutdown command:

sudo shutdown -h now

I haven't looked into what command Kubuntu runs to turn off the system, but once I turned off using the above command and turned it back on, the error disappeared, and the wifi started working again.

Solution 5

I just want to reach back in time from up here in THE DISTANT FUTURE, Jan 2020, and say I had the same problem with an Asus Zenith Extreme Alpha motherboard with the Wireless-AC 9260 not being recognized by Ubuntu 18.04.

I tried downgrading to 16.04, to no avail. Also tried updating the firmware; nope.

But the wired Ethernet worked, and a simple dist-upgrade did the trick for me.

View more solutions

Comments

[tudor -Reinstate Monica-]

Hi! Welcome to AskUbuntu! Can you also include the output of iwconfig? Be careful to redact anything that may be traceable like ESSIDs or MAC addresses with Xs. Thanks!

[hgminh]

Thanks. I have updated the iwconfig output in the question. It shows no wireless extensions.

[Matyas]

Hey @hgminh did you manage to get it working? I am currently struggling with a laptop having the 9260 Intel card, and can't get it to work. What I've tried: 1. Standard 18.04 ubuntu 1. Reinstall linux-firmware 1. Copy Intel ucode drivers to /lib/firmware from here and the referenced newer drivers 1. Updated to 19.04 1. Tried the same 1. Currently I am going to try 16.04 to see if downgrading helps. If you got it to work, could you please point me in the righ direction?

[hgminh]

@Matyas Unfortunately, the only way I manage to make it work is to boot into Windows and then restart to Ubuntu. The issue is tracked here. It is not likely to be resolved anytime soon :(

[Matyas]

Thanks. will post this as an answer below, for visibility, so others come to a conclusion quicker.

[hgminh]

Thanks. But after I reinstall firmware, the issue stays the same. I also tried to update kernel to 4.18 which use newer firmware (iwlwifi-9260-th-b0-jf-b0-38.ucode), but got the same result.

[Gayan Weerakutti]

See: reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/9kzmy1/…

[hgminh]

Thanks, it is also reported at bugzilla.

[hgminh]

hmm, could be it, let me try later today.

[James Stonehill]

This was it! Nice find!

[Jon]

FYI: a related discussion on bugzilla bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=201319

[Tejaswi Yerukalapudi]

Man win fastboot is causing me so many problems with Ubuntu - thanks for pointing out how to disable it!

[Joshua Detwiler]

Great. Worked with Arch Linux too. Windows causing problems even when it's not running.

[dj_segfault]

YOU!!!!! are a lifesaver. Thank you!!!!

[CoffeeKangaroo]

Thank you for pointing out the problem and the detailed solution!

[Sam Watkins]

Someone explained how to fix it without booting into Windows here, I didn't try it: bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=201319#c55

[Sam Watkins]

It would be worth adding this into the installers, to detect this circumstance and either fix it or warn the user about it... Does this happen for other wifi or only iwlwifi?

[Adrian Bienias]

Sounds like a bad joke, but here's my short story: I made a fresh install of different Linux distributions erasing the whole drive (that initially contained Windows). Wi-Fi didn't work - on installed versions or live USB drives. I thought it's crazy but I installed Windows and decided to turn off that fast startup feature in it (on Windows Wi-Fi worked well). Didn't work. So I turned off Wi-Fi on Windows. And that helped!!! Wi-Fi started working on live USB distributions and it's working also after Linux was installed on an erased (again) drive. Magic. It's hard not to love Windows...

[Admin]

Had same problem, this solved it for me. My laptop "powered off" after closing the lid and the battery went empty. Sometimes closing the lid does not let my laptop go into sleep mode properly and it eventualy shuts down. Thanks!