RTL8723DE wi-fi adapter drops connection randomly

[kriukov]

Debian 10 64-bit, HP laptop with an RTL8723DE wi-fi adapter. Problem: establishes the wi-fi connection, then after a certain, seemingly random, time, the connection disappears (no ping, no browser connection, no ssh to remote), while the NetworkManager applet still shows the connection as "connected". Disabling wi-fi/network and re-enabling it fixes the problem - until the next drop (as an example, its next drop was while writing this post, i.e., 5 minutes after the previous one). Obviously, it is frustrating and inconvenient, especially for remote access to the computer (perhaps the connection reappears after a certain time).

Attempts to solve the problem:

Updated the kernel to 5.

Compiled the sources from https://github.com/smlinux/rtl8723de using the instruction and installed the modules.

(Later, as another attempt.) Followed the instruction at https://github.com/lwfinger/rtlwifi_new (doesn't exist anymore).

The problem never disappeared. Could anyone suggest an idea or a method to try?

[stevepusser]

Maybe create a .conf file for it to disable power saving?

First, you'd need to determine the module name and run modinfo on it to see what parameter it accepts, as in my Intel driver:

Code: Select all

$ sudo modinfo iwlwifi

.....

Code: Select all

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, 2K for AX210 devices, 4K for other devices 1:4K 2:8K 3:12K (16K buffers) 4: 2K (default 0) (int)
parm:           fw_restart:restart firmware in case of error (default true) (bool)
parm:           nvm_file:NVM file name (charp)
parm:           uapsd_disable:disable U-APSD functionality bitmap 1: BSS 2: P2P Client (default: 3) (uint)
parm:           enable_ini:Enable debug INI TLV FW debug infrastructure (default: true (bool)
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:           disable_11ac:Disable VHT capabilities (default: false) (bool)
parm:           remove_when_gone:Remove dev from PCIe bus if it is deemed inaccessible (default: false) (bool)
parm:           disable_11ax:Disable HE capabilities (default: false) (bool)

[kriukov]

OK, first I ran "sudo lshw -C network" and here is part of the output:

configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtw_8723de driverversion=5.8.0-0.bpo.2-amd64 firmware=N/A ip=192.168.1.69 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11

The part "firmware=N/A" sounds strange, but I am not really knowledgeable in this. Then I listed the modules and looked for the rtw modules: "sudo lsmod | grep rtw", here is the output:

rtw88_8723de 16384 0
rtw88_8723d 57344 1 rtw88_8723de
rtw88_pci 28672 1 rtw88_8723de
rtw88_core 151552 2 rtw88_8723d,rtw88_pci
mac80211 917504 2 rtw88_pci,rtw88_core
cfg80211 884736 3 8723de,rtw88_core,mac80211

Here is the information about the module rwt88_8723de given by "sudo modinfo rtw88_8723de":

filename: /lib/modules/5.8.0-0.bpo.2-amd64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw88_8723de.ko
license: Dual BSD/GPL
description: Realtek 802.11n wireless 8723de driver
author: Realtek Corporation
alias: pci:v000010ECd0000D723sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: rtw88_pci,rtw88_8723d
retpoline: Y
intree: Y
name: rtw88_8723de
vermagic: 5.8.0-0.bpo.2-amd64 SMP mod_unload modversions
sig_id: PKCS#7
signer: Debian Secure Boot CA
sig_key: B5:5E:B3:B9
sig_hashalgo: sha256
signature: 5A:58:57:57:03:89:E8:34:C6:FA:74:6A:41:29:8F:31:E2:4E:F9:16:
6B:94:8A:66:78:E4:61:98:2D:29:AF:37:AD:09:A8:66:1C:1B:68:13:
67:77:43:69:D1:5A:45:A1:10:C6:D5:B3:F6:47:3B:0B:D6:6D:3D:5A:
91:A7:E0:1A:69:EB:33:B2:96:11:46:0A:24:ED:C7:FB:DB:5B:A2:17:
50:9E:16:BA:35:1C:A7:F3:E8:84:13:19:40:6B:DD:D2:AD:87:FC:FF:
BF:7F:42:AF:3D:50:87:0F:30:50:3A:44:B2:FE:0A:40:72:23:B8:06:
9D:D9:B5:D1:C9:61:BD:5E:20:3C:CE:E8:DE:2D:8A:8D:CF:17:95:E7:
DE:5A:D9:2C:B6:D5:69:6F:2F:7E:A1:FD:13:3C:11:A5:D8:95:C8:E2:
1D:FA:DF:E4:B0:CC:4C:77:8B:74:3B:A9:D5:72:AB:84:5C:56:8E:BB:
AD:AF:72:CE:8D:58:6A:D7:A0:9F:BD:4E:4C:F8:CA:66:0F:9A:DC:23:
FB:CD:35:3E:40:C1:48:1D:8C:A2:C7:0E:E8:05:06:95:59:28:65:82:
54:C4:10:29:0C:0E:42:0E:59:62:3B:2C:23:AC:73:8C:B7:E7:4A:D1:
A5:5E:8A:3E:C8:E1:6D:C8:1C:13:D7:6C:62:BE:F7:1E

It doesn't give me any parameter options.

[Bulkley]

Just something to keep in mind: Years ago my laptop kept dropping Wifi connections. I tried every software/firmware trick I could find. After about three months I replaced the Realtek mini Wifi card with a new card (I think IBM) and I have never had another Wifi problem with that laptop. That may not be your problem but hold the thought.

[sunrat]

The part "firmware=N/A" sounds strange, but I am not really knowledgeable in this. Then I listed the modules and looked for the rtw modules:

Do you have the package firmware-realtek installed?
lsmod shows kernel driver modules ie. for the system. Firmware is a different thing, it is a tiny bit of code which gets loaded on to the device upon initialisation.

[kriukov]

Yes, firmware-realtek is shown as installed.

[stevepusser]

That driver is signed by Debian and is part of your now outdated 5.8 kernel, not from any github module source.

If you update your kernel from buster-backports, you should also upgrade all your firmware packages and dkms drivers from backports at the same time.

The 5.8 kernel is now sadly end of life, and not maintained by Debian. You should upgrade to the 5.10 kernel and headers in backports.

[kriukov]

Updated the kernel to 5.10 and firmware-realtek and dkms packages as well. Let's see if the problem persists.

[wizard10000]

I just said this yesterday on r/linux4noobs but will regurgitate it here

My opinion is probably Not Helpful but it kinda depends on how much you value your time and frustration.

Realtek's Linux support is pretty sketchy - what I do with problematic wireless cards is throw them in the garbage and replace them with an Intel wireless card - it's an easy swap and Intel wireless cards are well-supported in any Linux distribution. You can find one that meets your needs on Amazon for around $20.

If you decide to do this install firmware-iwlwifi before you swap out the wireless card.

cheers -

edit: Oops - read OP again and you can't swap out the wireless card. HP/Compaq, Lenovo and Toshiba whitelist the OEM PCI ID of their wireless cards in BIOS and you can't swap them out or the machine will refuse to boot. They say it's for Energy Star compliance which is ridiculous as the machine only has to be compliant at point of sale.

Gonna go sit down and be quiet now

[kriukov]

Unfortunately, the problem persists after kernel and driver updates.

[kriukov]

That driver is signed by Debian and is part of your now outdated 5.8 kernel, not from any github module source.

If you update your kernel from buster-backports, you should also upgrade all your firmware packages and dkms drivers from backports at the same time.

The 5.8 kernel is now sadly end of life, and not maintained by Debian. You should upgrade to the 5.10 kernel and headers in backports.

I think I remember what I did before: I had kernel 4.19, which probably didn't have the drivers, and I compiled one of those that I listed, and it worked (except the current problem). Then I updated to 5.8 and those modules were not needed anymore.

Unfortulately, after the kernel update to 5.10.0-0.bpo.7-amd64 and updating firmware-realtek and dkms from buster-backports, the problem persists.