Wifi Troubles

[calinb]

And more here:
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=8822

Like I said, this is an old bug and I'm surprised it's still with us (at least some of us) on Pine64 devices.

[calinb]

I solved my WPA2 problem. The cause was embarrassingly simple. I use a 64-bit hex digit code for the network key in my wifi router. I usually copy and paste from a file (transferred via "floppy net" as we called it on the old days but now SD card net) when setting up new computers to access my network but, with the Pinephone I just hand typed the key into a file on the Pinephone and used the file to paste the key. Unfortunately, I dropped one hex digit in making the key file and it wasn't very obvious. The network manager took it as a 63 character key but my router was expecting 64 hex digits.

Doh!

[walterbe]

Great that this problem is solved.

And I have a new one  

The Pinebook pro last batch with default Manjaro;

I have 2.4ghz en 5ghz networks. It only finds my 5ghz network. I can connect with that but at some places my 5 is to weak and the strong 2.4 is not listed.

I have renamed the networks to give them different names but that makes no difference.

When I use the command 'nmcli dev wifi' on the Pinebook I get the wifi networks but my 2.4 do not show up.

[calinb]

<snip>

The Pinebook pro last batch with default Manjaro;

I have 2.4ghz en 5ghz networks. It only finds my 5ghz network. I can connect with that but at some places my 5 is to weak and the strong 2.4 is not listed.

<snip>

That's interesting. My Pinephone has the opposite problem. (It can't see my 5 gHz nework.) I'll check my new Pinebook Pro on 5 gHz when it comes back from warranty service for dead LCD back lighting. It flickered and died the first day. I know Pine64 was having trouble finding displays for the last PBPro build. I wonder if the supplier has a QA problem!

[walterbe]

Also strange is;
My Pinebook can see 2.4GHz networks. Only not mine.

My network is called Simba. 'Simba' is 2.4GHz.  'Simba5' is 5 GHz. The scans below are done with the Pinebook and an other computer besides each other. At that location I should have a strong 2.4GHz connection because that access point is very close.

The 5GHz points (2x) are far away and are to weak to used. Those also broadcast 2.4GHz network.

This is the Pinebook:

SSID          MODE  CHAN  RATE SIGNAL  BARS  SECURITY
Bedroom.o      Infra  6    65 Mbit/s  44       ▂▄__  --
Orange-2D3A    Infra  100  270 Mbit/s  44 ▂▄__  WPA2
Living.o      Infra  6    65 Mbit/s  37           ▂▄__  --
Orange-2D3A    Infra  1    130 Mbit/s  29    ▂___  WPA2
WiFi-2.4-FD8A  Infra  1    130 Mbit/s  27     ▂___  WPA2
WiFi-2.4-FD8A  Infra  48    540 Mbit/s  27    ▂___  WPA2
TelenetWiFree  Infra  6    130 Mbit/s  25       ▂___  WPA1 WPA2

None of my networks show up. Bedroom and Living is the Home mini who is offline because I changed the network name for this test. You see 2.4GHz networks show up. In this test my weak 5GHz does not show up but it has done extremely weak before.

This is form my MX Linux computer;

IN-USE  SSID          MODE  CHAN  RATE        SIGNAL  BARS  SECURITY
*      Simba             Infra  13        130 Mbit/s  65         ▂▄▆_  WPA2   
        Living.o           Infra  6           65 Mbit/s  62         ▂▄▆_  --     
        Orange-2D3A   Infra  100      270 Mbit/s  54         ▂▄__  WPA2   
        WiFi-2.4-FD8A  Infra  48        540 Mbit/s  44         ▂▄__  WPA2   
        Simba5            Infra  60         540 Mbit/s  35        ▂▄__  WPA2

I am connected with the 2.4GHz network. My 5GHz shows weak up.

[walterbe]

I just remembered I still have a very old wifi usb-stick, from the era that computers did not came with wifi build in.

A D-link DWA-110

I just pluged it in and directly I am connected with my strong 2.4 gHz. Seems to work great. That is something you can not do with usb-c only computers.

[jiyong]

I just remembered I still have a very old wifi usb-stick, from the era that computers did not came with wifi build in.

A D-link DWA-110

I just pluged it in and directly I am connected with my strong 2.4 gHz. Seems to work great. That is something you can not do with usb-c only computers.

Probably solved by using a USB-C hub or USB-A to USB-C adapter.

[walterbe]

True, but I meant it from a pratical point of view.

Then you need already have something to make the bridge from USB-A to usb-C. Or you have to buy it. Buying in the sense of cost is not an issue but you need to be able to find it. You need to have a specialized shop around for something like that or order itfrom Aliexpress and need to wait weeks to a month.

And from the the 1th of July on in the EU the exemption is expired for taxes on crap from China not higher in value then 22 euro. We will need to pay VAT on it. That is not a problem but also the 15-18 euro administration costs.

And when you get it instead of one thing decently fitting inside the usb port sticking out you then have something longer and less secure sticking out.