0

I am running Ubuntu 14.04 and had not had problems with the wifi until a couple of days ago. I have tried numerous help posts, most of which with similar fixes, and nothing worked.

It started after I switched to using 'Auto ethernet' in order to download things faster, and when I tried switching back to wireless, I found that the hardware switch for the wireless has been disabled, and I can no longer connect wirelessly.

Hitting the actual switch doesn't do anything.

sudo rfkill list all returns:

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

lspci | grep Wireless returns:

10:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

sudo rfkill unblock all does nothing and neither does: sudo rfkill unblock wlan

Nothing in the hardware changed, I only noticed the problem after I installed another distribution on another partition, when I unplugged it from the ethernet.

Snappawapa
  • 607

1 Answers1

0

Hard blocked means your wifi switch or your wifi fn key on your laptop is switched. Press the wifi key or press fn and the wifikey at the same time to toggle hard blocked on and off. Rfkill does not have power over the fn key or the physical switch.

Also, check this setting "enable WIFI" in Network Manager is selected as well because it will also return the "hard blocked" disposition. enter image description here

Also, check your BIOS settings.

How to unblock something listed in rfkill?

an answer by vbachev

  1. dual-boot to windows where the button works
  2. enable wifi
  3. reboot to linux

How to unblock something listed in rfkill?

APPLICATIONS MENU > SYSTEM TOOLS > PREFERENCES > SYSTEM SETTINGS

open NETWORKS

Now, toggle the AIRPLANE mode off and while it is still open (leave it alone) press your standby/power button. Let the system go into standby. Next resume the system and toggle your wifi button. https://forums.kali.org/showthread.php?368-ifconfig-wlan0-up-%93SIOCSIFFLAGS-Operation-not-possible-due-to-RF-kill%94

Remove the battery and the ac adapter. Press the power button to purge the system. Replace the battery and ac adapter and power back up.https://forums.kali.org/showthread.php?368-ifconfig-wlan0-up-%93SIOCSIFFLAGS-Operation-not-possible-due-to-RF-kill%94

Community
  • 1
mchid
  • 44,904
  • 8
  • 102
  • 162