Ubuntu 20.04.3 - no Wifi adapter / no Bluetooth!

Feels like this is all way too problematic and messy

Don’t give up. Hard times like this make you into a Linux expert. Most computers can sail through with little trouble but every one is different. 15 years ago we had to do this by reading books LOL. Give your self some time. With Linux there is always another way.

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Yes, that’s because the Kernel has been updated since. What you can do is perform an:

apt search linux-image

Which will return the more current Linux kernels that are up on the mainline repository. Then, you can use the new numbers instead of the 5.13.12-051312. :slight_smile:

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Thank you @vasileios

So I managed to complete the apt install with 5.14.12-051412, but I’ve come full circle to this error again:

Following your previous advice I selected 5.11 from the list below but now I’m no further forward again.

How can booting 5.11 again be the solution when I need 5.13 / 5.14?

So still no wifi / bluetooth… I don’t think 5.14 is installed properly. Or something…

Invalid signature? Load the kernel first? What do these mean and how do I rectify them?

Mainline shows only 5.11 installed. I tried installing 5.14 again that way but made no difference, so I uninstalled it from there and ran the apt install command for 5.14 again. Just to make sure I hadn’t overwritten it.

Thanks for your help - this is very frustrating. Especially when I get blocked AGAIN from the forum for posting too many replies! I only posted one today before being locked out!

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It would seem you are not the only one who has this issue. For some reason, the Secure Boot is getting in the way. Or at least that’s what this guy says (and shows).

The video is for Arch, but the cause and effect are the same. Can you please have a look at your BIOS?

If you were blocked, I would at least see an administrative alert when I log in. I haven’t seen one so far.

‘Video unavailable. Playback has been disabled by the video owner’ =(

What specifically am I looking at in the BIOS?

Forum tells me I have exceed the max. replies for a new user. Locks me out for 7+ hours each time.

Ok so I disabled Secure Boot and now I have WiFi. =)

Halfway there - still can’t activate Bluetooth - nothing happens when I turn it on.

Rebooted a couple of times and now WiFi has gone again. Can’t get it back. This feels VERY flaky to me.

Got locked out again. That’s a serious problem with this forum. Makes me want to leave. Just some feedback that others might also be feeling. You can’t lock out new users from posting after only a couple of replies!!!

Any further ideas? While I can still post… If I get locked out again I’m done here.

I appreciate your help.

Hello again @ObergonSteve!
I wish I had control over the DiscoBot (that’s how it’s called, don’t ask!), but I don’t. It would appear that Secure Boot was indeed the issue. Were you able to completely disable it and clear the keys?
What appears to be happening is that the BIOS is what is interfering with your Kernel’s modules, hence the flakiness you are experiencing. And I have to admit, that’s quite the fancy BIOS screen!

What is happening essentially is this:
Ubuntu attempts to bypass Microsoft’s Secure Boot, by issuing a signature file that applies to the current Kernel that comes pre-installed. When you install a newer Kernel that supports your more modern system, your BIOS no longer considers that signature to be valid. Hence it’s recommended that all aspects of the Secure Boot are cleared, including the keys. Do not worry about the latter as they can always be restored.

Your adapter, Mediatek 7961 is a hybrid one, which means both the WiFi and Bluetooth are embedded on the same chip. Since you were able to have WiFi, Bluetooth shouldn’t be far behind. Once you disable all Secure Boot aspects, go to the Software Sources of your Ubuntu installation and check the Additional Drivers section. Does it give you any further options?

Wow - I’m impressed you can see what’s going on!

Got locked out again - insane policy. One sure way to push new members away.

I hadn’t cleared the keys so I tried that, disabled Secure Boot again but still no WiFi or Bluetooth.

Additional Drivers:

Hope there’s a solution to this!

REALLY don’t want to have to revert to toxic Windows!!

Hey Steve!
I honestly have no idea how you do it! I literally don’t get any kind of administrative warning. Are you behind a VPN that has a bad server reputation?

For now, you can select your 470 driver, which will at least make your system blazing fast. As for the WiFi-Bluetooth, we’ll have to go on an investigative approach.

Which Kernel are you on at the moment? You can see that on a terminal when you type:

uname -r

It just takes a bit of patience. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. :wink:

Nope. No VPN, no firewall. Other than the Communist Wall of Australia haha.

Kernel is 5.14.12-051412-generic.

Might try a version of 5.13 as per that article you sent me. Think I already did, but not sure what with messing around trying to get it working.

… didn’t work - don’t have a 5.13 version that will install (as per apt search linux-image). Only have 5.13.0-1004.4 etc which won’t install)

Okay, it would appear that you have the latest kernel, but probably not the additional modules and headers required. How about you try to see if any of those are available?

sudo apt install linux-image-unsigned-5.14.12-051412-generic
sudo apt install linux-modules-5.14.12-051412-generic
sudo apt install linux-headers-5.14.12-051412-generic

If the unsigned kernel does not exist, don’t worry. It’s most likely you’ll need the modules and the headers anyway.