Wifi dropouts on new garuda install

Issues & Assistance Networking Support
1

I’ve tried looking everywhere online, and nothing seems to help; One result I saw mentioned a config file which for me doesn’t exist, and even turning off power management simply does not aid me in any way (I thought disabling power management would make the system no longer randomly require the wifi password to be put in, sometimes twice in a row, just to continue doing anything, while at the same time also cutting off anything currently active on the network, but apparently not)

Any clues as to how the hell to make this work would be appreciated almost beyond measure; This is absolutely doing my head in.

garuda-inxi output:

System:
Kernel: 6.8.7-zen1-2-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.2.1
clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
root=UUID=dca6082a-4a4a-4bed-b80a-0bf7dcc8e701 rw rootflags=subvol=@
quiet resume=UUID=7f78fca9-1483-4314-825a-3ea039b5809b loglevel=3 ibt=off
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.0.4 tk: Qt v: N/A wm: kwin_wayland with: krunner
dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Machine:
Type: Desktop Mobo: MSI model: B85M-E45 (MS-7817) v: 2.0 serial: N/A
UEFI: American Megatrends v: 10.9 date: 04/21/2015
CPU:
Info: model: Intel Core i7-4790 socket: BGA1155 bits: 64 type: MT MCP
arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3 note: check built: 2013-15
process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3C (60) stepping: 3
microcode: 0x28
Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 tpc: 2 threads: 8 smt: enabled cache:
L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB
L3: 8 MiB desc: 1x8 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 3919 high: 4006 min/max: 800/4000 base/boost: 3600/3800
scaling: driver: intel_cpufreq governor: performance volts: 1.2 V
ext-clock: 100 MHz cores: 1: 3800 2: 3801 3: 3999 4: 3945 5: 4006 6: 4000
7: 3997 8: 3807 bogomips: 57602
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GM204 [GeForce GTX 980] vendor: Micro-Star MSI
driver: nouveau v: kernel non-free: 545.xx+ status: current (as of 2024-04;
EOL~2026-12-xx) arch: Maxwell code: GMxxx process: TSMC 28nm
built: 2014-2019 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 3
speed: 8 GT/s ports: active: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 empty: DP-2,DP-3,DVI-I-1
bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:13c0 class-ID: 0300 temp: 92.0 C
Display: server: X.Org v: 23.2.6 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6
compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: nouveau unloaded: modesetting
alternate: fbdev,nv,vesa dri: nouveau gpu: nouveau display-ID: :1
screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1016x285mm (40.00x11.22")
s-diag: 1055mm (41.54")
Monitor-1: DP-1 pos: primary,right model: Lenovo L24i-30 serial: <filter>
built: 2022 res: 1920x1080 hz: 75 dpi: 92 gamma: 1.2
size: 530x300mm (20.87x11.81") diag: 604mm (23.8") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
Monitor-2: HDMI-A-1 pos: left model: Acer SB242Y serial: <filter>
built: 2023 res: 1920x1080 hz: 100 dpi: 92 gamma: 1.2
size: 530x290mm (20.87x11.42") diag: 604mm (23.8") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: nvidia nouveau platforms: device: 0 drv: nouveau
device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: nouveau surfaceless: drv: nouveau x11:
drv: nouveau inactive: wayland
API: OpenGL v: 4.5 compat-v: 4.3 vendor: mesa v: 24.0.5-arch1.1 glx-v: 1.4
direct-render: yes renderer: NV124 device-ID: 10de:13c0 memory: 3.87 GiB
unified: no
API: Vulkan v: 1.3.279 layers: 9 device: 0 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM
17.0.6 256 bits) driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 24.0.5-arch1.1 (LLVM 17.0.6)
device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: xcb,xlib
Audio:
Device-1: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio
vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
chip-ID: 8086:8c20 class-ID: 0403
Device-2: NVIDIA GM204 High Definition Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16
link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0fbb
class-ID: 0403
Device-3: Texas Instruments PCM2902 Audio Codec
driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid type: USB rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s
lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 3-3.4.4.4:10 chip-ID: 08bb:2902 class-ID: 0300
API: ALSA v: k6.8.7-zen1-2-zen status: kernel-api with: aoss
type: oss-emulator tools: N/A
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.5 status: n/a (root, process) with:
1: pipewire-pulse status: active 2: wireplumber status: active
3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
lanes: 1 port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL8812AE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
driver: rtl8821ae v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: c000
bus-ID: 06:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8812 class-ID: 0280
IF: wlp6s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Info: services: NetworkManager, systemd-timesyncd, wpa_supplicant
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 6.6 TiB used: 10.52 GiB (0.2%)
ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: A-Data model: SP610 size: 238.47 GiB
block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B sata: 3.1 speed: 6.0 Gb/s
tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 5B temp: 35 C
SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 181d 7h cycles: 5861
read: 475.5 MiB written: 858.7 MiB
ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Seagate model: ST3000DM001-1ER166
family: Barracuda 7200.14 (AF) size: 2.73 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
logical: 512 B sata: 3.1 speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 7200
serial: <filter> fw-rev: CC25 temp: 38 C scheme: GPT
SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 2y 195d 10h cycles: 5797
read: 85.17 TiB written: 11.77 TiB Pre-Fail: attribute: Spin_Retry_Count
value: 100 worst: 100 threshold: 97
ID-3: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 vendor: Seagate model: ST2000DM001-1ER164
family: Barracuda 7200.14 (AF) size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
logical: 512 B sata: 3.1 speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 7200
serial: <filter> fw-rev: HP51 temp: 36 C scheme: GPT
SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 351d 16h cycles: 3299
Old-Age: UDMA CRC errors: 729294 alert: Bad cable/connection? Pre-Fail:
attribute: Spin_Retry_Count value: 100 worst: 100 threshold: 97
ID-4: /dev/sde maj-min: 8:64 vendor: Western Digital
model: WD20SDRW-11VUUS1 size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 2.1 spd: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0
sata: 3.1 speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
fw-rev: 1023 drive-rev: 01.01A01 temp: 28 C scheme: GPT
SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 1y 76d 15h cycles: 1978
Partition:
ID-1: / raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%) used: 10.52 GiB (0.6%)
fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sdc2 maj-min: 8:34
ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
used: 584 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/sdc1 maj-min: 8:33
ID-3: /home raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 10.52 GiB (0.6%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sdc2
maj-min: 8:34
ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 10.52 GiB (0.6%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sdc2
maj-min: 8:34
ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 10.52 GiB (0.6%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sdc2
maj-min: 8:34
Swap:
Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 31.27 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
comp: zstd avail: lzo,lzo-rle,lz4,lz4hc,842 max-streams: 8 dev: /dev/zram0
ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 34.4 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
priority: -2 dev: /dev/sdc3 maj-min: 8:35
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 40.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 92.0 C
Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A gpu: nouveau fan: 2126
Info:
Memory: total: 32 GiB available: 31.27 GiB used: 4.32 GiB (13.8%)
Processes: 282 Power: uptime: 2h 57m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep
avail: s2idle wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown, reboot,
suspend, test_resume image: 12.5 GiB services: org_kde_powerdevil,
power-profiles-daemon, upowerd Init: systemd v: 255 default: graphical
tool: systemctl
Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1805 libs: 537 tools: octopi,paru Compilers:
clang: 17.0.6 gcc: 13.2.1 Shell: garuda-inxi (sudo) default: Bash v: 5.2.26
running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.34
Garuda (2.6.26-1):
System install date:     2025-06-20
Last full system update: 2025-06-20
Is partially upgraded:   Yes
Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut
Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
Failed units:
2

Hi there, welcome to the forum.
If you have a working network connection, like ethernet or mobile phone tethering, I’d first of all perform a:

garuda-update

Because you system is way too old

and especially:

If this, after a reboot, will not solve the issue, I think you could try the parameters in this post:

3 Likes
3

The GPU temp is critical

4

Sorry I never noticed your post sooner @Kaelani_Revyruun, welcome to the Garuda forum. :waving_hand: :smiley:

You could try the following tests to see if they improve your wifi connection:

Unload the wifi adapter module before issuing any of the commands further below.

Unload the rtl8821ae driver module:

sudo modprobe -r rtl8821ae

Then reload the driver module with various advanced parameters to modify the wifi adapter’s operation.

sudo modprobe rtl8821ae swenc=1 ips=0

or

sudo modprobe rtl8821ae debug=0 disable_watchdog=N fwlps=N swlps=Y swenc=Y ips=N msi=0

or

sudo modprobe rtl8821ae disable_watchdog=0 swlps=1 swenc=1 ips=0 fwlps=0 msi=1 debug=0 int_clear=0

or

sudo modprobe rtl8821ae  ips=0 fwlps=0 swlps=1 disable_watchdog=1 int_clear=0

or

sudo modprobe rtl8821ae  debug=0 disable_watchdog=N fwlps=N swlps=Y swenc=Y ips=N msi=0

These changes will alter the parameters of your wifi driver module temporarily, (until you reboot).

If you find one of those commands improves your connection, then the variables can be set to be applied on startup. To permanently change to your wifi adapter’s module parameters you must create a driver configuration file.

Create the following rtl8821ae wifi driver module configuration file:

/etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf

Copy and paste the following contents into the /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf file:

options rtl8821ae swenc=1
options rtl8821ae ips=0
#options rtl8821ae rtw_power_mgnt=0
#options rtl8821ae rtw_enusbss=0
options rtl8821ae swlps=1
options rtl8821ae fwlps=0
options rtl8821ae debug=0
options rtl8821ae disable_watchdog=0
options rtl8821ae msi=0
#options int_clear=0

You can test any of the driver parameters in /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf by commenting or uncommenting the entry. Simply remove the # sign in front of any option to enable that option. Placing a comment # in front of any option will disable implementing a change. You can also try flipping 1 to 0, or, 0 to 1, to enable/disable any individual driver parameter settings.

Reboot after making any permanent changes to the options in the /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf file.

Parameter’s explained:

swenc=1 enables software encryption (prefered)
swenc=0 enables hardware encryption
ips=0 disables all power saving
swlps=1 enables software control of power saving
fwlps=0 disables firmware control of power saving
rtw_power_mgnt=0 disables power saving
rtw_enusbss=0 disables USB autosuspend (only for USB adapters)
disable_watchdog=1 disable watchdog, if receiving watchdog related errors
msi=1 Set to 1 to use MSI interrupts mode (default 1)
debug=1 Set debug level (0-5) (default 0)
int_clear=0 disable interrupt clear before set (default 1)

6 Likes
5

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