Wireless dropping periodically with machine running on ubuntu

What is the output of:

sudo lshw -C network; lsb_release -a; uname -a; sudo dmidecode -t 1

Thanks

Thank you very much for your reply. I got the following:

  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       product: BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       logical name: eth1
       version: 01
       serial: f0:7b:cb:72:30:7c
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=5.100.82.38 ip=192.168.0.101 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
       resources: irq:17 memory:f0400000-f0403fff
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 02
       serial: b8:ac:6f:61:9f:98
       size: 10Mbit/s
       capacity: 100Mbit/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half firmware=N/A latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
       resources: irq:41 ioport:2000(size=256) memory:f0810000-f0810fff memory:f0800000-f080ffff memory:f0820000-f083ffff
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise
Linux ubuntu 3.2.0-33-generic #52-Ubuntu SMP Thu Oct 18 16:29:15 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
# dmidecode 2.11
SMBIOS 2.6 present.

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 1, 27 bytes
System Information
 Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
 Product Name: Inspiron 1564
 Version: A13
 Serial Number: D1ZTYL1
 UUID: 4C4C4544-0031-5A10-8054-C4C04F594C31
 Wake-up Type: Power Switch
 SKU Number: Not Specified
 Family: Not Specified

Run:
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

Find this line:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

Change it to:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash ipv6=disable=1"

Save the new file, close gedit and run:
sudo update-grub

reboot to test

Thank You, I have done that and will post again once I find out if it worked.

I have tested it and I think it is kind of better but when I did ping 72.30.2.43, there was still packet loss at around 6-25%. (average maybe around 10%). Is this something I should be concerned about?

If you run:

sudo iwlist scan | egrep -i 'chan|ssid'

What is output?

Thanks

Hello. Thanks again for answering my question. The following is my output:

The first time I did it, it was :

lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

                    ESSID:"Hello"
                    Frequency:2.422 GHz (Channel 3)
                    ESSID:"hickling"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"LCC-STD"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"FlyingMeerkats"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    ESSID:"artisitiverimulisitude"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)

The second time:

lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

                    ESSID:"hickling"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"LCC-STD"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"FlyingMeerkats"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    ESSID:"artisitiverimulisitude"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    ESSID:"Scrumps12"
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)

The third time:

                    ESSID:"Hello"
                    Frequency:2.422 GHz (Channel 3)
                    ESSID:"hickling"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"LCC-STD"
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    ESSID:"artisitiverimulisitude"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    ESSID:"FlyingMeerkats"
                    Frequency=2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    ESSID:"Scrumps12"
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)

My wifi name is Hello.

Ok, that's good. You are on channel 3, so should be out of the way of other channels. If you wanted to go the whole hog you could use channel 1. When the connection drops, run:

dmesg | tail

What is output?

Thanks for the reply. As the wireless is temperamental at times and not temperamental at times, I have difficulty finding a connection drop period. I did a long ping and had 2148 packets transmitted, 2145 received. I will post once I get the connection drop happening again.

But for now, when connection seems ok, dmesg | tail gives:

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

Here is some of the dmesg | tail when the internet started dropping again. The drop was short this time so I hope it was still "dropped" when I did the dmesg | tail:

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

The last set was when ping gave 75% packet loss.

Thank you.

Saying this, all the sets looks similar to each other though, even the one taken when connection wasn't dropped...

I definitely got a spike of packet loss this time:

Packet loss around 60-85%.

[ 1333.552364] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9475, limit 9000
[ 1338.542615] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9271, limit 9000
[ 1343.532558] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9182, limit 9000
[ 1348.522651] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9193, limit 9000
[ 1353.512771] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9468, limit 9000
[ 1358.502867] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9599, limit 9000
[ 1368.487156] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9594, limit 9000
[ 1373.477138] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9289, limit 9000
[ 1378.467262] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9538, limit 9000
[ 1383.457378] intel ips 0000:00:1f.6: MCP limit exceeded: Avg temp 9050, limit 9000

The message above indicates an overheating of the system. You should check if the fans are working.
There is a chance that the problem is caused by a kernel bug, but most likely it's hight temperature.

Possible causes of this overheating are:

1) bad hardware design.
2) cooling system failure
3) cooling system needs a clean.
4) your room temperature is too high.
5) hardware sensors are failing.
6) ACPI DSDT code is doing something bad.
7) Linux thermal driver is confused by ACPI DSDT code.
8) thermal driver is working bad for your hardware.
9) thermal driver needs some adjusting for your hardware.
10) too much dust in fans and so fans need cleaning

I suggest opening up the PC and checking if there is too much dust inside.

Also run the following commands in Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install acpi
acpi -V

Check output of that command.

Then compare the average temperature of the CPU in Ubuntu with the CPU temperature in Windows.

Boot into Windows and see if the CPU temperature is higher or lower....

Also boot a LiveCD of Ubuntu 12.10 and check if the CPU temperature is higher or lower there.

Booting into Ubuntu 12.10 may rule out the possibility of a kernel bug....

Thank you for the answers. However, when I left my laptop overnight and switched it on for around half an hour (which it should not be too hot)(unless my laptop is overheating so much that half an hour operation has overheated it), it still had some of the spikes of packet lost. I got a different value for dmesg | tail:

[ 37.760525] Bluetooth: BNEP filters: protocol multicast
[ 38.079983] r8169 0000:04:00.0: eth0: link down
[ 38.080481] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
[ 38.080825] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
[ 38.335010] type=1400 audit(1353479188.803:7): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm/lightdm-guest-session-wrapper" pid=891 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 38.335445] type=1400 audit(1353479188.803:8): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_replace" name="/sbin/dhclient" pid=892 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 38.337820] type=1400 audit(1353479188.807:9): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_replace" name="/usr/lib/NetworkManager/nm-dhcp-client.action" pid=892 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 38.338098] type=1400 audit(1353479188.807:10): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_replace" name="/usr/lib/connman/scripts/dhclient-script" pid=892 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 38.338309] type=1400 audit(1353479188.807:11): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/lib/telepathy/mission-control-5" pid=895 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 70.455872] eth1: no IPv6 routers present

But this still had packet loss spikes up to 80% once in a while.

The fan seem to be running ok I think.

I also did what Mark suggested:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install acpi
acpi -V

acpi-V gave an response of:
Battery 0: Full, 100%
Battery 0: design capacity 355 mAh, last full capacity 207 mAh = 58%
Adapter 0: on-line
Thermal 0: ok, 0.0 degrees C
Thermal 0: trip point 0 switches to mode critical at temperature 100.0 degrees C
Thermal 0: trip point 1 switches to mode passive at temperature 95.0 degrees C
Thermal 0: trip point 2 switches to mode active at temperature 71.0 degrees C
Thermal 0: trip point 3 switches to mode active at temperature 55.0 degrees C
Thermal 1: ok, 26.8 degrees C
Thermal 1: trip point 0 switches to mode critical at temperature 100.0 degrees C
Thermal 1: trip point 1 switches to mode active at temperature 71.0 degrees C
Thermal 1: trip point 2 switches to mode active at temperature 55.0 degrees C
Cooling 0: LCD 0 of 15
Cooling 1: Processor 0 of 10
Cooling 2: Processor 0 of 10
Cooling 3: Processor 0 of 10
Cooling 4: Processor 0 of 10
Cooling 5: Fan 0 of 1
Cooling 6: Fan 0 of 1

Unfortunately I can't open the laptop or the warranty would be voided and also can't see temperature in windows as 14kgui fanspeed didn't detect the temperature for my laptop.

Try changing the channel number on your router channels 3 and 6 can interfere with each other I suggest you try channel 11.

Any better?

I don't know which of the solutions solved the problem but the wireless no longer drops periodically. Thank you!!!