How to Fix WiFi Not Working in Ubuntu (Step-by-Step Guide 2025)

Is your WiFi not connecting on Ubuntu? Don’t worry—this guide will help you troubleshoot and fix the issue without technical jargon. Follow these steps carefully.

🔍 Step 1: Check Basic WiFi Settings

Before diving deep, ensure:
✅ WiFi is enabled (Check the top-right network icon).
✅ Airplane mode is off (Click the Wi-Fi icon → Disable Airplane Mode).
✅ Correct network is selected (Click Wi-Fi → Choose your network).

📌 Still not working? Proceed to Step 2.

🛠️ Step 2: Restart Network Services

Sometimes, a simple restart helps.

  1. Open Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).

  2. Run these commands one by one:

    sudo systemctl restart network-manager
    sudo systemctl restart wpa_supplicant

  3. Reconnect to WiFi and check.

📌 If WiFi is still dead, move to Step 3.

📡 Step 3: Check WiFi Driver Issues

Ubuntu may lack drivers for some WiFi cards.

A. Check Your WiFi Adapter

Run in Terminal:

lspci | grep -i network


or for USB WiFi:

lsusb

 

Look for your WiFi chipset (e.g., Intel, Realtek, Broadcom).

B. Install Missing Drivers

For Intel WiFi (Most Common)

sudo apt install firmware-iwlwifi
sudo modprobe -r iwlwifi && sudo modprobe iwlwifi

 

For Realtek (RTL8821CE, RTL8723DE, etc.)

sudo apt install rtl8821ce-dkms  # Replace with your chipset
sudo reboot

For Broadcom (BCM43XX)

sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo modprobe wl


📌 Still no WiFi? Try Step 4.

 

 

⚙️ Step 4: Disable Power Saving (Prevents WiFi Drops)

Some WiFi cards disconnect to save power.

  1. Open Terminal and run:

    sudo sed -i ‘s/3/2/’ /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

  2. Restart NetworkManager:
    sudo systemctl restart network-manager

     

📌 If WiFi is unstable, proceed to Step 5.

📶 Step 5: Reset Network Configuration

Corrupt settings can break WiFi.

  1. Delete old configs:
    sudo rm -rf /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/

  2. Restart networking:
    sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

  3. Reconnect to WiFi.

📌 Still failing? Try Step 6.

🔧 Step 6: Manually Set WiFi via Terminal

If GUI fails, use nmcli:

  1. List available networks:
    nmcli device wifi list

  2. Connect manually:
    nmcli device wifi connect “Your_WiFi_Name” password “Your_Password”

📌 If it says “Device not ready,” check Step 7.

🔄 Step 7: Update Kernel & Ubuntu

Old kernels may lack WiFi support.

  1. Update system:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

  2. Check for kernel updates:
    sudo apt install –install-recommends linux-generic

  3. Reboot:

    sudo reboot

📌 Still broken? Try Step 8 (last resort).

⚡ Step 8: Use USB WiFi Adapter (Temporary Fix)

If internal WiFi is dead:
✔ Buy a Linux-compatible USB WiFi dongle (e.g., TP-Link TL-WN725N).
✔ Plug in → Ubuntu auto-detects it.

✅ Final Checks

✔ Test WiFi on another device (Router issue?).
✔ Try Live USB (If WiFi works there, it’s a software problem).
✔ Check dmesg for errors:

dmesg | grep wifi

💡 Bonus: Permanent Fix for Recurring Issues

📌 Disable Secure Boot (Some drivers won’t load otherwise).
📌 Use Ethernet → Install drivers before WiFi.
📌 Check Ubuntu Forums for your exact WiFi chipset.

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