[Solved] My W-Fi Adapter Has Failed

[JERisBRISK]

I'm pretty confident that the Wi-Fi adapter in my Steam Deck has completely and utterly died.

[UPDATE -- A SOLUTION WAS PROVIDED BY STEAM SUPPORT]
Here's the fix:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/0/3466101084947367909/#c3454842679306634422


SYMPTOMS

- Steam OS reports there are no Wi-Fi networks to connect to and "No other networks found" -- I can't see my networks, I can't see my neighbors' networks. (This was not the case when I originally received the device a couple weeks ago).
- Steam Desktop has memory of my saved Wi-Fi networks, but does not allow me to connect to them.
- Other Operating Systems (Kali, Win11) can't find any Wi-Fi devices in the system at all.

TROUBLESHOOTING

I've tried all the troubleshooting steps Valve provided ( https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/3548-A9F4-02A3-940F ).

I have also tried everything I've been able to scrounge from the forums here, including:
- Setting Networks to HIDDEN in Desktop Mode
- Enabling Developer Mode and DISABLING Wifi Power Management
- Togging Wi-Fi off and on
- Restart of the device
- Full power-off and cold start of the device
- Toggling Offline Mode off and on

Additional remedies I've tried:

- Booting into a Kali Linux "live" drive to see if it could enumerate any Wi-Fi devices. It could not.
- Booting into a Windows 11 Recovery drive to see if it could find my Wi-Fi devices. It could not.

...all to no avail.

NOTES

(Note, my Wi-Fi problems first began with spotty connectivity and progressed to total loss of all Wi-Fi capabilities before I started futzing around with other Operating Systems. I also have NOT installed any of these, I've just booted into them on a USB drive and poked around. No changes have been made to the System on the Steam Deck itself).

SUPPORT

I filed a ticket with Support a couple days ago. Turnaround time with them seems to be about one comment per day (if I'm lucky).

I, on the other hand, update the support thread several comments per day with my own findings in the hope to head off their questions at the pass. (Even that is problematic, as they often don't actually read. The only response I've gotten so far is a form letter that tells me to try things I already tried and asks me for information I already provided in my original post... *sigh*).

[JERisBRISK]

Far, far from ideal, I have just discovered that a "USB 3.1 Type C to RJ45 Adapter" Model # 201013 from Cable Matters actually works. Steam Deck thought about it for a few and then reports it as "Wired connection 1".

Of course, par for the course, it's reporting that it "can't reach the Steam servers." Go figure.

At least I should be able to do a Software Update to 20220718.1. Let's see if that helps...

[UPDATE]

Nope, updating to 20220718.1 didn't resolve anything. Wi-Fi still can't see ANY networks (mine or those of my neighbors).

[AceHercules1196]

RMA your steam deck maybe

[tfk]

Yeah. I would suggest a re-image but if live boots don't see it then RMA does seem the most plausible thing to do.

[JERisBRISK]

I'm pretty sure RMA is where it's headed, but I seemingly to wait on the glacial speed of Steam Support to do that. And then there's no telling what century they'll actually be able to deliver me a replacement in... 🤣

At least I have a quasi-workaround with the wired ethernet adapter. At least I can patch, sync data, etc... but online play isn't going to happen unless I feel like being tethered.

[AceHercules1196]

Originally posted by JERisBRISK:

I'm pretty sure RMA is where it's headed, but I seemingly to wait on the glacial speed of Steam Support to do that. And then there's no telling what century they'll actually be able to deliver me a replacement in... 🤣

At least I have a quasi-workaround with the wired ethernet adapter. At least I can patch, sync data, etc... but online play isn't going to happen unless I feel like being tethered.

I don’t even know if my steam deck needs to be RMA because it popped up a message in desktop mode saying that it detected a error in the SSD and it may need replacing the error message disappeared when I restarted steamOS so I don’t know if it is still a problem or not

[tfk]

Ask support. From what I've been reading, they always answer.

[AceHercules1196]

Originally posted by tfk:

Ask support. From what I've been reading, they always answer.

No response yet and it has been over 10 hours

[JERisBRISK]

Originally posted by Corey:

Originally posted by JERisBRISK:

I'm pretty sure RMA is where it's headed, but I seemingly to wait on the glacial speed of Steam Support to do that. And then there's no telling what century they'll actually be able to deliver me a replacement in... 🤣

At least I have a quasi-workaround with the wired ethernet adapter. At least I can patch, sync data, etc... but online play isn't going to happen unless I feel like being tethered.

I don’t even know if my steam deck needs to be RMA because it popped up a message in desktop mode saying that it detected a error in the SSD and it may need replacing the error message disappeared when I restarted steamOS so I don’t know if it is still a problem or not

Please start your own thread about that issue. This thread is for Wi-Fi Adapter failure, not SSD errors or RMA-able issues in general. ;-)

[AceHercules1196]

Originally posted by JERisBRISK:

Originally posted by Corey:

I don’t even know if my steam deck needs to be RMA because it popped up a message in desktop mode saying that it detected a error in the SSD and it may need replacing the error message disappeared when I restarted steamOS so I don’t know if it is still a problem or not

Please start your own thread about that issue. This thread is for Wi-Fi Adapter failure, not SSD errors or RMA-able issues in general. ;-)

I already have made my own thread about it

[JERisBRISK]

Originally posted by JERisBRISK:

Far, far from ideal, I have just discovered that a "USB 3.1 Type C to RJ45 Adapter" Model # 201013 from Cable Matters actually works. Steam Deck thought about it for a few and then reports it as "Wired connection 1".

Of course, par for the course, it's reporting that it "can't reach the Steam servers." Go figure.

At least I should be able to do a Software Update to 20220718.1. Let's see if that helps...

[UPDATE]

Nope, updating to 20220718.1 didn't resolve anything. Wi-Fi still can't see ANY networks (mine or those of my neighbors).

No reply from Steam Support in the last 18 hours... here's my latest addition to the Ticket:

Originally posted by JERisBRISK:

It's awfully quiet in here. I'm concerned that I will need to RMA my Steam Deck, and I'd like to stop wasting time waiting for help if that's the case. If you agree that my Wi-Fi adapter seems to be dead, please issue me an RMA # and return instructions and we'll get this ball rolling...

Otherwise, please Reply with additional troubleshooting ideas that take into account all that I have presented above (hopefully not another form letter!) so we can continue the triaging process.

[PopinFRESH]

@OP, the other OS'es in their "live environments" may not have drivers that will work with the WiFi/BT module in the Deck.

To see if its actually not detecting the WiFi/BT module boot into Desktop mode and launch the console. In the console run `lspci -vv` (that is two v not a w) to "extra" verbosely output what is connected via the pci bus. You should see the WiFi/BT controller with an x1 PCIe connection. If it is seeing the hardware then I'd suggest as tfk did and try to re-image it first.

[JERisBRISK]

Originally posted by PopinFRESH:

@OP, the other OS'es in their "live environments" may not have drivers that will work with the WiFi/BT module in the Deck.

To see if its actually not detecting the WiFi/BT module boot into Desktop mode and launch the console. In the console run `lspci -vv` (that is two v not a w) to "extra" verbosely output what is connected via the pci bus. You should see the WiFi/BT controller with an x1 PCIe connection. If it is seeing the hardware then I'd suggest as tfk did and try to re-image it first.

It does in fact list the hardware:

03:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8822CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter.
DeviceName: Broadcom 5762
Subsystem: AzureWave Device 4210
etc.

So the device is at least attached. Curious that it's jammed up performing its basic functions.

You've got me curious now, though. I'm going to boot into Kali again and see if it also sees the hardware via this command before I bother trying to re-image my Steam Deck.

[UPDATE]

Kali sees it as well via 'lspci' but 'lshw' only shows the wired ethernet device I have plugged in via USB-C. I'm going to reboot into Steam OS Desktop Mode and see if `sudo lshw` is installable there and if so, what it may reveal... 'nmcili' also looks interesting, should be curious to see what Steam Linux makes of that.

[UPDATE]

Alright, nmcli is built-in and it does NOT report my wireless network device. (It does report my wired device (also by Realtek, but an RTL8153, not the built-in RTL8822CE ) and the loopback device. So, for some reason I have an attached Wireless device that Steam OS isn't properly initializing or enabling...

[tfk]

So the hardware is there. What does the command 'ip link show' report? Also, KDE has an airplane checkbox in the networking widget (accessible via the system tray). That one is off right?

[JERisBRISK]

Originally posted by tfk:

So the hardware is there. What does the command 'ip link show' report? Also, KDE has an airplane checkbox in the networking widget (accessible via the system tray). That one is off right?

It lists two devices, link/loopback and link/ether, more or less the same as what nmcli showed.

I haven't seen any airplane mode icons anywhere. I see Bluetooth and I see my Wired connection. Clicking on the Wired connection in the tray brings up Networks, which shows that my only network is the 'Wired connection 1' network. I can disconnect or reconnect it without issue.

[JERisBRISK]

[UPDATE] Steam got back to me earlier today:

Originally posted by Steam Support:

Message from Steam Support on Jul 27 @ 2:02pm
Thanks for following up and providing the additional information.

We are investigating this issue further. As soon as we have more information, we will update your ticket.

Steam Support
<name redacted>