System Information:
• OS: Ubuntu (NetworkManager based)
• Wi‑Fi Adapter: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377
• Interface: wlp2s0
Core Issue:
• Wi‑Fi adapter detected and firmware loaded correctly.
• However, NetworkManager showed the Wi‑Fi device as "unavailable".
• Root cause identified: wpasupplicant service was corrupted or not functioning.
• NetworkManager depends on wpasupplicant to manage Wi‑Fi authentication.
Symptoms Observed:
• nmcli device status → wifi unavailable
• wpa_supplicant service failed to start (fatal signal / core dump)
• iw dev scan showed networks (hardware and driver were working)
• NetworkManager unable to scan or connect
Packages Required:
- wpasupplicant
- network-manager
- linux-firmware (already installed earlier)
Official Package Links:
• wpasupplicant:
https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/w/wpa/wpa_supplicant_2.10-6ubuntu1_amd64.deb
• network-manager:
https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/n/network-manager/network-manager_1.36.6-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Resolution Steps:
Step 1: Reinstall required packages (online method)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --reinstall wpasupplicant network-manager
Offline method:
sudo dpkg -i wpa_supplicant*.deb
sudo dpkg -i network-manager*.deb
Step 2: Restart services
sudo systemctl daemon-reexec
sudo systemctl restart wpasupplicant
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
Step 3: Reboot system
sudo reboot
Verification Commands:
nmcli device status
nmcli device wifi list
systemctl status wpasupplicant
systemctl status NetworkManager
Expected Result:
• Wi‑Fi interface state changes from “unavailable” → “disconnected” or “connected”
• Available Wi‑Fi networks become visible
• Successful connection to wireless network
Conclusion:
The issue was caused by a broken wpasupplicant service, not by hardware, driver, or firmware.
Reinstalling wpasupplicant and network-manager restored proper Wi‑Fi functionality.
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