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NetworkManager Wi-Fi powersaving configuration
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networkmanager-wifi-powersave.md

NetworkManager WiFi Power Saving

NetworkManager supports WiFi powersaving but the function is rather undocumented.

From the source code: wifi.powersave can have the following value:

  • NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_DEFAULT (0): use the default value
  • NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_IGNORE (1): don't touch existing setting
  • NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_DISABLE (2): disable powersave
  • NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_ENABLE (3): enable powersave

Then I propose 2 files, only one of them needs to be put under /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/.
One is forcing to disable powersaving, while the other one enable it.

Once you have put the file in the right folder, simply restart NetworkManager:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
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wifi-powersave-off.conf
# File to be place under /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d
[connection]
# Values are 0 (use default), 1 (ignore/don't touch), 2 (disable) or 3 (enable).
wifi.powersave = 2
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wifi-powersave-on.conf
# File to be place under /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d
[connection]
# Values are 0 (use default), 1 (ignore/don't touch), 2 (disable) or 3 (enable).
wifi.powersave = 3
@FUIT1985
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FUIT1985 commented May 8, 2022 •
edited
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There is a discussion on the linustechtips.com forum about power saving and the rfc2863 protocol. Unfortunately the user did not follow my instructions, but he mixed them with other instructions taken from the internet, not solving the problem. If anyone wants to intervene and also correct what I have suggested to the user, he is welcome.
https://linustechtips.com/topic/1428381-kubuntu-keep-log-me-off-my-wifi/?do=findComment&comment=15386100

@RCantw3ll
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Does anyone else run into an issue where changing the setting to 2 (in order to disable power saving) completely disables the gnome network manager? In fact, any setting that I change here seems to disable it. Any help would be appreciated as this issue has been plaguing me for a long time and resetting the network manager every 10 minutes is getting exhausting.

@ctrlcctrlv
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Don't think you did it right @RCantw3ll. If the file has a syntactical error than NM will not start. Look at its log.

@alanngo
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alanngo commented Feb 14, 2023

Saved me a headache in having to reinstall ubuntu Thanks!

@e219
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e219 commented Feb 19, 2023

My wifi connection is often interrupted when using battery power, while using AC power, the connection is stable. It is solved after I modify the wifi.powersave to 2. Thank you very much!

@thomas2net
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Spelling correction in comment: "File to be placed under", with a d after place
Thanks!

In any case, interesting and long-lasting bug...
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/1960817

@jeremyb31
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It started earlier than that see https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/1557026

@JonasGroeger
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Check with

iwconfig <interface> | grep "Power Management"

@aceqbaceq
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this is amazing.

# cat /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf 
[connection]
wifi.powersave = 3

literally kills ssh performance.
and
wifi.powersave = 2
creates a miracle!

@owainkenwayucl
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owainkenwayucl commented Feb 3, 2024 •
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If you aren't using NetworkManager (default in the minimal RaspberyOS 11 install at least) you can temporarily (until reboot) turn off power management with:

iwconfig wlan0 power off

There are many conceivable ways of making this persist, e.g. putting it in rc.local.

@jeremyb31
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If you aren't using NetworkManager (default in the minimal RaspberyOS 11 install at least) you can temporarily (until reboot) turn off power management with:

iwconfig wlan0 power off

There are many conceivable ways of making this persist, e.g. putting it in rc.local.

It may just be Ubuntu and its derivatives that set the wifi.powersave=3

@josecastillolema
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josecastillolema commented Jul 12, 2024 •
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Is there a way to test the configuration has succeeded without iwconfig?

I have tried to disable wifi powersaving:

> cat /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/wifi-powersave-off.conf
[connection]
wifi.powersave = 2

> sudo systemcl restart NetworkManager

However nmcli shows no changes:

> nmcli con show MIWIFI_FAC2_5G | grep save
802-11-wireless.powersave:              0 (default)

PS from the logs of the service it looks like the file has been read:

Jun 27 15:54:31 think NetworkManager[6030]: <info>  [1719496471.3339] Read config: /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf (lib: 20-connectivity-fedora.conf, 22-wifi-mac-addr.conf) (etc: wifi-powersave-off.conf)

@YuChuXi
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YuChuXi commented Jul 20, 2024

有没有办法不用iwconfig来测试配置是否成功？

我尝试禁用 wifi 省电功能：

> cat /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/wifi-powersave-off.conf
[connection]
wifi.powersave = 2

> sudo systemcl restart NetworkManager

但是 nmcli 没有显示任何变化：

> nmcli con show MIWIFI_FAC2_5G | grep save
802-11-wireless.powersave:              0 (default)

PS：从服务日志来看该文件似乎已被读取：

Jun 27 15:54:31 think NetworkManager[6030]: <info>  [1719496471.3339] Read config: /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf (lib: 20-connectivity-fedora.conf, 22-wifi-mac-addr.conf) (etc: wifi-powersave-off.conf)

Me too.
But

[wifi]
powersave=2

is useful

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