Preventing iwconfig power management from turning on

In this article, we will explore several methods to prevent the power management feature in iwconfig from turning on. This feature, while useful for saving battery life, can sometimes cause connectivity issues in certain environments. If you’re experiencing such issues, you might want to consider disabling power management.

Understanding iwconfig

Before we dive into the solutions, let’s first understand what iwconfig is. iwconfig is a command-line tool in Unix-like operating systems that allows you to configure wireless network interfaces. The power management feature in iwconfig is designed to save power by turning off the wireless device or putting it into a low-power mode when it’s not in use.

Method 1: Edit NetworkManager configuration file

The first method involves editing the NetworkManager configuration file. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the file /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf in a text editor. You can use any text editor you prefer, but for this example, we’ll use nano:

   sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

2. Look for the line wifi.powersave = 3 under the [connection] section. This line enables power management.
3. Change the value from 3 to 2. This will disable power management.
4. Save the file and reboot your system. The changes will take effect after the reboot.

Method 2: Modify pm-utils configuration

Another method to disable power management is by modifying the pm-utils configuration. pm-utils is a power management framework that uses scripts to manage power.

1. Create a file named blacklist in the directory /etc/pm/config.d/:

   sudo touch /etc/pm/config.d/blacklist

2. Open the file and add the line HOOK_BLACKLIST="wireless":

   echo 'HOOK_BLACKLIST="wireless"' | sudo tee -a /etc/pm/config.d/blacklist

3. Save the file and restart your system. The changes will take effect after the reboot.

Method 3: Create an empty hook file

You can also create an empty hook file to disable power management. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Create an empty file named wireless in either /etc/pm/sleep.d/ or /etc/pm/power.d/:

   sudo touch /etc/pm/sleep.d/wireless

   or

   sudo touch /etc/pm/power.d/wireless

2. Restart your system and check if power management is disabled.

Method 4: Modify /etc/network/interfaces

Another method to disable power management involves modifying the /etc/network/interfaces file.

1. Open the file /etc/network/interfaces in a text editor:

   sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

2. Find the section for your wireless interface (e.g., wlan0).
3. Add the line post-up iwconfig wlan0 power off within the interface section. This line will disable power management every time the interface comes up.
4. Save the file and reboot your system. The changes will take effect after the reboot.

Method 5: Create a systemd service

The final method involves creating a systemd service. Systemd is a system and service manager for Linux operating systems.

1. Create a bash script with the desired iwconfig command to disable power management (e.g., /root/scripts/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.sh):

   echo 'iwconfig wlan0 power off' | sudo tee /root/scripts/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.sh
   sudo chmod +x /root/scripts/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.sh

2. Create a systemd service file (e.g., /etc/systemd/system/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.service) with the appropriate configuration to execute the bash script:

   echo -e '[Unit]\nDescription=Disable WiFi power management\n\n[Service]\nType=oneshot\nExecStart=/root/scripts/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.sh\n\n[Install]\nWantedBy=multi-user.target' | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.service

3. Enable and start the systemd service using the commands:

   sudo systemctl enable pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.service
   sudo systemctl start pwr-mgmnt-wifi-disable.service

Please note that you should replace wlan0 with the correct interface name for your system.

These methods have been suggested by users in various forums and have worked for some individuals. However, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of these solutions may vary depending on your specific system configuration and the underlying cause of the power management issue. Always remember to backup your system before making any changes to system files.