Release 43.20260118: Stable (F43.20260118) onwards breaks WiFi for MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM

[marcusboon]

Describe the bug

I'm running Bazzite -deck on an MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM and things have generally been pretty smooth up till the latest Stable release where my WiFi would not connect after the update. In Steam game mode the Wireless connection keeps trying to connect and saying the password is wrong; and switching to desktop mode gives a wlan authorization supplicant disconnected

Steps to reproduce:

1. Upgrade to 43.20260118: Stable (F43.20260118) or 43.20260120.1: Stable (F43.20260120)

What did you expect to happen?

WiFi continues to work as usual

Session Logs

https://paste.centos.org/view/dfd5779b

Hardware

MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM

Extra information or context

I believe the WiFi card is the Mediatek MT7925 wireless adapter

Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck systemd[1]: Started NetworkManager.service - Network Manager.
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.7464] device (lo): state change: ip-config -> ip-check (reason 'none', managed-type: 'external')
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.7471] modem-manager: ModemManager available
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.7479] device (lo): state change: ip-check -> secondaries (reason 'none', managed-type: 'external')
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.7480] device (lo): state change: secondaries -> activated (reason 'none', managed-type: 'external')
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.7481] device (lo): Activation: successful, device activated.
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8114] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: internal-starting -> disconnected
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8115] Wi-Fi P2P device controlled by interface wlp195s0 created
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8116] manager: (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): new 802.11 Wi-Fi P2P device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/3)
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8117] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed', managed-type: 'externa>
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <warn>  [1768891494.8117] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): error setting IPv4 forwarding to '0': Resource temporarily unavailable
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8118] device (wlp195s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant-available', managed-type: >
Jan 20 16:44:54 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891494.8120] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:44:57 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891497.0322] manager: startup complete
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.1423] audit: op="connection-add" uuid="62fc837d-1cee-4d7b-a85d-b3fc6fd150ed" name="The Death Star" pid=2282 uid=1>
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.1592] device (wlp195s0): Activation: starting connection 'The Death Star' (62fc837d-1cee-4d7b-a85d-b3fc6fd150ed)
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.1593] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="62fc837d-1cee-4d7b-a85d-b3fc6fd150ed" name="The Death Star" pid=2282 >
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.1594] device (wlp195s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.1596] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2022] device (wlp195s0): set-hw-addr: set-cloned MAC address to DA:BE:E4:F0:45:FD (stable-ssid)
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2250] device (wlp195s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2253] device (wlp195s0): Activation: (wifi) access point 'The Death Star' has security, but secrets are required.
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2253] device (wlp195s0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2255] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> interface_disabled
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2255] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: disconnected -> interface_disabled
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2262] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: interface_disabled -> inactive
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2262] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: interface_disabled -> inactive
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2262] device (wlp195s0): state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2264] device (wlp195s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2266] device (wlp195s0): Activation: (wifi) connection 'The Death Star' has security, and secrets exist.  No new >
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2266] Config: added 'ssid' value 'The Death Star'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2267] Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2267] Config: added 'bgscan' value 'simple:30:-70:86400'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2267] Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK WPA-PSK-SHA256 FT-PSK SAE FT-SAE'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2267] Config: added 'auth_alg' value 'OPEN'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.2267] Config: added 'psk' value '<hidden>'
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.6062] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: inactive -> authenticating
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.6062] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: inactive -> authenticating
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.6119] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Jan 20 16:45:49 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891549.6119] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: authenticating -> associating
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9509] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: associating -> 4way_handshake
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9510] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: associating -> 4way_handshake
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9520] device (wlp195s0): supplicant interface state: 4way_handshake -> disconnected
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9521] device (wlp195s0): Activation: (wifi) disconnected during association, asking for new key
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9522] device (wlp195s0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'supplicant-disconnect', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9524] device (p2p-dev-wlp195s0): supplicant management interface state: 4way_handshake -> disconnected
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <warn>  [1768891570.9528] device (wlp195s0): no secrets: No agents were available for this request.
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9529] device (wlp195s0): state change: need-auth -> failed (reason 'no-secrets', managed-type: 'full')
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9531] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
Jan 20 16:46:10 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <info>  [1768891570.9889] device (wlp195s0): set-hw-addr: set MAC address to 8E:35:6E:6A:B0:FB (scanning)
Jan 20 16:46:11 holodeck NetworkManager[1514]: <warn>  [1768891571.0116] device (wlp195s0): Activation: failed for connection 'The Death Star'

Reverting back to 43.20260101: Stable (F43.20260101) enables WiFi to work again.

[KyleGospo]

ujust toggle-iwd

[marcusboon]

I have tried that as well, disabling iwd did not help

[marcusboon]

Looks like it might be an upstream issue with the firmware (20260110-1) that was introduced in Release 43.20260118: Stable (F43.20260118), this looks related https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2430575 the dmesg outputs look similar

[dschibster]

After reading this issue I reverted back to the last 2025 stable release, which didn't amount to Any changes. I think my issue might be related though.

Running bazzite-deck on a Nipogi mini pc with an mediatek dualband wifi Dongle for internet access. 2.4Ghz connection is working as intended, but 5Ghz tells me the password is wrong and doesn't let me connect. On desktop it tells me no secrets are provided.

When I installed bazzite from a fresh live usb stick, the first time I booted it up, 5Ghz wifi worked without issue. It only started doing it after one power cycle. Interestingly enough it coincides with me getting a second ostree boot entry, although I did not run any updates.

Toggling iwd also did not change anything for me unfortunately.

[marcusboon]

One observation I had was that in desktop mode, with the updated firmware, my SSID would show as 2.4GHz even though I have my networks all separated and the one I’m connecting to is 5GHz only. On the “old” firmware it would correctly show as a 5GHz network.

[mayhemvc-bazzite]

I also experienced this. Did a fresh flash of 43.20260120.1: Stable but the issue still persists.

[marcusboon]

You’ll need to revert back to 43.20260101: Stable (F43.20260101) or any Stable version that contains Firmware 20251125-1. Assuming that this is the same issue with mediatek wifi drivers

[dschibster]

Might not be the same issue then, as I reverted to 20251127 (if I'm not mistaken) and had the issue still. Still strange to get similar errors.

To add to it, it's only my 5Ghz network that fails, 2.4Ghz is always connecting

[marcusboon]

One workaround I'm doing (which I totally do NOT recommend doing) is to essentially "pin" the linux-firmware to 20251125

holodeck@holodeck:~$ sudo rpm-ostree status
State: idle
Deployments:
● ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-deck:stable
                   Digest: sha256:bd74210850af4dc02ddf5b106a8c7e153a9ab7605af78bb2106c731141e8a43e
                  Version: 43.20260126 (2026-01-26T05:19:59Z)
           LocalOverrides: amd-ucode-firmware linux-firmware nvidia-gpu-firmware qcom-wwan-firmware atheros-firmware libertas-firmware intel-audio-firmware iwlegacy-firmware iwlwifi-mld-firmware brcmfmac-firmware tiwilink-firmware mt7xxx-firmware nxpwireless-firmware intel-vsc-firmware cirrus-audio-firmware iwlwifi-mvm-firmware iwlwifi-dvm-firmware linux-firmware-whence intel-gpu-firmware realtek-firmware amd-gpu-firmware 20260110-1.fc43 -> 20251125-1.fc43

I did this via rpm-ostree which according to the documentation should be a last resort

At least this allows me to upgrade to the latest stable image albeit without the fixes from the newer linux-firmware, but I am hoping it gets sorted upstream sooner rather than later.

[mayhemvc-bazzite]

Been doing some testing and my Claw could connect to the WiFi hotspot on my phone (Pixel 7a). Read that it might be an issue with Linux and WiFI Mesh networks. Are you running a Mesh?

[marcusboon]

It’s not a mesh network, no. It’s just a plain 5GHz, WPA2 network. The only thing is that I have 3 APs around the house. I’ve tried connecting to both a 2.4GHz only SSID and also the hotspot on my iPhone 16 but neither connect with firmware 20260110-1, if you have a look at the linked redhat bug report above you’ll see that on the newer firmware the driver times out whereas on firmware 20251125-1 it works as expected.

[mayhemvc-bazzite]

I have found a workaround that worked for me.
Using this guide https://docs.bazzite.gg/Installing_and_Managing_Software/Updates_Rollbacks_and_Rebasing/rebase_guide/
I rebased to the oldest version available (F43:20251102) and pinned it.
Working as expected. I can contribute to try and update and if I lose WiFi I can always roll back to the pinned version.

[marcusboon]

Yeah I did something similar, I used rpm-ostree to pin the linux-firmware package to 20251125-1 via layering which works but other things break such as checking for updates in steam gaming mode via hhd and steam itself. But having to drop to desktop mode to update currently is a small price to pay I think. And that also confirms (for me at least) that this is a firmware related issue