Help Wi-Fi and BT not connecting

[Straydog]

I have had both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth working, never having a problem, even after rooting the phone (TWRP) for about 2½ months bow. I could change ROMs, etc., never making any problem or difference.

A few days ago they stared not connecting from time to time, quickly becoming more frequently with time until now that they stopped connecting altogether. The icons do not light up, simply no connection at all. I have three ROMs, one of them being the BTU Lollipot stock, a debloated stock, and a CyanogenMod based Resurrection Remix. Each ROM has a few backups, all of them previously working with Wi-Fi and BT.

Now I changed ROMs trying each of them, one by one, and none of them connecting to Wi-Fi or BT. This makes me believe the issue is on the hardware. To both Wi-FiI and BT simultaneously? I am not 100% sure that it will be so.

How can I put them both working as before, please?

 

[svim]

This is just speculation but maybe this has something to do with the antenna, basically just a piece of insulated wire that runs along the inside of your S4. If you go to this site and look at the third photo in step 13 it shows the antenna connector to the motherboard:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S4+Motherboard+Replacement/16537
Maybe if you just re-seat the connector it might restore your WiFi/Bluetooth. (That page is referring to replacing the motherboard but just adjust things so you're not disconnecting everything, you just want to open up your phone to re-seat the antenna connector.)

 

[ironass]

There is a known issue with CM13 and some other AOSP ROMs when it comes to bluetooth and wi-fi on simultaneously. Various dev's are working on it. This has been ongoing for awhile. See the dev notes for your particular ROM.

 

[Straydog]

Thanks svim, I am going to check that, but it will take some time. From what I understand, I presume the antenna is both for Wi-FI and BT, or am I wrong? I will be back to report.

Nice to see you again, Ironass, and thank you for trying to help. The issue is also on the stock ROM. Where can I find the dev notes for the ROMs, please? I have already searched for BT not starting on CyanogenMod forum, unsuccessfully before posting here.

The failure, when sporadic, was simultaneous. Either both worked or both did not.

 

[svim]

Yes the WiFi and Bluetooth work off this common antenna.
I'm tentatively leaning towards this being a hardware issue as opposed to the ROMs since you mentioned that things were working for a couple of months and then the problem just started to popped up. Of course it might not be an antenna issue and some component on the motherboard has failed but diagnosing something like this will be a process of elimination.

 

[ironass]

If the issue is also with the stock Samsung firmware then it is most likely a hardware issue I am afraid.

Here is a link for CM13... Wifi and Bluetooth not working after flashing cm13.

 

[Straydog]

Thank you for the suggestions. That thread on XDA is very sad. At the moment I can't try checking the antenna because a few urgent unrelated thing came up and do not have the needed time. However I have a question.

If the issue is not with the antenna connection, but it still is a hardware issue, do you think that changing the motherboard will get Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back? Or can it have any other source?

 

[svim]

Changing the mobo is another option but maybe you should run through other, less drastic measures first. Changing ROMs or checking the antenna connection are for the most part just labor intensive but a new motherboard also involves costs and reinstalling/restoring everything from scratch. (... and depending on your own skills, if you haven't done something like this a few times already, it might result in your phone not working properly anyway. The counter being if this isn't your only phone that you depend on for everything it could also be a great learning venture.) Also, the S4 line is 3 yrs old now so perhaps you should weigh the cost factor against longevity and Samsung's stunted end-of-life support for its own hardware.

 

[Straydog]

Here it comes again. I am home and the phone is on a table. I hear the stock notifications whistle. Looked up and read "16 apps need to be updated". This notification only comes when we have Wi-Fi or data connected. As my data was off because I have to pay roo much for it, you guess what it was. That's right, both Wi-Fi and BT came alive again! Happened often before, but now it had been off and dead for a few days. I was on my hand-debloated stock ROM. I rebooted and still on. I changed ROMs and always on. Until when? That's the great question.

Changing the mobo is another option but maybe you should run through other, less drastic measures first.

Quite right, but if that is the only way...
I have not done it before, but am used to do things needing a lot of care and precision. A MoBo for S4 costs now just a bit over $30, if it is worth. Prices go down quickly. And the reason I said I would need a lot of time to do it was because of having to follow the steps very slowly and not living it from one day to another. Your link is very good. I had already found another one, but yours is better.

For now I will wait and see how it goes, doing nothing. I can't decide anything before something happens. It it does, then I may come back here.

Also, the S4 line is 3 yrs old now so perhaps you should weigh the cost factor against longevity and Samsung's stunted end-of-life support for its own hardware.

You are quite right. phone manufacturers got a way to use a public operating system to steal customers pushing them to buy unnecessary new phones. It is not because they are old, but because they cut the OS updates on the express purpose to steal people. It also happens that I do not like the new Galaxies 6 and 7. I like the 5, but next year it will be as old as my present 4. So why buy it?

What makes this a problem is because developers prefer to show their skills on new, but not always working so good ROMs instead of simply adopting and adapting what Google has already made
and is not that bad. However, a developer did just that with Marshmallow for Nexus 4, describes how and says it is very easy. My problem is that I have not enough knowledge and do not understand some expressions he uses, so I can't follow.

A review:
I B Times co.uk

Depeloper's description:
How to build Android Marshmallow on Nexus 4

Is there any developer interested?
It would be good and highly recommended to do something to stop those manufacturers and carriers from stealing people.