The story is...
I've moved from 2.6.25.x using BCM43XX with a Broadcom 4306 (rev3) 802.11
chipset to 2.6.26.6 using the B43 and appropriate firmware. This on a COMPAQ
Presario R3000 P4 and a gig of memory and ATI graphics.
I followed the install (upgrade) directions at linuxwireless.org. Piece of
cake! However... I find that I've gone from "bulletproof" BCM43XX wifi
connections to "bullethole" connections with B43.
Under the old BCM43XX the handshake and connections were flawless and
unfaltering. Now with the new B43, handshakes with AP's are perfect, but the
connections randomly and silently fail. There are no debug messages, no
complaints what-so-ever in /var/log/messages...
To gt wireless back, I have to reinitialize the connection. I've gotten so
good at it, that I can recite by heart the appropriate commands...
It's killling me! I've got to get this ironed out... it's not just my laptop,
it's happening quite regularly with people I know with similar chips and
laptops.
Trying 2.6.27-rc's and now 2.6.27 and the situation is no better.
So I ask... Who is the B43/B43LEGACY maintainer and would you be interested in
debugging this mess? I'll bend over backward to help you... Email me
direct... I'm very willing.
SHORT STORY:
-- Kernel 2.6.25.x with BCM43XX, firmware 4.80.53.0.. just perfect.
-- Kernels 2.6.26 or higher with B43 and firware 4.150.10.5 good negotiations,
but fragile connections that drop randomly and without complaint. B43LEGACY
does nothing.
Any help would be appreciated. I'd really like to get this ironed out. I
highly desire to use current kernels.
Feel free to email me direct.
--
*****************************************************************************
From the desk of:
Jerome D. McBride
19:17:28 up 15 days, 23:35, 5 users, load average: 0.33, 0.11, 0.03
*****************************************************************************
On Wed, 2008-10-29 at 20:17 -0400, John W. Linville wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 08:10:06PM -0400, Jerry McBride wrote:
>
> > SHORT STORY:
> > -- Kernel 2.6.25.x with BCM43XX, firmware 4.80.53.0.. just perfect.
> >
> > -- Kernels 2.6.26 or higher with B43 and firware 4.150.10.5 good negotiations,
> > but fragile connections that drop randomly and without complaint. B43LEGACY
> > does nothing.
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated. I'd really like to get this ironed out. I
> > highly desire to use current kernels.
>
> Are you running a distro kernel? Or one you have built yourself?
>
> If the latter, have you opened a bug at bugzilla.kernel.org?
> Otherwise, have you opened a bug with your distro's bug tracking
> system?
>
> Do you have wireshark captures taken with another device in monitor
> mode that show these connection drops?
>
> Are you using NetworkManager or wpa_supplicant? Or just configuring
> your connection with iwconfig? If the latter, consider the former.
> If you are using NM, does the connection get re-established
> automatically? Or is NM unable to reestablish the connection?
> Use wpa_supplicant directly if NM just doesn't work for you.
>
> It seems clear that posting the same message to the mailing lists
> again and again is not resolving the issue for you. Please perform
> the actions requested above (including opening a bug at the appropriate
> place) and collect some useable data for us.
In addition, have you tried updated firmware that was pointed to
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/22790
No idea if it will fix it or not.
Harvey
metin wrote:
> Yes I can confirm this problem.
> I have bcm4318 card and my connection frequently and unexpectidely is
> dropping with b43 (I had no problem with bcm43xx module). It did not
> differ at all which firmware I used.
> dmesg gives:
>
> b43-phy1: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::tx
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::rx
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::radio
> ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
> wlan0: deauthenticating by local choice (reason=3)
> input: b43-phy1 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
> b43-phy1: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::tx
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::rx
> Registered led device: b43-phy1::radio
> ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
> wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: authenticated
> wlan0: associate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:73:05:10:a0:84 (capab=0x471 status=0 aid=2)
> wlan0: associated
> ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready
> wlan0: no IPv6 routers present
>
> ...
> wlan0: No ProbeResp from current AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84 - assume out of range
> wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84
> wlan0: authentication with AP 00:73:05:10:a0:84 timed out
>
> Please help...
What kernel version? There have been a number of recent changes in mac80211 that
make connections a lot more robust. If you are not running 2.6.27, I suggest
getting it, or (even better) a copy of wireless-testing.
Larry
On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 08:10:06PM -0400, Jerry McBride wrote:
> SHORT STORY:
> -- Kernel 2.6.25.x with BCM43XX, firmware 4.80.53.0.. just perfect.
>
> -- Kernels 2.6.26 or higher with B43 and firware 4.150.10.5 good negotiations,
> but fragile connections that drop randomly and without complaint. B43LEGACY
> does nothing.
>
> Any help would be appreciated. I'd really like to get this ironed out. I
> highly desire to use current kernels.
Are you running a distro kernel? Or one you have built yourself?
If the latter, have you opened a bug at bugzilla.kernel.org?
Otherwise, have you opened a bug with your distro's bug tracking
system?
Do you have wireshark captures taken with another device in monitor
mode that show these connection drops?
Are you using NetworkManager or wpa_supplicant? Or just configuring
your connection with iwconfig? If the latter, consider the former.
If you are using NM, does the connection get re-established
automatically? Or is NM unable to reestablish the connection?
Use wpa_supplicant directly if NM just doesn't work for you.
It seems clear that posting the same message to the mailing lists
again and again is not resolving the issue for you. Please perform
the actions requested above (including opening a bug at the appropriate
place) and collect some useable data for us.
Thanks,
John
--
John W. Linville Linux should be at the core
[email protected] of your literate lifestyle.