Message-Id: <1385593188.3627.52911717.4E0712D9@webmail.messagingengine.com> (sfid-20131128_000009_192456_A6A5D8D9)
From: "Nikita N." <nikitan@operamail.com>
To: linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
In-Reply-To: <52966D64.2030805@lwfinger.net>
References: <1385589961.19021.52907237.3EE33E5B@webmail.messagingengine.com>
 <52966D64.2030805@lwfinger.net>
Subject: Re: RTL8187 bugs
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:59:48 -0800
Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org

Alright then :) lets start:


- Bug #1:
Im running on standard Slitaz4, updating modules, the following script:
./backports-3.13-rc1-1/scripts/compress_modules.sh
the "if" is not able to detect the present compression, as result the
new modules are not compressed, and get mixed with the old ones
compressed, resulting in errors.
My actual workaround is just to delete the "if" line.
The issue is present in all backports releases, since the switch from
compat-drivers.


- Bug #2:
I previously updated to backports-3.11-rc3, after install here the dmesg
report:
"
Loading modules backported from Linux version v3.11-rc3-0-g5ae90d8
Backport generated by backports.git v3.11-rc3-1-0-g4e81a94
cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
NET: Registered protocol family 10
rtl8187: Invalid hwaddr! Using randomly generated MAC address
ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
ieee80211 phy0: hwaddr 6a:d5:65:93:2c:69, RTL8187vB (default) V1 +
rtl8225z2, rfkill mask 2
rtl8187: Customer ID is 0x00
Registered led device: rtl8187-phy0::radio
Registered led device: rtl8187-phy0::tx
Registered led device: rtl8187-phy0::rx
rtl8187: wireless switch is on
usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187
"
The "Invalid hwaddr!" is the bug.
As workaround I had to rollback to compat-drivers, where the problem
does not exists, infact here dmesg:
"
Compat-drivers backport release: compat-drivers-v3.9-rc4-2-su
Backport based on linux-stable.git v3.9-rc4
compat.git: linux-stable.git
cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
NET: Registered protocol family 10
ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
ieee80211 phy0: hwaddr 00:e0:4c:X:X:X, RTL8187vB (default) V1 +
rtl8225z2, rfkill mask 2
"


- Bug #3:
After reverting back to compat-drivers, my interface started behaving
wrong in monitor mode.
Monitor mode was always working properly before, but after applying
backports-3.11 now is broken.
The symptoms are the following: whatever is the channel, from airodump
or wireshark I can see only broadcasts frames (dest ff:ff:ff..) and
management frames (ack,probes,beacons,req send,block,
assoc,auth,deauth,..)
I tried also other live-RAM-only distros as BT5, Kali and Weaknet, the
issue persists.
The interface behaves like some kind of "wrong" data has been written
permanently (in the eeprom?) which instructs the interface to discard
all data frames when in monitor mode.
Managed mode still works perfectly.
I still could not find a workaround for this bug, as result my interface
is still unusable in monitor mode.


- Bug #4:
Today I tried install latest stable backports-3.13-rc1-1, but RTL
modules are not compiled.
Running make defconfig-rtlwifi, it compiles only generic modules.
Running make defconfig-wifi, compilation is very fast, and skips lots of
chipsets, again same issue - no RTL modules.
No workaround - I reverted back again to compat-drivers. 


I believe the highest priority bug is the #3, because turned my
interface unusable.
Of course its possible that the cause of the monitor malfunction doesnt
come from backports, I cant say that for sure, but for sure happened
after reverting to compat-drivers - where it always worked perfectly.

Please feel free to ask all further infos you possibly need!
Thanks for the attention :)


On Wed, Nov 27, 2013, at 02:08 PM, Larry Finger wrote:
> On 11/27/2013 04:06 PM, Nikita N. wrote:
> > Hi All :) Its my first time in a mailinglist, so I apologize if Im
> > mistaken.
> > I would like to report about few bugs I found running latest modules for
> > RTL8187 and latest backports.
> > Is that the right place? Thanks
> 
> Yes, this is the right place.
> 
> Larry
> 
> 

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