Return-path: Received: from mail-gw2-out.broadcom.com ([216.31.210.63]:25608 "EHLO mail-gw2-out.broadcom.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1752451AbaIOIDb (ORCPT ); Mon, 15 Sep 2014 04:03:31 -0400 Message-ID: <54169D4F.2090607@broadcom.com> (sfid-20140915_100353_673530_E205F106) Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:03:27 +0200 From: Arend van Spriel MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Michael Tokarev CC: , , Subject: Re: BCM4313 & brcmsmac & 3.12: only semi-working? References: <52BDE9DC.5040206@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <52BE9CF9.7030305@broadcom.com> <52BEC2F6.7010505@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <52D4FC8B.6090301@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <52F925A9.1030707@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <53526124.6050407@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <53FC1789.6020407@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <53FCA001.6090404@broadcom.com> <53FCB2A3.1050605@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <53FCFE1A.3060508@broadcom.com> <53FDACD1.8090805@msgid.tls.msk.ru> <53FDF8EB.4050905@broadcom.com> In-Reply-To: <53FDF8EB.4050905@broadcom.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: On 27-08-14 17:27, Arend van Spriel wrote: > On 08/27/14 12:02, Michael Tokarev wrote: >> 27.08.2014 01:37, Arend van Spriel wrote: >>> On 08/26/14 18:15, Michael Tokarev wrote: >> [] >>> Well, sorry about that. I did see the other messages fly by and >>> noticed you were using the wl driver so assumed you were fine with that. >> >> That's past already. I had several issues with wl driver, >> and current issue is that even the latest (Aug-2014) version >> of wl driver doesn't work with current kernel. So I can't >> really even compare wl and brcmsmac, -- in kernels< 3.16 >> brcmsmac does not work, but wl can't be compiled for 3.16, >> and using different kernels for comparison is a bit wrong >> because there may be differences in other areas. >> >>> Admittedly the brcmsmac got very little attention as all our >>> resources were put on brcmfmac. >> >> That happens. :) >> >> [] >>> Ok. Let's put frustration aside and make an effort. So could you make >>> a trace using trace-cmd utility. The log can get quite big. The >>> brcmsmac driver needs to be built with CONFIG_BRCM_TRACING enabled. >>> Please execute the following commands (assuming you use ubuntu with >>> network-manager): >>> >>> $ sudo stop network-manager >>> $ sudo insmod brcmfmac.ko >>> $ sudo trace-cmd record -e brcmsmac:* >>> >>> In another terminal: >>> >>> $ sudo start network-manager >>> >>> The trace-cmd must be stopped using ctrl-c. >> >> Okay. This turned out to be not so simple. >> >> My initial attempt indicated that brcmsmac in 3.16 does >> not work at all. This isn't actually true - subsequent >> attempts shows that it works. I was ready to conclude >> the problem is fixed (after transferring several gigs >> of data over wifi, with tracing enabled or disabled, >> after fresh boot or after reboot from wl-enabled kernel, >> etc - it all worked. >> >> Until I hit the same stall as I described initially, the >> same which happened numerous times with kernel 3.12 ($subj). >> >> After several mins of transferring it stalled. But this >> time (unlike with 3.12), it continued after about 30 secs. > > A kernel log (so no trace) of stalling interface might be useful so if > you can provide that and put a marker in there where you believe it > stalled that would be great. Hi Michael, Did you have any opportunity to create a log file. Got a question from someone else who got bad bcm4313 behaviour after a certain upgrade. Did you have the same experience? Regards, Arend >> So, while my initial test of 3.16 indicated the prob is still >> here, at the same (or even worse) state, I can't really >> reproduce it, at least in a reliable way. There's something >> wrong still, but at least current version is significantly >> more useful than before (in a hope it wont stall at the >> very wrong moment exactly ;). >> >> There's one more difference between brcmsmac and wl -- with >> wl, I see significantly better speed, -- it is about 5MB/sec, >> while with brcmsmac it jumps between 2.0..4.5MB/sec (with >> 58..65Mbps connection rate in both cases). Here's a typical >> iwconfig output for brcmsmac version: >> >> wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"mjt" >> Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: >> 64:70:02:29:D9:30 >> Bit Rate=65 Mb/s Tx-Power=19 dBm >> Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off >> Power Management:off >> Link Quality=58/70 Signal level=-61 dBm >> Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0 >> Tx excessive retries:56355 Invalid misc:472 Missed beacon:0 >> >> I'll keep trying/testing various cases, in attempt to >> understand what's going on. For now, I can't provide the >> requested traces (it wont be very useful, I guess). >> >> BTW, are there other things not implemented in brcmsmac? >> I see the module reminds about power management, what >> does it mean? Anything else missing? > > Well, the wireless twiki has that info [1]. Regarding features the > important ones that I know are still not there are 40MHz support, and > power-save. The bcm4313 does not support 40MHz. Community contributions > added ibss, and ap mode. For P2P and TDLS probably some changes would be > needed although most of the legwork is done in mac80211. > > Regards, > Arend > > [1] > http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/brcm80211#To_be_done_for_softmac_driver > > >> Thank you! >> >> /mjt >