bcmwl-kernel-source 6.30.223.248 removed, causing wireless become unstable on Precise

[Po-Hsu Lin]

CID: 201103-7380

When testing the -proposed kernel (3.2.0-88 #126), as the bcmwl-kernel-source version 6.30.223.248 was deleted on 2015 Jun. 27 [1]
It's causing this system fail with the wireless test. I can't manually connect to the wireless network as well.

(In the past few iterations, with the bcmwl driver 6.30.223.248 installed, It could pass those wireless tests without any problem)

Step to reproduce:
1. Install 12.04.1 + proposed update on this system
2. Install the proprietary Broadcom driver (it will be 6.20.155.1)
3. Try to connect to any wireless AP

Expected result:
* Connection could be established without any problem.

Actual result:
* Unable to connect to the wireless network, some wl related error message could be found in the dmesg output
[25207.998850] ERROR @wl_dev_intvar_get : error (-1)
[25207.998861] ERROR @wl_cfg80211_get_tx_power : error (-1)

[1] https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/precise/amd64/bcmwl-kernel-source

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-88-generic 3.2.0-88.126
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-88.126-generic 3.2.69
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-88-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.9
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: ALC259 Analog [ALC259 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ubuntu 1878 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 1878 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0xd0400000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC259'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10280470,00100100'
   Controls : 18
   Simple ctrls : 10
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'HDMI'/'HDA ATI HDMI at 0xd0110000 irq 19'
   Mixer name : 'ATI RS690/780 HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002791a,00791a00,00100000'
   Controls : 4
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
Date: Wed Jul 15 05:55:55 2015
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=8d14ea12-072c-4b65-8461-d41a653bf209
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120823.1)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 1120
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-88-generic root=UUID=c3079b82-d268-4004-9fb2-3f55fa482c39 ro quiet splash initcall_debug vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-88-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-88-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.18
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 11/17/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A05
dmi.board.asset.tag: 1234567890
dmi.board.name: 090DNY
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A05
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A05
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA05:bd11/17/2010:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron1120:pvrA05:rvnDellInc.:rn090DNY:rvrA05:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA05:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 1120
dmi.product.version: A05
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Tested with the automated SRU test on this system for 4 times
Here are the wireless-related fail items for each run
4. suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_bg_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_n_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_bg_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_n_auto
    wireless/monitor_wireless_connection_udp
    wireless/wireless_connection_open_n
3. suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_bg_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_n_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_bg_auto
    suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_n_auto
    wireless/monitor_wireless_connection_udp
    wireless/wireless_connection_open_bg
    wireless/wireless_connection_open_n
    wireless/wireless_connection_wpa_bg
    wireless/wireless_connection_wpa_n
2. wireless/wireless_connection_wpa_bg
1. suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_bg_auto

From the result here we could know that It's not 100% fail with every test case, but I think the driver could be the possible cause.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

If I'm understanding you correctly, this is not a kernel problem. The problem is that the proprietary driver has been removed from the archive and that is the real issue here.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Yeap,
I think that's the problem, will try to install the deb file tomorrow.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

With the newer driver (version 6.30.223.248) installed, it's more stable now compare to previous 5 tests results.
6. (pass)
5. suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_n_auto
4. (pass)
3. (pass)
2. suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_bg_auto
   suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_open_n_auto
   suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_bg_auto
   suspend/wireless_connection_after_suspend_wpa_n_auto
   wireless/monitor_wireless_connection_udp
   wireless/wireless_connection_open_n
   wireless/wireless_connection_wpa_n
1. wireless/wireless_connection_wpa_bg

[Yung Shen (kaxing)]

still effecting on some systems, with proposed kernel 3.13.0-62.101~precise1 and manually upgraded to bcmwl-kernel-source 6.30.223.248[0], during SRU testing(Week32) they will get better wireless connectivity result.

[0] https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/precise/amd64/bcmwl-kernel-source/6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.0.1

[Rafael David Tinoco (rafaeldtinoco)]

Check this:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bcmwl/+bug/1415880