14e4:4318 Wireless device hard-blocked on wakeup

[Jessica Lambiase]

Running Ubuntu 12.04 LTS with Precise 3.5.0-4 test kernel. Succeeded to suspend and wakeup system, but wireless device (b43 driver) was hard-blocked on wakeup. No way to unlock via rfkill.
---
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423)
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=it_IT.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: linux-meta
Tags: precise precise
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-030500rc6-generic i686
UnreportableReason: The running kernel is not an Ubuntu kernel
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu Package testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://packages.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1023141

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.5kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.5-rc6-quantal/

[Jessica Lambiase (siliconjey)]

Same bug in the last mainline kernel (3.5-rc6-quantal) on Ubuntu Precise.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

This bug is missing information needed to help diagnose the issue. Please run the command 'apport-collect -p linux 1023141' in a terminal to attach this information to the bug, then change the status to 'Confirmed'. Thanks!

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Jessica: Please ensure that you've booted to an official Ubuntu kernel before running apport-collect. It looks like you were running the upstream kernel from comment #4, so apport did not attach the needed information.

[Jessica Lambiase (siliconjey)]

Seth: internet connection gone mad, attaching apport log.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

The reason that b43 would apply a hard block is that the wireless card is reporting that the radio is disabled due to the assertion of an external signal to the card. This is not under control of the wireless driver; b43 is simply noticing that the radio has been disabled in this manner and is updating the rfkill state accordingly.

It looks like the hardware is essentially a normal PCIe card with a mini-PCIe wireless device on it. The signal that's causing the radio to be disabled is not part of the normal PCIe signaling, therefore it must be something that the card is asserting. But I don't know the circumstances that trigger it to assert the signal, and I don't know what needs to be done to make it stop. So I unfortunately don't have any idea of how to fix your issue.

[Jessica Lambiase (siliconjey)]

You've been extremely clear, as clear as the problem is for me now. Thanks anyway, Seth.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Jessica Lambiase, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please process your attached apport file following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Filing_bugs_when_off-line ?

As well, did this problem not occur in a prior Ubuntu release?

In addition, could you please provide the information following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingKernelSuspend ?

As a potential WORKAROUND, is this problem reproducible with the proprietary driver following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BroadcomSTA%28Wireless%29 ?

Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful Bug Reporting Links:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_Reporting_Etiquette
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#A3._Make_sure_the_bug_hasn.27t_already_been_reported
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Apport_Debug_Information_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Additional_Attachments_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Chris Bly (chrisblycsg)]

I think I have the same bug.

Wireless is working and Connected

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: no
 Hard blocked: no

First press of wireless function key F4

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: yes
 Hard blocked: no

Second press of wireless function key F4

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: no
 Hard blocked: yes

Third press of wireless function key F4

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: yes
 Hard blocked: yes

Fourth press of wireless function key F4

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
0: phy0: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: no
 Hard blocked: yes

Wireless not working and 'disabled' throughout and will not re-enable

student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ sudo rmmod -f ath5k
[sudo] password for student:
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill unblock all
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ sudo modprobe ath5k
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $ rfkill list all
1: phy1: Wireless LAN
 Soft blocked: no
 Hard blocked: no
student@student-EDUbook-Slim ~ $

Wireless is back to working and connected until I use the wireless funtion key again and I start the cycle again resulting in Hard Block

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Chris Bly, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, could you please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please see the Ubuntu Kernel team article:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports

the Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad article:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue

and Ubuntu Community article:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report may delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.