RTL8821AE wireless adapter sporadically stuck (rtl8821ae module)

[Gionn]

In both 14.04, and 16.04, when connecting to my TP-Link TL-WR1043N v2 with custom firmware Gargoyle 1.8.1 (openwrt-based), it works for a few minutes, then traffic completely stop for a few minutes, then everything works again, for another few minutes.

My device:
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821AE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:8821]
 Subsystem: AzureWave RTL8821AE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter [1a3b:2161]

The following didn't change anything:
$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8821ae.conf
options rtl8821ae ips=0 fwlps=0 swlps=1 debug=5 msi=0

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic 4.4.0-21.37
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-21.37-generic 4.4.6
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-21-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: gionn 2991 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC2: gionn 2991 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: gionn 2991 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Sun May 1 09:55:57 2016
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-12-06 (146 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. K30AD_M31AD_M51AD
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=screen
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=it_IT.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/zsh
ProcFB: 0 EFI VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic root=UUID=e382fb70-6706-4f90-a4fe-9a2facc41e16 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-21-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-21-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-04-24 (6 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 04/02/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0507
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: K30AD_M31AD_M51AD_M32AD
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0507:bd04/02/2014:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnK30AD_M31AD_M51AD:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnK30AD_M31AD_M51AD_M32AD:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: K30AD_M31AD_M51AD
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[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 v4.6 kernel[0].

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'.

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/v4.6-rc6-wily/

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1410 ttl=64 time=1.14 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1422 ttl=64 time=2.41 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1423 ttl=64 time=1.13 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1424 ttl=64 time=1.95 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1425 ttl=64 time=329 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1426 ttl=64 time=1.13 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1427 ttl=64 time=1002 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1428 ttl=64 time=1031 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1429 ttl=64 time=25.3 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1430 ttl=64 time=50.1 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1431 ttl=64 time=74.6 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1432 ttl=64 time=1.14 ms
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
ping: sendmsg: Network is unreachable
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1476 ttl=64 time=1.11 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1477 ttl=64 time=1.13 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1478 ttl=64 time=40.7 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1479 ttl=64 time=1.13 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1480 ttl=64 time=1.12 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1481 ttl=64 time=1.10 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.44.2: icmp_seq=1482 ttl=64 time=1.12 ms
^C
--- 192.168.44.2 ping statistics ---
1482 packets transmitted, 1427 received, 3% packet loss, time 1483163ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.712/7.619/1031.667/44.723 ms, pipe 2

gionn at alduin in ~
$ uname -a
Linux alduin 4.6.0-040600rc6-generic #201605012031 SMP Mon May 2 00:33:26 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, could you please provide the full computer model as noted on the sticker of the computer itself (not from the Bug Description)?

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

ASUS M51AD-IT007S

https://www.asus.com/Tower-PCs/M51AD/

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, could you please test the lastest mainline kernel (4.7-rc2) and advise to the results?

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

Linux alduin 4.7.0-040700rc2-generic #201606051831 SMP Sun Jun 5 22:33:44 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Still reproducing

64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1124 ttl=57 time=41.1 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1125 ttl=57 time=39.9 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1126 ttl=57 time=40.4 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1127 ttl=57 time=40.3 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1128 ttl=57 time=40.5 ms

^C
--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
1161 packets transmitted, 1128 received, 2% packet loss, time 1204379ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 38.625/52.071/425.437/35.196 ms

[3apaxi.com (r-launchpad-net-3apaxi-com)]

I have same issue with RTL8821AE using ASUS Transformer Book Trio TX201LA

[penalvch (penalvch)]

3apaxi.com, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with the Ubuntu repository kernel (not mainline/upstream) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

Please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

$ sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
0802
08/03/2015

Bios upgrade didn't help.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, could you please advise to your router manufacturer, model, and firmware version?

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

TP-Link TL-WR1043N v2 with custom firmware Gargoyle 1.8.1 (openwrt-based).

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, could you please advise what frequency and protocol you are using that reproduces this issue (ex. 2.4GHz 802.11n)?

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"eppi"
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 30:B5:C2:88:55:EE
          Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
          Retry short limit:7 RTS thr=2347 B Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=58/70 Signal level=-52 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:329 Missed beacon:0

I don't want to say it, but now that I am running 4.4.0-28-generic it looks more stable, I see on the changelog some related changes:

- rtlwifi: rtl8723be: Add antenna select module parameter
- rtlwifi: btcoexist: Implement antenna selection
- rtlwifi: Fix logic error in enter/exit power-save mode
- rtlwifi: pci: use dev_kfree_skb_irq instead of kfree_skb in rtl_pci_reset_trx_ring

Will update if I am just feeling lucky today.

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

Wow great, it just hanged just after posting this comment -.-

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, to confirm, if you switch the router to 802.11g only (not 802.11n) does this improve the stability? Please ensure you are testing the latest mainline kernel (now 4.7-rc5) when providing future testing results.

[3apaxi.com (r-launchpad-net-3apaxi-com)]

It still doesn't work for me. I tried 4.4.0-28-generic and 4.7.0-040700rc6-lowlatency #201607040332 kernels. Both don't work.

112 packets transmitted, 30 received, 73% packet loss, time 151005ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.668/462.626/5554.559/1388.581 ms, pipe 6

[3apaxi.com (r-launchpad-net-3apaxi-com)]

although it has related changes:
rtl8xxxu: fix typo on variable name, compare against correct variable

[Gionn (giovanni.toraldo)]

Sorry, my router can't be switched to G only.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gionn, to clarify, would you be able to force it to G only via the manufacturer firmware from http://www.tp-link.com/en/download/TL-WR1043ND_V2.html#Firmware ?

[Thor H. Johansen (thorhajo)]

I'm facing a very similar or identical issue. I'm on a brand new Lenovo IdeaPad 110 with the same RTL8821AE wifi chip.

WiFi works at first but dies after a couple of minutes. If you wait for a long time it will recover. Ping behavior is similar to what's seen above, except the error message is "No buffer space available".

Larry Finger's drivers do not fix the problem, nor does disabling power saving through module options as described above.

I have a Linksys E2500 router. With 5 GHz disabled and 2.4 GHz set to Wireless-G Only mode, the laptop's WiFi works, but everything is really slow. The interface says it's running at 54 Mbps, but ping replies are being delayed by several seconds. SpeedTest says 19.71/0.43, which is the worst result I've ever seen on this WiFi network.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Thor H. Johansen, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with the Ubuntu repository kernel (not mainline/upstream) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

Please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Thor H. Johansen (thorhajo)]

Filed here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1618267

As far as I can tell, it's been filed to the same place/category as this one. Hopefully I have done it correctly.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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