iwlegacy/iwl3945 driver flashes LED on traffic by default

[David Dombrowsky]

This bug is still present in 16.04. When using the iwlegacy driver, the default behavior is to have the blue LED indicator flash whenever traffic is going over the wireless. This is annoying, as it is in the user's face on most laptops.

The workaround is to add something like this to a new file named /etc/modprobe.d/iwled.conf

   options iwlegacy led_mode=1

I suggest that this mode be the default, and require a configuration change to ENABLE the flashing.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-36-generic 4.4.0-36.55
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-36.55-generic 4.4.16
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-36-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version k4.4.0-36-generic.
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: davek 3358 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf4580000 irq 28'
   Mixer name : 'Analog Devices AD1981'
   Components : 'HDA:11d41981,103c30a2,00100200 HDA:11c13026,103c30a2,00100700'
   Controls : 34
   Simple ctrls : 17
CurrentDesktop: LXDE
Date: Fri Sep 9 00:17:14 2016
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=63b899e1-b597-4a6c-9295-5403efb298d6
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-07-12 (58 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release i386 (20160420.3)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq nx7400 (RB525UT#ABA)
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-36-generic root=UUID=e8da51fc-5ebb-4d97-aaeb-0ba3f9856171 ro
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-36-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.3
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'rfkill'
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/28/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68YGU Ver. F.07
dmi.board.name: 30A2
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 40.16
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: CNU6362XLV
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68YGUVer.F.07:bd07/28/2006:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPCompaqnx7400(RB525UT#ABA):pvrF.07:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn30A2:rvrKBCVersion40.16:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP Compaq nx7400 (RB525UT#ABA)
dmi.product.version: F.07
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[David Dombrowsky (davek)]

NOTE: I was instructed to open a new bug report from here https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/250211

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

David Dombrowsky, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Regarding the LED blinking when WiFi traffic is occurring, while you may find this annoying, and it could be many others find this also, this being the default action it isn't considered a software bug. Given the fact you have an option to turn it off in software, you also have a way to address the issue as you see fit. If anything, the LED light installed into the laptop would be brighter than preferred, making this a manufacturer design issue you have.

Please feel free to report any future bugs you may find.

[David Dombrowsky (davek)]

> Regarding the LED blinking when WiFi traffic is occurring, while you may find this annoying, and it could be many others find this also, this being the default action it isn't considered a software bug.

A new user is probably not going to take the time to google the problem, find this and related bugs, and create a specific file with specific options in order to make the system usable. Having the light flash in your face is not the default behavior in other OSes. I would consider it a real bug.

That said, I get your point. This is also a legacy driver and will probably go away eventually.

Thank you for your response.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

David Dombrowsky:

>"Having the light flash in your face is not the default behavior in other OSes."

What OS(es) specifically have what behavior precisely?