Unreliable wifi with loads of CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS

[DeathByDenim]

Using the current beta of Jammy, I no longer have stable WiFi after April 5, 2022 update of wpasupplicant from 2:2.10-2 to 2:2.10-6. There is a chance it may also be related to network-manager going from 1.36.4-1ubuntu1 to 1.36.4-2ubuntu1, but the logs seems to point to wpasupplicant (see below)

Wifi is stable often, but also often it fails to load webpages intermittently or fails to download the packages using apt for example, so it's not browser related.

Example output of journalctl -xe -u wpasupplicant:
Apr 08 19:26:28 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to fc:34:97:23:4c:3c completed [id=0 id_str=]
Apr 08 19:26:28 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-72 noise=-95 txrate=7200
Apr 08 19:26:32 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:33 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:34 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:35 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:36 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:37 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:38 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:39 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Apr 08 19:26:39 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=fc:34:97:23:4c:3c reason=4 locally_generated=1
Apr 08 19:26:39 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=CORE type=WORLD
Apr 08 19:26:40 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=BEACON_HINT type=UNKNOWN
Apr 08 19:26:40 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=BEACON_HINT type=UNKNOWN
Apr 08 19:26:42 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=BEACON_HINT type=UNKNOWN
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=BEACON_HINT type=UNKNOWN
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: SME: Trying to authenticate with fc:34:97:23:4c:3c (SSID='CamplingVanDerKolk5G' freq=5260 MHz)
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: Trying to associate with fc:34:97:23:4c:3c (SSID='CamplingVanDerKolk5G' freq=5260 MHz)
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: Associated with fc:34:97:23:4c:3c
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SUBNET-STATUS-UPDATE status=0
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=COUNTRY_IE type=COUNTRY alpha2=CA
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: WPA: Key negotiation completed with fc:34:97:23:4c:3c [PTK=CCMP GTK=CCMP]
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to fc:34:97:23:4c:3c completed [id=0 id_str=]
Apr 08 19:26:43 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-72 noise=-95 txrate=7200
Apr 08 19:29:23 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-66 noise=-94 txrate=270000
Apr 08 19:49:04 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-73 noise=-95 txrate=270000
Apr 08 19:59:04 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: WPA: Group rekeying completed with fc:34:97:23:4c:3c [GTK=CCMP]
Apr 08 20:00:23 weasel wpa_supplicant[772]: wlp13s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-66 noise=-95 txrate=243000

Additional info:

1) The release of Ubuntu you are using, via 'lsb_release -rd' or System -> About Ubuntu
$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu Jammy Jellyfish (development branch)
Release: 22.04

2) The version of the package you are using, via 'apt-cache policy pkgname' or by checking in Software Center
$ apt-cache policy wpasupplicant
wpasupplicant:
  Geïnstalleerd: 2:2.10-6
  Kandidaat: 2:2.10-6
  Versietabel:
 *** 2:2.10-6 500
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
Package: wpasupplicant 2:2.10-6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.15.0-25.25-generic 5.15.30
Uname: Linux 5.15.0-25-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu80
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Fri Apr 8 21:28:12 2022
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2022-03-12 (27 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 22.04 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish" - Alpha amd64 (20220311)
SourcePackage: wpa
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[DeathByDenim (jarno-y)]

Minor update: when the WiFi is being flaky, I often get see 100% CPU usage for ksoftirqd, but not always.

[iLogin (cerebellum-l)]

try boot kernel 5.15.0-23-generic

[DeathByDenim (jarno-y)]

Oh, you are right. I booted into the 5.15.0-23-generic kernel and the WiFi instability went away. I've been using it for a few hours now and I would have seen the issue by now. I checked the logs and the update to 5.15.0-25-generic was installed on 6 April, 2022 which correlates roughly when I started having issues.

I suppose this means I filed this bug against the wrong package. Should I do something about that?

[Daniel Calcoen (daniel-calcoen)]

Similar behavior, wifi keeps disconnecting and malfunction

my hardware : laptop Asus N751JK Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01) Subsystem: AzureWave AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter

I was runing Ubuntu 20.10, 21.04 up to Ubuntu 21.10 with Kernel 5.13.0 without any problem. I migrated to Ubuntu 22.04 which installs Kernel 5.15 then the problems started. I upgraded to Kernel 5.17.4 no improvement

I disabled the power save at /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf
by passing from 3 to 2
NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_DISABLE (2): disable powersave
NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_POWERSAVE_ENABLE (3): enable powersave
without any improvement nor with Kernel 5.15 nor 5.17.4

Also the "intel_iommu=off" mentioned at https://groups.google.com/g/linux.debian.kernel/c/RFpPIp0cncA/m/v9ELDxLICgAJ Bug#994590 didn't help.

I downgraded the kernel to 5.13.19-051319-generic and the problem has disappeared.

There is no problem in my airpoint (router) nor my internet access, I have other computers working correctly. In addition the N751JK works correctly when using the Ethernet adapter for the physical cable.

[Robert Meineke (rmeineke)]

This is affecting me as well after an upgrade to 22.04 (Ubuntu Mate.) Previous install, fully-patched 20.04, was rock solid. Now I am lucky if I get 90seconds of internet access without a disconnection. My whole house runs on wifi -- sadly, no hardwired options. All other computers/phones have no issues with wireless access.

wireless adapter:
01:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR93xx Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)

current kernel:
Linux robertm-desktop 5.15.0-25-generic #25-Ubuntu SMP Wed Mar 30 15:54:22 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Tried the powersave trick with no success. Happy to provide any logs if someone can point me in the right direction.

tail -f /var/log/syslog is currently an impressive flood of connect/disconnect, CTRL-EVENT-* messages.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

reassigning to the kernel based on the bug feedback

[DeathByDenim (jarno-y)]

Version 5.15.0-23-generic still works great for me, no dropping WiFi at all. Version 5.15.0-25-generic is where the troubles started. Version 5.15.0-27 from the updates this morning has the same issues.

For completeness sake, my output of lspci for the wireless card:
0d:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)

I did a bit more digging and pulled the source from git://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-kernel/ubuntu/+source/linux/+git/jammy and did a diff between -23 and -25 and search for anything related to ath drivers, but I didn't see much there.

The only thing I did find related to wifi is about iwlwifi. There had been changes made to that code, specifically this from -24:
    - iwlwifi: don't advertise TWT support

I did figure out how to compile Ubuntu kernels from Git so I'll try playing with that but I'm not terribly good at it yet. Have to figure out how to not overwrite my current -23 kernel with the .deb it makes.

[DeathByDenim (jarno-y)]

Ok, I figured out kernel compiling. And many git bisects later, I think I found the commit causing the issue. It's commit 4eb4bb735a536d922fc92de347b90ea290067c71 that causes my WiFi to become unstable. If I go one commit earlier (ef8f38d37265d79607e1fc132e28fadec8f51056) it all works perfectly, using that right now.

The commit causing breakage is a pretty short patch, but I don't really understand what it does:
https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-kernel/ubuntu/+source/linux/+git/jammy/commit/?h=master-next&id=4eb4bb735a536d922fc92de347b90ea290067c71

I hope this helps at least!

[DeathByDenim (jarno-y)]

Update to 5.15.0-35-generic seems to have fixed the WiFi issues. I no longer have unstable WiFi and not more CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS in the logs either. I've been using it for the past two days.

[clayg (clay-gerrard)]

I found https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1970965 looking into a similar issue described here and I'm still having this same "CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS frequent reconnect" problem with wifi adapter after upgrading to jammy even tho my iwlist scan always shows strong signal (Quality=50/70 Signal level=-60 dBm).

I have an ibm thinkpad:

clayg@banana:~$ sudo lspci | grep -i wireless
04:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8265 / 8275 (rev 88)

According to the other thread I tried going to a *newer* generic kernel and I'm still having problems:

root@banana:~# uname -a
Linux banana 5.17.11-051711-generic #202205251331 SMP PREEMPT Wed May 25 13:57:33 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Based on this thread I'll try going down to 5.15.0-23-generic (since I think I *was* running 5.15.0-46-generic originally after upgrade?)

[clayg (clay-gerrard)]

I can confirm for my wifi adapter, the problem described in this issue does not exist on an OLDER kernel version

clayg@banana:~/Workspace/SwiftStack-NG$ uname -a
Linux banana 5.15.0-051500-generic #202110312130 SMP Sun Oct 31 21:33:20 UTC 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

clayg, the most easy way to find the offender is to do a kernel bisection:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/KernelBisection

[Hauke Wintjen (hwintjen)]

I am getting several wlan dropouts per day, all with the message

Nov 23 18:27:37 Graphicon wpa_supplicant[1874]: wlp0s20f3: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Nov 23 18:27:37 Graphicon wpa_supplicant[1874]: wlp0s20f3: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS

However, i am on a later kernel than the one reported as "fixed in":

❯ uname -a
Linux Graphicon 5.15.0-53-generic #59-Ubuntu SMP Mon Oct 17 18:53:30 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

So either i have another (similair) problem or the original problem is not really fixed....

[clayg (clay-gerrard)]

so i was doing pretty good on a different eero router mesh, and I moved and i'm on a spectrum router now. The problem came back, even with a 5.19.17-051917-generic kernel.

Mar 24 12:26:56 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Mar 24 12:27:01 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Mar 24 12:40:52 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
Mar 24 13:04:23 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS

I have to assume one possibility is the new router is not great, or something about channel interference?

Mar 24 12:27:08 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-44 noise=9999 txrate=866700
Mar 24 13:04:24 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=0 signal=-9999 noise=9999 txrate=0
Mar 24 13:04:29 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-47 noise=9999 txrate=866700
Mar 24 13:07:17 banana wpa_supplicant[1132]: wlp4s0: CTRL-EVENT-SIGNAL-CHANGE above=1 signal=-44 noise=9999 txrate=866700

[corrado venturini (corradoventu)]

I have the same problem with Ubuntu Jammy
ago 18 09:06:23 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:24 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:25 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:27 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:28 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:29 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:30 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:31 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:32 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:33 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:34 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:06:35 mao-x3-jammy wpa_supplicant[735]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
corrado@mao-x3-jammy:~$ inxi -SCNx
System:
  Host: mao-x3-jammy Kernel: 6.2.0-26-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A
    Desktop: GNOME 42.9 Distro: Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
CPU:
  Info: dual core model: Intel Core i5-4210U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Haswell rev: 1 cache: L1: 128 KiB L2: 512 KiB L3: 3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/2700 cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800
    4: 800 bogomips: 19156
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet
    vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel port: 3000 bus-ID: 08:00.0
  Device-2: Ralink RT3290 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe
    vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 09:00.0
corrado@mao-x3-jammy:~$

[corrado venturini (corradoventu)]

Same in Focal
corrado@corrado-HP-x4-focal:~$ inxi -SCNxc
System:
  Host: corrado-HP-x4-focal Kernel: 5.15.0-78-generic x86_64 bits: 64
  compiler: N/A Desktop: Gnome 3.36.9
  Distro: Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS (Focal Fossa)
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i5-4210U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
  arch: Haswell rev: 1 L2 cache: 3072 KiB
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  bogomips: 19154
  Speed: 1197 MHz min/max: 800/2700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1197 2: 1198
  3: 1197 4: 1197
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet
  vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169 v: kernel port: 3000 bus ID: 08:00.0
  Device-2: Ralink RT3290 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe
  vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 port: 3000
  bus ID: 09:00.0
corrado@corrado-HP-x4-focal:~$

ago 18 09:36:38 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:39 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:40 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:41 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:42 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:43 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:44 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS
ago 18 09:36:45 corrado-HP-x4-focal wpa_supplicant[1005]: wlp9s0f0: CTRL-EVENT-BEACON-LOSS