freezes when using Atheros-AR928X

[Markus]

Hi,

since I updated to Karmic Koala I have a problem with my wireless lan adapter on my Asus X73S. It randomly freezes - I cannot move the mouse pointer anymore and the system seems to be completely freezed. There is no entry in the logfiles, the system just hangs when connected to WLAN. Because it is nearly impossible to work with Karmic, I switched to a different system for now, so that I can submit this bug. The only information I could get was lspci:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 671MX
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] PCI-to-PCI bridge
00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS968 [MuTIOL Media IO] (rev 01)
00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev 01)
00:03.0 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller (rev 0f)
00:03.1 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller (rev 0f)
00:03.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller
00:04.0 Ethernet controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 191 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev 02)
00:05.0 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SATA Controller / IDE mode (rev 03)
00:06.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] PCI-to-PCI bridge
00:07.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] PCI-to-PCI bridge
00:0f.0 Audio device: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Azalia Audio Controller
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 9300M GS (rev a1)
02:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

The loaded WLAN-driver is ath9k. I am not the only one with this problem - I know two other people who have this problem since they updated to karmic.

I did not found any other bug related to karmic / AR928X, so I submit a new one. It would be great to solve this problem, because I'd love to work with my karmic again and not with Windows Vista as I have to do now.

Thank you very much.

[arky (arky)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This bug did not have a package associated with it, which is important for ensuring that it gets looked at by the proper developers. You can learn more about finding the right package at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. I have classified this bug as a bug in linux.

When reporting bugs in the future please use apport, either via the appropriate application's "Help -> Report a Problem" menu or using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Markus (x-launchpad-wigbels-info)]

I just compiled the 2.6.30.6-Kernel from www.kernel.org with ath9k support as module as it is in linux-2.6.31-9. My atheros WLAN is now working properly and the system freezes are history.

My system has an uptime of 50 minutes now (with wireless connected to AP) and everything seems to work fine. So I think this bug is a bug in the linux-2.6.31-9 kernel package - further in the ath9k driver modules.

I didn't try the meanline kernel (which is 2.6.31 rc 9 as well as it is in ubuntu), I took the one marked as "stable":

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.30.6.tar.bz2

Maybe the problem is a problem in the meanline-kernel of the linux-kernel-community. As I said I didn't try the newest one.

[zebulon25000 (f-maguy)]

i have an asus X71SL and the same problem.

I tried the kernel 2.6.31 final release and the problem is still open.

It freezes the computer randomly, i tried the 2.6.31 kernel with this configuration :

-Jaunty with PPA kernel 2.6.31 final 64 bits
-Karmic alpha 6 with kernel 2.6.31 final 64 bits
-Karmi alpha 6 with kernel 2.6.31 final 32 bits

For me this is a big problem, i can't connect to internet with ethernet cable.

So i will be forced to stay in jaunty with 2.6.30 kernel 64bits.

For informations :

  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       product: AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
       logical name: wmaster0
       version: 01
       serial: 00:22:43:33:00:ab
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath9k ip=82.237.164.29 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
       resources: irq:16 memory:fdff0000-fdffffff

uname -r -m
2.6.31-10-generic x86_64

- Device: wlan0 [Auto xxxxxxxx] ---------------------------------------------
  Type: 802.11 WiFi
  Driver: ath9k
  State: connected
  Default: yes
  HW Address: 00:xxxxxxxxxxxx

  Capabilities:
    Speed: 54 Mb/s

  Wireless Properties
    WEP Encryption: yes
    WPA Encryption: yes
    WPA2 Encryption: yes

Thanks for help.

At least i will maybe use Markus' solution, but that's not clean for upgrade..

[ZyroBlue (ferahgo-de)]

I too share this problem, having an ASUS Pro61S.
I also solved it with Kernel 2.6.30.6 on Karmic - not the way it's meant to be, but working.

[ZyroBlue (ferahgo-de)]

I would like to emphasize on this; now 2.6.30 by upgrades recently having come in has no more mousepad and no more sound. That is not quite a choice either even though better than using .31 and not being able to connect at all.

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

I got this Bug too!
Without Wlan i get no freezes at all in 10 hours, with wlan i get uptimes about 10 minutes :-/ . I think this problem occured in Jaunty too but only sometimes, like every 12 hours; more likely after waking up from sleep.

I am on Asus F5SR-AP007C

Strange thing:
i found no log entries

[zebulon25000 (f-maguy)]

Good news

I resolve the problem by using wicd instead of network-manager.

Now my asus X71SL works in WIFI with no problem.

I use Karmic Beta 6.

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

I can confirm this "fix" works on my asus too (F5SR-AP007C).
Added the bug to network manager applet

[Iñigo Lekanda (vinagre)]

I can confirm this (use wicd) "fix" works on my asus too (F5SL-AP283C).

[Shafqat (priomsrb)]

I have had the same annoying problem as well. I had to restart my computer every 15 minutes because it kept freezing. But after installing wicd it's not freezing anymore :). I'm using an Asus F5SR.

[Jörö (henri-rokki)]

I also confirm this fix works on my asus X59SR. I am so happy that i finally find help to this bug

[Jonathan Harker (jonathanharker)]

I have the same problem, SiS 671MX - based ASUS laptop. Not sure if the problem is the kernel, the Atheros AR928X wireless, or network-manager, but it's the same problem. Kernel will hang after a few minutes of usage. Tellingly, /var/log/syslog is full of

^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@

which demarks points where the laptop had to be powered off - nothing else worked, not even ALT+PrtScn+R

Laptop has the same lspci as the first poster, except the VGA controller is "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 Series".

I don't consider using wicd (whatever that is) a "fix" as this is broken for people using this combination of hardware on a default install of karmic kernel wireless driver and network-manager, so can someone PLEASE escalate this bug?

Cheers, J

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

Okay seems like the default Kerneldriver/stack is the Problem.
Just try Mainline 2.6.32 kernel, that solved every Wlan Problem i had with every hardware.

-> no freezing, wpa2 works fully (adhoc too)
-> hostapd ap works like a charm (before: crashes, no reconnects, disconnects etc..)

- tom

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

I've got some news for you...
lucid lynx is likely to have the same problem again!

I just installed the lucid kernel (32.3) on my karmic machine (wanted the prop. modules) and got freezes again
so if i boot
- lucid(32) -> freeze
- mainline 32 -> working
- lucid(32) -> freeze
.
.
.

how painful is that?!?! It has something to do with the modifications our beloved kernel team does with the vanilla kernel

- tom

[Kurush (kurush-kaviani)]

Summary: Wicd solved freeze and frequent wireless disconnects on Acer Aspire 4736z, Atheros AR928X wireless card.

I bought a new Acer Aspire 4736Z laptop with an Atheros AR928X Wireless PCI-e card in it one week ago.

By booting the system with a Gentoo LiveCD and checking the kernel modules I found that the right driver is ath9k module, I connected to wireless networks by engaging the iwconfig command, everything was running smoothly but when I installed Gentoo and booting the system I couldn't stay connected more than 10 min and I had to unload the module by modprobe -r ath9k and reload it again.

I came to this Ubunto bug page and I decided to use Wicd to connect to wireless networks and now the problem is gone ! just wanna say thanks to you guys and also it's good if somebody tell me what's the difference between setting the wireless network up by "iwconfig" command and "wicd" ?

Something that might help is that by setting the network essid by iwconfig command I couldn't get Access point Address but I had the up-time of about 10 minutes but when I connect by wicd the output of iwconfig shows that Access point Address is associated:

iwconfig:
lo no wireless extensions.
sit0 no wireless extensions.
wmaster0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"Floor 6"
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:18:F8:33:60:EF
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
          Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on
          Link Quality=23/70 Signal level=-87 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

kernel : 2.6.31-gentoo-r6
lspci : 04:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

The only reason for this post is just to help the open source society and also upgrade my own knowledge.
Thanks a lot.

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

I just want to say that i did a clean Karmic Install yesterday on my buggy AR928X machine.

At first i got the same Problem like before. Freezes. Then i tried to use the wireless backports

[code] sudo aptitude install linux-backports-modules-wireless-karmic-generic [/code]

guess what? it works!!
no vanilla kernel, no wicd nothing needed but this :)

So we have 3 possible workarounds for the problem:
* installing wicd
* using mainline(vanilla) Kernel (loosing support for ATI graphics...)
* trying a clean install (to eleminate side effects from previous trys) and testing wireless backports

[Joseph (joehms22)]

I had the same problem, until I did a sudo apt-get dist-upgrade, now everything works.

[spooom (ubuntu-xp)]

At the moment I am really pissed of, because I am waiting for months on a update that will fix this problem.
How long do I have to wait?
I am losing my patience and considering to switch back to m$!

[Tom Jaster (futur3-tom)]

Do you tried the different options to solve this problem?
Start with installing linux-backports-modules-wireless-karmic-generic on karmic

[Ignacio Huerta (iox8)]

I have a Asus X71SLseries. I can confirm this bug with Jaunty and Karmic (after a few minutes using the wifi the computer hangs).

After installing linux-backports-modules-wireless-karmic-generic on karmic the wifi works great, no hanging at all. Thank you very much for the tip.

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi Markus,

Please be sure to confirm this issue exists with the latest development release of Ubuntu. ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ . If the issue remains, please run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux 426130

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. 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. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

[This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[luca (l-savio)]

I confirm that with Karmic, all is working well after installing linux-backports-modules-wireless-karmic-generic .

[Kamil Kaczmarczyk (kamkacz)]

Same here. This bug is troubling me since 8.10 version (more less). I've tried using wincd and the problem remained so it doesn't seem to be network-manager's fault. The latest version I've tried was 10.04 alpha-2 Live CD. The problem affects Fedora 12 live cd as well.

[Kamil Kaczmarczyk (kamkacz)]

AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: SIS966 [HDA SIS966], device 0: ALC660-VD Analog [ALC660-VD Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: SIS966 [HDA SIS966], device 0: ALC660-VD Analog [ALC660-VD Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: lampak 2161 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SIS966'/'HDA SIS966 at 0xfddf8000 irq 18'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC660-VD'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0660,10430000,00100001 HDA:11c11040,10431636,00100200'
   Controls : 17
   Simple ctrls : 11
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=1ce7fb71-fa44-471a-ab2e-aa40d2185def
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. F5SR
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=69b7086b-bc5c-4c79-8aba-61dde1c4e13a ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=pl_PL.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-20.58-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-20-generic 2.6.31-20.22
 linux-firmware 1.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-20-generic i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
WpaSupplicantLog:

XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2381): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2381): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2610): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (nautilus:2579): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (gnome-panel:2527): Gdk-WARNING **: /build/buildd/gtk+2.0-2.18.3/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c:952 drawable is not a pixmap or window
dmi.bios.date: 08/14/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 203
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: F5SR
dmi.board.vendor: PEGATRON CORPORATION
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr203:bd08/14/2008:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnF5SR:pvr1.0:rvnPEGATRONCORPORATION:rnF5SR:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: F5SR
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

[Kamil Kaczmarczyk (kamkacz)]

Damn, damn, can i remove it somehow?

[Kamil Kaczmarczyk (kamkacz)]

The problem seems to be gone with lucid or karmic with backports. Once again sorry for the mess, it was really an accident.

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: xiaoke 1366 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] 沒有此一檔案或目錄
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'ICH6'/'Intel ICH6 with AD1981B at irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'Analog Devices AD1981B'
   Components : 'AC97a:41445374'
   Controls : 26
   Simple ctrls : 18
Card29.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:29 'ThinkPadEC'/'ThinkPad Console Audio Control at EC reg 0x30, fw 1YHT29WW-1.06'
   Mixer name : 'ThinkPad EC 1YHT29WW-1.06'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 2
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card29.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'Console',0
   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Limits: Playback 0 - 14
   Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=ad56f481-4961-4696-be9f-585da51e9455
MachineType: IBM 2669BY8
Package: linux (not installed)
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=9bd28910-ef87-4762-99c6-317be3d7a5ed ro locale=zh_TW quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=zh_TW:zh
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=zh_TW.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-24.41-generic-pae 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Regression: No
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34.1
Reproducible: Yes
Tags: lucid networking needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-24-generic-pae i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin netdev plugdev sambashare
WpaSupplicantLog:

dmi.bios.date: 05/18/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: IBM
dmi.bios.version: 1YET62WW (1.27 )
dmi.board.name: 2669BY8
dmi.board.vendor: IBM
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: LENOVO2669BY8L3LMNN1
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: IBM
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIBM:bvr1YET62WW(1.27):bd05/18/2006:svnIBM:pn2669BY8:pvrThinkPadT43:rvnIBM:rn2669BY8:rvrNotAvailable:cvnIBM:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2669BY8
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T43
dmi.sys.vendor: IBM

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

apport information

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

I have installed backports and Wincd.

But even if this might fix this problem (not yet tested), I still consider this a severe bug.

Please also see #616947 and #276445 which seem to be related.

[Xiao Ke (michael-schaut)]

As a workaround inactivating gnome network manager and instead using wicd Network Manager seems to work fine. So far, I had no further freezing. :)

[insaner (insaner)]

some workarounds here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/775034

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Closing this bug with Won't fix as this kernel / release is no longer supported.
Please feel free to open a new bug report if you're still experiencing this on a newer release (Bionic 18.04.3 / Disco 19.04)
Thanks!