Kernel 2.6.38.8: ath5k driver wireless signal strength critically weak

[salemboot]

Ubuntu 11.04 : Kernel 2.6.38.8 : Driver ath5k
Architecture: i386
Hardware: Atheros AR5414

There is almost no wireless signal strength received by the ath5k driver available in Ubuntu 11.04's kernel.
This is a critical regression from Ubuntu 10.10.

I have attempted the no hardware encryption kernel module parameter mentioned elsewhere to no avail.
ie. rmmod ath5k && modprobe ath5k nohwcrypt=0

Workaround

sudo su
apt-get install subversion
cd /usr/src
svn checkout http://madwifi-project.org/svn/madwifi/trunk madwifi
tar cfvz madwifi.tgz
cd madwifi
make && make install

echo "blacklist ath5k" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo "ath_pci" >> /etc/modules

modprobe ath_pci

-._
fin

"An ounce of testing is worth a gallon of success"

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

The upstream bug report this bug is linked to is against ath9k, and if this issue is against ath5k then the upsteam bug link is incorrect.

Please open a terminal and run 'apport-collect 775104' to attach relevant information about your system to this bug report.

Please also test the mainline kernel build at the following link, which has a number of bug fixes to ath5k:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.38.8-natty/

Please report back here whether or not this kernel fixes your issue. Thanks!

[Brad Needham (fishrcynic)]

Does not work with proposed kernels in natty .9 or .10 - is this one different again?

[Brad Needham (fishrcynic)]

Ubuntu 11.04 : Kernel 2.6.38.10 : Driver ath5k
Architecture: i386
Hardware: Atheros AR2413
ACER 3500 laptop
Have downloaded the .8 kernel listed here will try later today

[Bob Bright (bbbright)]

Same problem here. Fresh install of Xubuntu 11.04 on an Acer Aspire 3620 laptop with AR2413 wireless (wireless worked flawlessly on previous versions of Xubuntu). After booting, or when I disable and then re-enable networking with the Network Manager applet, access points are only sporadically detected:

djb@DJB-Aspire-3620:~$ sudo iwlist scanning
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 No scan results

If I move the laptop to within a few feet of my router and wait a few seconds, however, it unfailingly detects the access point (as well as about a dozen others scattered around the neighborhood!!) and connects. I can then return it to its normal location in another room (about 30 feet away from the router) and everything works swimmingly.

[Bob Bright (bbbright)]

Installing the latest madwifi from trunk as suggested above also fixes the problem for me.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

@Fish R. Cynic: Have you tested the 2.6.38.8 mainline build yet? It does have fixes not in the versions you've tested so far.

If that one is still bad I'd suggest trying the following mainline builds:

  http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.36-maverick/
  http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.37-natty/
  http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.38-natty/

Once we find the first version to exhibit the problem we can start a kernel bisection to try and identify the commit that introduces the regression.

Thanks!

[Brad Needham (fishrcynic)]

Sorry should have replied earlier
Had tried the previous build(s) with no success and installed madwifi which works.
seems to be an authentication issue from dmesg but its on another laptop
and i don't have access to it at the moment.
will uninstall madwifi (hopefully tonight) and try recommended kernels.
and apologies for not responding earlier.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

If it's a scanning or authentication issue please try the kernel from proposed, which may contain a fix for your issue. Instructions for enabling proposed are at:

  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed

I would suggest that after enabling proposed you select only the linux-image and linux-header packages to upgrade, then after upgrading those packages disable the proposed archive. Try this before the other kernels and post your results. Thanks!

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Actually that fix hasn't hit proposed yet. Sorry for the confusion. The kernel at the following link contains the fix; please test this instead.

  http://people.canonical.com/~sforshee/lp767192/linux-2.6.39-rc6.201105171845/

[Guy Thouret (guy-thouret)]

I was experiencing this bug and can confirm that Seth's kernel fixes the issue.

Connected to AP within seconds, previously would not connect unless I sat the laptop on top of the AP, and even then it was taking a good few minutes.

Thanks Seth.

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Update: The fix that worked for Guy is now in the natty proposed kernel. I'd suggest giving it a try.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

Given that there's been no feedback in some time, I'm going to assume the fix worked. Marking as a duplicate of bug 767192.