Wifi broken after kernel update

[SteveFoerster]

I have a Samsung RV515 laptop. I just did a recommended update that included a new kernel, 37, and on rebooting my wifi no longer works properly. It still sees all of the nearby networks, but cycles endlessly rather than connecting. All of the other devices in my house are still connected, so I know the network is fine.

I also tried booting to the first previous kernel, 36, but the problem remains, so perhaps it was a different package during the same update, or a different update I had installed since my last reboot. I do not know how to check to see when other updates were installed, I looked at the history in Synaptic in case Update writes to that also, but it doesn't have anything after May of last year, so no luck there.

I wish I could provide you whatever you need here, but I'm not a developer. If I can help you zero in on this, please feel free to email me at <email address hidden> and tell me what to do. And thanks for all your great work!

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-36-generic-pae 3.2.0-36.57
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-36.57-generic-pae 3.2.35
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-36-generic-pae i686
NonfreeKernelModules: wl fglrx
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.1
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 1: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: stevefoerster 1882 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: stevefoerster 1882 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Generic'/'HD-Audio Generic at 0xfeb44000 irq 41'
   Mixer name : 'ATI R6xx HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100200'
   Controls : 6
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card0.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0xfeb40000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC269VB'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,144dc589,00100100'
   Controls : 19
   Simple ctrls : 11
Date: Sat Feb 2 16:24:09 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=4a9d0d42-cd26-45a0-aba8-e6ed9e83a51f
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423)
MachineType: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. RV415/RV515
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.2.0-36-generic-pae root=UUID=974d9bec-a421-4d2b-80e4-5d1b6a85e2ec ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-36-generic-pae N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-36-generic-pae N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.1
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/24/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 02PI.M505.20110824.LEO
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: RV415/RV415
dmi.board.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.board.version: 02PI
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr02PI.M505.20110824.LEO:bd08/24/2011:svnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:pnRV415/RV515:pvr02PI:rvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:rnRV415/RV415:rvr02PI:cvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:ct9:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: RV415/RV515
dmi.product.version: 02PI
dmi.sys.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

[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 v3.8 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

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'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-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/v3.8-rc6-raring/

[SteveFoerster (steve-hiresteve)]

Done. On v3.8 rc6 I still do not have wifi, although the problem is a little different in that now it does not seem to see my wifi adapter at all. Please let me know if you would like me to try something else.

[SteveFoerster (steve-hiresteve)]

I tried upgrading to 12.10 to see whether something there would help, it didn't. But this did: http://catlingmindswipe.blogspot.com/2012/07/broadcom-wireless-fix-for-ubuntu-1210.html

The short version is that I did these three commands and then restarted:

sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree

So, unfortunately, the problem seems to be that the open source driver doesn't work, yet it was still part of the update that replaced the closed source one.

Hope this helps, because it seems to be affecting both 12.04 and 12.10

[SteveFoerster (steve-hiresteve)]

I continued to work on this problem from my end, and I've narrowed down the problem.

[Phil Norbeck (ptn107)]

I found that by reverting to the previous version of the driver will fix things. It upgraded me to 6.20.155.1+bdcom-0ubuntu6 and my wireless strength dropped to almost nothing. Downgrading to the 'quantal' version 5.100.82.112+bdcom-0ubuntu3 fixed it for me, though this is most certainly a bug. I'm not sure why the 6.20 driver doesn't want to play nice.