BCM4360 bcmwl-kernel-source System Freeze every few Seconds

[truthy]

Every newer version of bcmwl-kernel-source than 6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu2 causes complete Freezes on my System every few Seconds. Removing the wl module restores the system to its normal state. Compiling the latest version 6.30.223.248 from the Broadcom STA Source makes no difference as well as using the latest Mainline-Kernel. So some of the changes between 6.30.223.141 and 6.30.223.248 must be responsible.

Version 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.1 installs without any Errors but as soon as the wl Module is loaded the Freezes occur. Dmesg shows nothing of note.

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS
Release: 14.04

$ apt-cache policy bcmwl-kernel-source
bcmwl-kernel-source:
  Installiert: 6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu1
  Installationskandidat: 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.1
  Versionstabelle:
     6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.1 0
        500 http://at.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages
     6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://at.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted amd64 Packages
 *** 6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu1 0
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Hardware: Asus PCE-AC66
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter (rev 02)

Apport-Info:
ProblemType: Bug
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.10
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Fri Apr 17 13:55:22 2015
Dependencies:
 adduser 3.113+nmu3ubuntu3
 apt-utils 1.0.1ubuntu2.6
 base-passwd 3.5.33
 binutils 2.24-5ubuntu3.1
 busybox-initramfs 1:1.21.0-1ubuntu1
 coreutils 8.21-1ubuntu5.1
 cpio 2.11+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1
 cpp 4:4.8.2-1ubuntu6
 cpp-4.8 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 dbus 1.6.18-0ubuntu4.3
 debconf 1.5.51ubuntu2
 debconf-i18n 1.5.51ubuntu2
 debianutils 4.4
 dkms 2.2.0.3-1.1ubuntu5.14.04
 dpkg 1.17.5ubuntu5.4
 e2fslibs 1.42.9-3ubuntu1.2
 e2fsprogs 1.42.9-3ubuntu1.2
 fakeroot 1.20-3ubuntu2
 findutils 4.4.2-7
 gcc 4:4.8.2-1ubuntu6
 gcc-4.8 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 gcc-4.8-base 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 gcc-4.9-base 4.9.1-0ubuntu1
 ifupdown 0.7.47.2ubuntu4.1
 initramfs-tools 0.103ubuntu4.2
 initramfs-tools-bin 0.103ubuntu4.2
 initscripts 2.88dsf-41ubuntu6.1
 insserv 1.14.0-5ubuntu2
 iproute2 3.12.0-2
 isc-dhcp-client 4.2.4-7ubuntu12.1
 isc-dhcp-common 4.2.4-7ubuntu12.1
 klibc-utils 2.0.3-0ubuntu1
 kmod 15-0ubuntu6
 libacl1 2.2.52-1
 libapparmor1 2.8.95~2430-0ubuntu5.1
 libapt-inst1.5 1.0.1ubuntu2.6
 libapt-pkg4.12 1.0.1ubuntu2.6
 libasan0 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libatm1 1:2.5.1-1.5
 libatomic1 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libattr1 1:2.4.47-1ubuntu1
 libaudit-common 1:2.3.2-2ubuntu1
 libaudit1 1:2.3.2-2ubuntu1
 libblkid1 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 libbz2-1.0 1.0.6-5
 libc-dev-bin 2.19-0ubuntu6.6
 libc6 2.19-0ubuntu6.6
 libc6-dev 2.19-0ubuntu6.6
 libcap2 1:2.24-0ubuntu2
 libcgmanager0 0.24-0ubuntu7.3
 libcloog-isl4 0.18.2-1
 libcomerr2 1.42.9-3ubuntu1.2
 libdb5.3 5.3.28-3ubuntu3
 libdbus-1-3 1.6.18-0ubuntu4.3
 libdebconfclient0 0.187ubuntu1
 libdrm2 2.4.56-1~ubuntu2
 libexpat1 2.1.0-4ubuntu1
 libfakeroot 1.20-3ubuntu2
 libgcc-4.8-dev 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libgcc1 1:4.9.1-0ubuntu1
 libgmp10 2:5.1.3+dfsg-1ubuntu1
 libgomp1 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libgpm2 1.20.4-6.1
 libisl10 0.12.2-1
 libitm1 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libjson-c2 0.11-3ubuntu1.2
 libjson0 0.11-3ubuntu1.2
 libklibc 2.0.3-0ubuntu1
 libkmod2 15-0ubuntu6
 liblocale-gettext-perl 1.05-7build3
 liblzma5 5.1.1alpha+20120614-2ubuntu2
 libmount1 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 libmpc3 1.0.1-1ubuntu1
 libmpfr4 3.1.2-1
 libncurses5 5.9+20140118-1ubuntu1
 libncursesw5 5.9+20140118-1ubuntu1
 libnih-dbus1 1.0.3-4ubuntu25
 libnih1 1.0.3-4ubuntu25
 libpam-modules 1.1.8-1ubuntu2
 libpam-modules-bin 1.1.8-1ubuntu2
 libpam-runtime 1.1.8-1ubuntu2
 libpam-systemd 204-5ubuntu20.11
 libpam0g 1.1.8-1ubuntu2
 libpcre3 1:8.31-2ubuntu2
 libplymouth2 0.8.8-0ubuntu17.1
 libpng12-0 1.2.50-1ubuntu2
 libprocps3 1:3.3.9-1ubuntu2.2
 libquadmath0 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libselinux1 2.2.2-1ubuntu0.1
 libsemanage-common 2.2-1
 libsemanage1 2.2-1
 libsepol1 2.2-1ubuntu0.1
 libslang2 2.2.4-15ubuntu1
 libss2 1.42.9-3ubuntu1.2
 libstdc++6 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libsystemd-daemon0 204-5ubuntu20.11
 libsystemd-login0 204-5ubuntu20.11
 libtext-charwidth-perl 0.04-7build3
 libtext-iconv-perl 1.7-5build2
 libtext-wrapi18n-perl 0.06-7
 libtinfo5 5.9+20140118-1ubuntu1
 libtsan0 4.8.2-19ubuntu1
 libudev1 204-5ubuntu20.11
 libustr-1.0-1 1.0.4-3ubuntu2
 libuuid1 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 libxtables10 1.4.21-1ubuntu1
 linux-libc-dev 3.13.0-49.83
 lsb-base 4.1+Debian11ubuntu6
 make 3.81-8.2ubuntu3
 makedev 2.3.1-93ubuntu1
 manpages 3.54-1ubuntu1
 manpages-dev 3.54-1ubuntu1
 module-init-tools 15-0ubuntu6
 mount 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 mountall 2.53
 multiarch-support 2.19-0ubuntu6.6
 netbase 5.2
 passwd 1:4.1.5.1-1ubuntu9
 patch 2.7.1-4ubuntu2
 perl-base 5.18.2-2ubuntu1
 plymouth 0.8.8-0ubuntu17.1
 plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text 0.8.8-0ubuntu17.1
 procps 1:3.3.9-1ubuntu2.2
 psmisc 22.20-1ubuntu2
 sensible-utils 0.0.9
 systemd-services 204-5ubuntu20.11
 sysv-rc 2.88dsf-41ubuntu6.1
 sysvinit-utils 2.88dsf-41ubuntu6.1
 tar 1.27.1-1
 tzdata 2015b-0ubuntu0.14.04
 udev 204-5ubuntu20.11
 upstart 1.12.1-0ubuntu4.2
 util-linux 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 uuid-runtime 2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.4
 zlib1g 1:1.2.8.dfsg-1ubuntu1
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-11-29 (868 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
NonfreeKernelModules: wl nvidia
Package: bcmwl-kernel-source 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.1
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=de_AT.UTF-8
 LANGUAGE=de_AT:de
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-49.83-generic 3.13.11-ckt17
SourcePackage: bcmwl
Tags: trusty
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-49-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-05-09 (342 days ago)
_MarkForUpload: True

[Gianguido Sorà (gianguidorama)]

I'm experiencing a similar issue with the same chipset: only when connected to certain networks, the OS randomly freezes and then I'm forced to do an hard reboot.

The issue appears to be present in Ubuntu 14.04, 14.10 and 15.04.

[truthy (martin-rudhart)]

Thx, good to know that it's not just me. I've read there are the same issues with that chipset/driver on other Linux Distros (ArchLinux). As it's a proprietary driver adressing this issue might take some time. I've sent an email in reference to this bugreport to broadcom (linux wlan client support).

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[ralphb (dev-endlos)]

Same here. Connecting to Linksys router everything works fine, connecting to TP-Link router nearly instant freeze post authentication. When the machine freezes, Caps Lock is flashing, and there is no way to recover (as the machine has no wired connection).

@gianguidorama: Why not mark this bug report as affecting you? This might raise awareness.

Also note bug +1451789, which sounds very similar.

[Seeed (nielsfranke)]

Same bug for me as well with the BCM4360 Chipset and Broadcom 6.30.223.248 bcmwl kernel source.

As soon as I turn wifi off, the freezing stops.

[Joseph Arata (josephrarata)]

I can confirm this bug with any version of Ubuntu with this specific driver source. I've been trying to fight with this for the last 2 weeks trying to get it to work since the new kernel versions support multi-monitor on 2 different GPUs without making your distro unusable.

A temporary fix for now if you can afford to use kernel 3.13.063 is to use the bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu2 driver source as it is the most current stable version that just works with the BCM4360 without issue.

[truthy (martin-rudhart)]

I can't confirm that it works with any newer version than 6.30.223.141+bdcom-0ubuntu2. I just tested: bcmwl-kernel-source: 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.2 and 3.13.0-83-generic kernel - still no change.

[truthy (martin-rudhart)]

Finally some good news. Broadcom seems to have fixed the Freeze bug in their latest driver version 6.30.223.271. Unfortunately, there's no Ubuntu package yet, but there's a Debian package. You just have to purge and hide bcmwl-kernel-source for good in synaptic or via dpkg or apt and install broadcom-sta-dkms.

# sudo apt-get install broadcom-sta-dkms

Works perfectly on Ubuntu 16.04 amd64 with Kernel 4.4.0-24-generic and broadcom-sta-dkms (6.30.223.271)

The only nuisance is that with every Kernel Update you'll have to reinstall broadcom-sta-dkms for the new kernel. We will just have to wait until Ubuntu uses the Broadcom 6.30.223.271 driver in bcmwl-kernel-source ...

So for now it's finally fixed!!!

[Matthew Gregg (mcg)]

Using 17.04 and get hangs/freezes when using this driver with a BCM4360 based card. Only seems to happen when connected at 5Ghz.