System freezes when changing network preferences

[Erlenmayr]

I have Ubuntu 15.04 on a unmodified August 2014 Macbook Pro Retina 13 inch with i7. The only proprietary driver running is bcmwl. Because of the fact that freezing happens immediately on changing Network settings, I think that bcmwl is the cause.

Symptoms:
System freezes completely, screen does not turn off.

Occasions:
A)
If NetworkManager selected one Wifi to connect, and I click on a different one to connect, sometimes system freezes.

B) After setting up wifi without IPv4 (set IPv4 on “ignore” in Network Manager) and connect it to IPv6, it first looks fine. “ping6 google.com” works like expected. When then starting Firefox or XChat IRC, System freezes.

Notes:
- I do have a native IPv6 Internet connection
- I experienced no such problems with Ubuntu 14.10, so I guess it is related to kernel/bcmwl compatibility, since the driver version used to be the same.
- there are no logs in /var/crash

bcmwl version:
6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2

kernel version:
3.19.0-25-generic

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.04
Package: bcmwl-kernel-source 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-25.26-generic 3.19.8-ckt2
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-25-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.17.2-0ubuntu1.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Aug 12 08:51:08 2015
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-11-15 (269 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Release amd64 (20141022.1)
SourcePackage: bcmwl
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[StraToN (the-straton)]

This bug also affects me. Happens randomly on disabling Wi-fi using Network widget in XFCE (xubuntu 15.04).

[Álvaro Pagliari (alvaropag)]

This bug also affects me. When I try to change the network or even after some time of use. The computer hangs (num lock light blinks and only a hard reset restarts it). The connection also drops a lot and the signal varies. I'm on Kubuntu 15.04.

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

A quick solution would be to provide a package of older bcmwl versions to users. You could call it bcmwl-legacy or something, so that users have a choice. (Maybe the newest is required for some recent devices.)

[StraToN (the-straton)]

Just adding a precision : Caps Lock is blinking when the freeze happens, sign of Kernel Panic ?

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

I have no capslock working, no singaling and no crash reports in /var/crash. I cannot reproduce it everywhere, it only happened with /some/ (WPA2) wifis. But at the places where it happened, it happened all the time (two to three times a day).

[StraToN (the-straton)]

(What, no edit/remove tool on Lauchpad ??)

This happens very randomly. I can't tell which wifi is more affected than another since I use mostly the one of my work place, either : Eduroam (European Education wifi), and also the local wifi network (same antenna). I think it happens at my home too, but I took the habit to use Ethernet to avoid this kind of freeze.

I'd like to add some information :

$ lspci -vnn -d 14e4:
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43142 802.11b/g/n [14e4:4365] (rev 01)
 Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc Device [11ad:6605]
 Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
 Memory at f7900000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
 Capabilities: <access denied>
 Kernel driver in use: wl

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

straton: You are lucky, your Wifi will be supported by the free brcm80211 driver from future kernel version 4.4.

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/brcm80211

No luck for me though.

[Mattia (gmatti-93)]

My device
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4359]

My driver
sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

When I connect to the network using a static ip, my Ubuntu crashes. The only way out is a hard reset. Please help.

[StraToN (the-straton)]

@Erlenmayr : I don't see the BCM43142 network controller listed in the page you linked.

The problem is really, really annoying. If I could do something more to help, I would. Yet, no more information from Ubuntu. Is there anyone working on this or not ?

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

@Straton: This bug has to get Broadcom's attention. Ubuntu and users should both make them aware of this problem. There is nothing more we can de about proprietary drivers.

[Rob (lightrye)]

Add me too to the list of people experiencing this problem.

I've been getting it for a while now, since installing Xubuntu 15.04 in the spring, and even after recently installing 14.04LTS.

The last time I got this (a few minutes ago) I was re-enabling the network after disabling it because of a poor wifi connection. I have gotten it probably weekly, but seemingly randomly since installing 15.04. But, it's not always the same trigger, sometimes it's when I change networks, but always when interacting with the network widget. I hoped that recently downgrading to 14.04 would change things, but apparently not.

Also, maybe there's a connection to my laptop freezing occasionally on shutdown.

- I running a 2014 Macbook Pro 13 Retina.
- Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter (rev 03)
- Xubuntu 14.04LTS and 15.04
- Kernel version: 3.19.0-31-generic

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

Some good news: I am running Ubuntu 15.10 for a week now and it did not happen again.

[StraToN (the-straton)]

Same for me. But again, my wifi signal is stronger now than in my previous location, so I encounter no disconnections due to weak signal.

[Gresham Callender (absentmindeddeveloper)]

I have the same problem on Xubuntu 18.04, whenever I disconnect, or boot up in an area without wifi, my laptop crashes within a few minutes.