"No scan results" with BCM43228 on 14.04 LTS

[Marc Rene Schädler]

On Ubuntu 14.04 LTS the device [1] appears as "wlan0" but no wireless network is ever found, while
on the same machine [2], using Windows 7 pro, wifi works flawlessly.

In the system log sometimes errors like the following show up:
>[ 3454.485775] ERROR @wl_dev_intvar_get : error (-1)
>[ 3454.485788] ERROR @wl_cfg80211_get_tx_power : error (-1)
>[ 4310.789941] ERROR @wl_dev_intvar_get : error (-1)
>[ 4310.789955] ERROR @wl_cfg80211_get_tx_power : error (-1)

I also built the driver provided by broadcom [3] with the same result.

The same hardware, pciid 14e4:4359, seems to work in a wide range of Ubuntu certified laptop and desktop pcs [4].

Maybe anyone can guide me how to further debug the issue?

I tried to connect to some networks using networkmanager's "connect to hidden network" feature to no avail.
The count of RX and TX bytes stays at 0 and the output of iwconfig is always the same, even when trying to connect.

>wlan0 IEEE 802.11abg ESSID:off/any
> Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated
> Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
> Power Management:off

Then, I tried to create an ad-hoc network named 'checko' with networkmanagers's "create new network" feature.
Now the output of iwconfig changes to

>wlan0 IEEE 802.11abg ESSID:"checko"
> Mode:Ad-Hoc Frequency:2.412 GHz Cell: 9E:86:DA:59:C2:A3
> Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
> Power Management:off

And in addition to the mentioned wl_dev_intvar_get and wl_cfg80211_get_tx_power errors the following message occurs repeadtedly in the systemlog.
> [15951.974567] ERROR @wl_cfg80211_get_station : Wrong Mac address

The the ad-hoc config the there are some TX bytes, but Trying to connect to the network with another Ubuntu pc fails, and no TX or RX bytes are added during the connection attempt. The only value that now constantly increases is the "window" value in the output of ifconfig (sorry output is German, Fenster means window).
> RX-Pakete:0 Fehler:0 Verloren:0 Überläufe:0 Fenster:18351

[1] 02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4359]
[2] HP EliteBook 755 G2
[3] http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php
[4] http://www.ubuntu.com/certification/catalog/component/pci/14e4%3A4359/

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Christopher Foltz (h0rnman)]

Here is the relevant section of my syslog (hostname removed). I don't know if it will help, but it looks like there's an issue with scanning for wireless networks:

Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'Maximus'
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none') [30 40 0]
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'Maximus' has security, but secrets are required.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0]
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0]
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'Maximus' has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Config: added 'ssid' value 'Maximus'
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>'
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Aug 6 20:47:27 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Aug 6 20:47:53 NetworkManager[853]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long, failing activation.
Aug 6 20:47:53 NetworkManager[853]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> failed (reason 'SSID not found') [50 120 53...

[Marc Rene Schädler (suaefar)]

I informed broadcom about this issue via the mailadress on their linux-sta website.

[Marc Rene Schädler (suaefar)]

I tried Ubuntu 13.10 and the result was the same as with Ubuntu 14.04

[Marc Rene Schädler (suaefar)]

I don't know if this really is a BCM bug or some strange ACPI/IRQ issues of the Laptop.
With the kernel option pci=noapci it now works for me on the Elitebook 755 (but now the webcam(usb!) does not work anmore).

[Marc Rene Schädler (suaefar)]

Solved: using the kernel option "intremap=off" makes the wifi work correctly.

I also posted the solution here: http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Networking/wifi-and-brightness-issues-with-EliteBook-755-on-Ubuntu-14-04/m-p/6568286/highlight/false#M9589

[Dave Kincaid (kincaid-dave)]

I'm having the same problem all of a sudden this morning on a Dell E6530. However, the kernel option "intremap=off" workaround does not work for me.

[Marc Rene Schädler (suaefar)]

I started with "acpi=off" and then tried many kernel parameters until I came up with the "intremap=off".
It seemed that when apic took care of the interrupts the wifi would not work properly.
Maybe, if "acpi=off" does the trick, you can also try "noapic" OR "acpi=noirq" OR "pci=noacpi", which also made wifi work in my case but with "collateral" damage (audio, bluetooth, brightness control not working).

[Dave Kincaid (kincaid-dave)]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried all of those settings and none helped the wifi problem. (note that acpi=noirq and pci=noacpi caused the keyboard not to work too). There is something deeper broken.

[Arturas K (arturas-k)]

hello,

I believe have the same problem, but the source seems to originate form network manager (widget) / not the driver. if I allow in newer plasma-nm versions - the wifi disappears from network lists. the same problem with lts (had no time to backport old package and test)

$ dpkg -l | grep plasma-nm
hi plasma-nm 0.9.3.0-0ubuntu5 amd64

$ lspci | grep Broadcom
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Marc Rene Schädler, thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal:
apport-collect 1343151

As well, please provide the missing information following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx#Filing_bug_reports .

When reporting bugs in the future please use apport by using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Phil Businger (phil-9)]

Hi I ran into this bug - and would like to make sure this issue doesn't get closed out (it's due to expire in 2 weeks), unless it's a duplicate of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1356526 in which case is there a way to mark it as such?.

I tried running apport above, but there were no crash reports to collect (and it recommended I file a new bug, but that doesn't seem like the right thing to do here)

Do I need to undo the workaround and restore my Grub file in order to reproduce the problem and then run apport?

I'd like to do whatever I can to make sure this gets fixed....please let me know what I can do to move this forward.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Phil Businger, filing a new report is the right thing to do here, that's why Launchpad told you to do so. Please ensure you include in your new report (not here) the information from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx#Filing_bug_reports .

For more on this, please see:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

As well, please do not announce in this report you created a new bug report.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for broadcom-sta (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Reinhard Katzmann (suamor)]

I can confirm that this issue was workaround with the intremap option. A proper fix is still needed though. I had one compiz timeout after login but on the second time it worked (fglrx driver works fine, so I ignored it).

@Marc Rene Schädler: Could you please reopen the bug and post the missing information required to further persue the issue ?