8086:0091 [Dell XPS 15z (L511z)] Unstable wifi connection when connect to 802.11n AP with iwlwifi driver

[chalet16]

High "Tx excessive retries" and "Invalid misc" count when connect to an access point with 802.11n capable.

WORKAROUND: Disable wireless n using "options iwlwifi 11n_disable=1" in /etc/modprobe.d help.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-24-generic 3.2.0-24.39
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.39-generic 3.2.16
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog]
   Subdevices: 0/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: chalet16 2150 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c: chalet16 2150 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf1c00000 irq 26'
   Mixer name : 'Intel CougarPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10280446,00100100 HDA:80862805,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 24
   Simple ctrls : 11
Date: Mon Jun 11 20:27:23 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell System XPS 15Z
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.2.0-24-generic root=/dev/mapper/crypt ro rootflags=subvol=@ quiet splash acpi=noirq elevator=deadline vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: mei
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/20/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A10
dmi.board.name: 00WW5M
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA10:bd02/20/2012:svnDellInc.:pnDellSystemXPS15Z:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn00WW5M:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: Dell System XPS 15Z
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[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 v3.5kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

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/v3.5-rc2-quantal/

[chalet16 (chalet16)]

What happen on the current kernel also affects as same as on this daily build.

I also found that "Invalid misc" is still high even with 802.11n disabled but this does not affect the connection performance.

[mattibal (mattibal)]

I'm affected by this bug in my laptop with an Intel 5100 wireless card.

I tried to boot old ubuntu releases, and I have seen that this bug is present since Ubuntu Natty. In Maverick works fine if you enable 11n (it was disabled by default).
I have two 802.11n wireless routers, an Asus WL-500W and a Netgear DGN3500, with both routers the data transfer speed is always about 35-40 mbit/s also if the theorical speed reported by NetworkManager is 135 mbit/s.
In addition with the second router sometimes the theorical speed drops to 1 mbit/s and the connection becomes laggy and almost unusable, but maybe this is another bug.

[Laura Czajkowski (czajkowski)]

This was happening on Quantal and also since I've upgraded to Raring.

The only way I can get around it is if I -
* rmmod iwlwifi
* modprobe iwlwifi

I can then get the wifi working, if I disconnect wifi and have to reconnect I need to repeat the above.

[David Jones (dwrj87-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I'm quite appaled that this hasn't been fixed yet. There must be millions of computers across that could possibly be affected by it

[Coiby Xu (coiby)]

Same problem with Intel 5100 wireless card. I wonder when this will be fixed :(

[Miguel (michael-rueegg)]

Is this a duplicate of #876147?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

chalet16, as per http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/Product/xps-15z an update is available for your BIOS (A12). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything? If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and just provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Thank you for your understanding.

[David Jones (dwrj87-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

Why has this bug been altered to affecting the Dell XPS 15z (L511z) only? It affects more than that, my Dell Studio 17 (1737) being one

[penalvch (penalvch)]

David Jones, thank you for your comment. Regarding linux (Ubuntu), we don't do "catch alls", especially for WiFi issues. Despite this, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, please feel free to file a new report with Ubuntu by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
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.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs

[David Jones (dwrj87-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I would, but the laptop no longer runs Ubuntu, specifically due to this bug.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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