168c:002b Ath9k wifi does not connect to Freebox router with WPA+TKIP, does with WPA+AES

[Bernardofpc]

I had very slow wifi connectivity from my computer to my "Freebox v5" (french operator Free) running OS details: Chumby Internet radio, Linux 2.6.13 - 2.6.28, Linux 2.6.18 (nmap scan) . This was (temporarily) solved by setting nohwcrypt=1 module option, but today, after some use and some non-use (perhaps it got in a different ACPI state) all I could get was connect/disconnect/connect/disconnect series.

The worst part of it is that it seems to authenticate, but it gets nothing in /etc/resolv.conf, and gives "network is unreachable" if I try to ping 192.168.0.0/24.

I also tried to use backports modules and disable power management, to no success.

WORKAROUND: In Precise, used linux-backports-modules-cw-3.3-precise-generic provided the network runs WPA+AES.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-27-generic 3.2.0-27.43
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-27.43-generic 3.2.21
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-27-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 0/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu11
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 0/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: joari 1881 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c: joari 1881 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: joari 1881 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf7db8000 irq 44'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC269'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10438398,00100004'
   Controls : 16
   Simple ctrls : 9
Date: Tue Jul 31 14:45:39 2012
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=807395fe-4c9a-4d02-aa60-7357c71f3ce1
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 1005HA
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-27-generic root=UUID=d3c798ad-cbde-4052-8ee1-9894ffebe338 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-27-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-27-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-05-06 (85 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 02/26/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1401
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: 1005HA
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: x.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0x00000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.chassis.version: x.x
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1401:bd02/26/2010:svnASUSTeKComputerINC.:pn1005HA:pvrx.x:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn1005HA:rvrx.xx:cvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:ct10:cvrx.x:
dmi.product.name: 1005HA
dmi.product.version: x.x
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Bernardofpc, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. Could you please test the latest upstream kernel available following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Please do not test the kernel in the daily folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested and remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. 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, please comment as to why specifically you were unable to test it and add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.

Please let us know your results. Thanks in advance.

Helpful Bug Reporting Links:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_Reporting_Etiquette
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#A3._Make_sure_the_bug_hasn.27t_already_been_reported
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Apport_Debug_Information_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Adding_Additional_Attachments_to_an_Existing_Launchpad_Bug

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

Installed kernel 3.5-r7, specifically:

# uname -a
3.5.0-030500rc7-generic #201207142035 SMP Sun Jul 15 00:42:54 UTC 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Still problems on the wifi. It gets disconnected (reason=15), more precisely from dmesg:

[ 76.081375] wlan0: authenticate with 02:ce:c7:00:21:bc
[ 76.090023] wlan0: send auth to 02:ce:c7:00:21:bc (try 1/3)
[ 76.097172] wlan0: authenticated
[ 76.104610] wlan0: associating with AP with corrupt beacon
[ 76.108081] wlan0: associate with 02:ce:c7:00:21:bc (try 1/3)
[ 76.149738] wlan0: RX AssocResp from 02:ce:c7:00:21:bc (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=3)
[ 76.149753] wlan0: associated
[ 82.332643] wlan0: deauthenticated from 02:ce:c7:00:21:bc (Reason: 15)

Strange that part on the currupt beacon, also reason 15 indicating "Timeout in 4-way handshake". The AP is on WPA, but until this morning it worked like a charm...

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

New tests here.

I upgraded router to WPA+(AES or TKIP), and it now ath9k works with kernel 3.5-r7.

Before, the router was only set to do TKIP, the "reason=15" put me on track. Nonetheless it would be nice to have connectivity with TKIP only, if that ever happens in some uncontrollable place (such as hotels/univerities/schools/...).

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

More tests (in fact, I thought I could edit my posts...):

this almost vanilla setting (just having backport-modules installed) DOES work with the standard 12.04 kernel, PROVIDED that the network runs WPA+AES. I'd even test removing the backport modules, since it seems to me they're not really needed, but today I have no more time. So probably this narrows down to

- ath9k
- WPA + TKIP
- some network magic from ubuntu I still don't master (nm, dnsmasq, perhaps other programs) but should not be really implied (I cannot factor this out, though)

Thanks a lot for the suggestions, the time and the effort !

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Bernardofpc, thank you for testing the mainline.

+ What is the manufacturer and model of your AP?

+ Does this issue occur on other APs (please provide mfg. & model) you have tried?

+ Regarding your post https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1031332/comments/5 :
>"this almost vanilla setting (just having backport-modules installed) DOES work with the standard 12.04 kernel, PROVIDED that the network runs WPA+AES."

Just to clarify, you installed the backports from https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta ?

+ As a potential WORKAROUND, does https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/Ndiswrapper work for you?

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

So, after some inactivity, it poped up again.

I suspect it's a problem of not getting a new session with the AP. It is a "Freebox v5" (french operator Free) running

OS details: Chumby Internet radio, Linux 2.6.13 - 2.6.28, Linux 2.6.18 (nmap scan)

Unfortunately, I have no other AP to test right now.

> Just to clarify, you installed the backports from https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta ?
I installed with apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.3-precise-generic directly.

Thanks for the ndiswrapper hint, I'll probably give it a try tomorrow.

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

On Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 10:15 PM, Christopher M. Penalver
<email address hidden> wrote:
> ** Summary changed:
>
> - 168c:002b Ath9k wifi problems
> + 168c:002b Ath9k wifi does not connect to WPA+TKIP, does to WPA+AES

I'm not fully convinced this is the case, as per my bad experience
this night. I presume (but will only be able to test tomorrow) that in
fact the mere reboot of the box was enough, wiping clean all session
cache in it (only thing that seems possible to me to cause a failure
in the 4way handshake indicated by the disconnect reason 15). Anyway,
needs more testing...

--
Bernardo Freitas Paulo da Costa

[Bernardofpc (bernardofpc)]

I continued my tests and researchs, and found that my problem is much like the one in http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.linux.drivers.ath9k.devel/7149 : the part "reboot the box, connect to it the first" does indeed the job. It's very annoying, but maybe this is exclusive for this particular wifi router (Freebox SA) combined with this chipset (ath9k).

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Bernardofpc, for regression testing purposes, could you please test Lucid and report the results using http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lucid/daily-live/current/ ?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Miek Gieben (miek)]

Expired. Nice.. This is still a problem