wireless connection unstable

[uMac]

Binary package hint: wl

Hi, got a very flaky connection using inbuilt Broadcom BCM4322 wireless card on MacBook pro 7,1 runnning ubuntu 10.10 64bit.
This is ping to wifi router I get using this card

PING 192.168.11.1 (192.168.11.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=1 ttl=64 time=2.71 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=2 ttl=64 time=2.88 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=3 ttl=64 time=2.97 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=4 ttl=64 time=2.43 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=5 ttl=64 time=32.8 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=6 ttl=64 time=2.35 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=7 ttl=64 time=50.1 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=8 ttl=64 time=26.2 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=9 ttl=64 time=190 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=10 ttl=64 time=89.7 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=11 ttl=64 time=188 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=12 ttl=64 time=78.5 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=13 ttl=64 time=2.91 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=14 ttl=64 time=3.16 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=15 ttl=64 time=9.00 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=16 ttl=64 time=2.53 ms
^C
--- 192.168.11.1 ping statistics ---
16 packets transmitted, 16 received, 0% packet loss, time 15024ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 2.350/42.978/190.787/61.734 ms

I get much stable connection with external wifi card and I'd expect to get similar on Broadcom card.
This is ping got using external Belkin USB wifi
PING 192.168.11.1 (192.168.11.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=1 ttl=64 time=4.74 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=2 ttl=64 time=3.43 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=3 ttl=64 time=3.93 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=4 ttl=64 time=2.55 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=5 ttl=64 time=4.77 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=6 ttl=64 time=3.10 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=7 ttl=64 time=4.23 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=8 ttl=64 time=3.00 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=9 ttl=64 time=3.41 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=10 ttl=64 time=3.48 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=11 ttl=64 time=6.01 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=12 ttl=64 time=4.40 ms
^C
--- 192.168.11.1 ping statistics ---
12 packets transmitted, 12 received, 0% packet loss, time 11016ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 2.559/3.924/6.014/0.921 ms

This is happening all the time and over same time it get even worse up to seconds ping, basically making the inbuilt card useless.

product: BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller

this is the original driver from ubuntu installation
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=5.60.48.36 ip=192.168.11.5 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abgn

I also downloaded, built and installed latest driver from broadcom which does not resolve the problem and works exactly same way
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=5.60.246.6 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abgn

I've tried to disable power management as some people on boards say may help, does not in my case.

To confirm that the problem is this card I tried 2 different access points, with PSK2 or WEP with external and internal wifi and tried also different computers with ubuntu 10.10 installed or windows 7.
In all cases, only and always problematic card was the inbuilt Broadcom card.

Please help, its quite bad to carry the USB wifi with me all the time ;o(

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: wl (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.35-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Nov 25 16:32:27 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101007)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: wl

[uMac (uvaio)]

upgraded kernel to 2.6.35-23-generic

stuff got even worse ;o(

internal wifi pinging wifi router directly

ping 192.168.11.1
PING 192.168.11.1 (192.168.11.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=1 ttl=64 time=102 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=2 ttl=64 time=24.8 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=3 ttl=64 time=47.2 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=4 ttl=64 time=69.0 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=5 ttl=64 time=91.2 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=6 ttl=64 time=12.8 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=7 ttl=64 time=134 ms
^C
--- 192.168.11.1 ping statistics ---
8 packets transmitted, 7 received, 12% packet loss, time 7009ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 12.828/68.946/134.371/40.525 ms

pinging same router using USB Belkin wifi
stan@stan-uMac:~$ ping 192.168.11.1
PING 192.168.11.1 (192.168.11.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=1 ttl=64 time=9.25 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=2 ttl=64 time=4.10 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=3 ttl=64 time=5.75 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=4 ttl=64 time=5.63 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=5 ttl=64 time=8.25 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=6 ttl=64 time=5.63 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.11.1: icmp_req=7 ttl=64 time=4.63 ms

eth1 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"stan1"
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 00:1D:73:05:9C:1F
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power:24 dBm
          Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Managementmode:All packets received
          Link Quality=5/5 Signal level=-47 dBm Noise level=-92 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

[uMac (uvaio)]

Hi, is there anything else I can do about this? I really need to get this sorted still can't use my internal wifi. thanks.

[Ken Sharp (kennybobs)]

If the problem is the same with Windows 7 then the card is at fault, not the driver!

[uMac (uvaio)]

Sorry I was possibly unclear in section about other OS. What I meant was that I tested connection to the same router from other OSes to eliminate possibility of router causing this. Also tried native Mac OS to try out the connection with same inbuild wifi card. The only faulty scenario is Ubuntu + inbuilt broadcom card. All other combinations are correct.

[Eric Kerby (erickerby)]

I am also having this issue with a Broadcom BCM4322 card in my MacBook Pro 5,5 running a fresh install of Ubuntu 11.04. The ping times are sporadic with packets lost. The same card works great when booted in Mac OS X.

[Eric Kerby (erickerby)]

Did a bit more searching and found that this problem is caused by wireless powersave settings. The following article describes the situation well and offers a workaround to disable wireless powersave: http://uselessuseofcat.com/?p=67

So, it looks like an overly aggressive powersave level is being used for this chipset...it would also be nice to have a GUI to configure this powersave setting.

[uMac (uvaio)]

for me this problem has gone on Natty.

Even with Power management set to Every packet wifi connection is stable as expected on battery.

[Ulisses Penna (uspenna)]

I can confirm that the solution provided at:

http://uselessuseofcat.com/?p=67

worked just fine.

Every time I took off the energy plug, my netbook drops ping (ICMP) packets.
It used to loose more than 80% of the packets.
With the solution provided at the link abbove, now I can plug off (and keep using battery only) and the wifi is usable and all the ping packets are ok!
It is very easy to reproduce the problem/bug.
Start with the notebook/netbook plugged at the energy house.
Just start a ping in a terminal and see some packets coming and going.
Now took the plug off!! You will see the ping packets drop dramatically!!
Plug the notebook/netbook again at the energy house. The ping packets will start come and go normally.
Took off the plug: ping packets will drop
Plug the energy: ping packets will come and go normally.
It used to happen all the time. Now, with the solution provided by the link above, everything is normal.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Ulisses Penna (uspenna)]

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[felixcorrales (felixcorrales-yahoo)]

I have an EeePC 1000H

wifi: ralink rt2860 card

1- I created a blank file called:

/etc/pm/power.d/wireless

2- I modified:

/usr/lib/pm-utils/power.d/wireless

as follows:

#!/bin/sh

/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 power off

--------------------

After these modifications the EeePC 1000H wifi ralink rt2860 card, works fine without the power cord plugged.

Note:

Source

http://uselessuseofcat.com/?p=67

[felixcorrales (felixcorrales-yahoo)]

I also have to mention I have installed Ubuntu 11.04 32 bits with the latest updates avaliable

2.6.38-11-generic kernel

[penalvch (penalvch)]

uMac, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/wl/+bug/681445/comments/7 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status.

As well, regarding your filing this report against the package wl https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/wl :
"wl: mail/news reader supporting IMAP for emacsen"

this has nothing to do with your wireless problem. In the future, one would want to have filed this against the package broadcom-sta. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.