Bug 10937 (b43+newfirmware+x64) - b43 hardly works with new firmware (x64)
Summary: b43 hardly works with new firmware (x64)
Status: CLOSED PATCH_ALREADY_AVAILABLE
Alias: b43+newfirmware+x64
Product: Drivers
Classification: Unclassified
Component: network-wireless (show other bugs)
Hardware: All Linux
: P1 normal
Assignee: drivers_network-wireless@kernel-bugs.osdl.org
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2008-06-18 21:53 UTC by Dionisus Torimens
Modified: 2008-06-21 17:23 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Kernel Version: 2.6.26rc6
Subsystem:
Regression: ---
Bisected commit-id:


Attachments
2.6.26rc6 kern.log excerpt (85.26 KB, application/octet-stream)
2008-06-18 21:59 UTC, Dionisus Torimens
Details
dmesg with old firmware (30.58 KB, text/plain)
2008-06-21 08:35 UTC, Dionisus Torimens
Details
lspci -vvn (1003 bytes, application/octet-stream)
2008-06-21 08:40 UTC, Dionisus Torimens
Details
lspci -vxxxx (4.10 KB, application/octet-stream)
2008-06-21 08:40 UTC, Dionisus Torimens
Details

Description Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-18 21:53:02 UTC
Latest working kernel version:
Earliest failing kernel version: 2.6.24
Distribution: Ubuntu 8.04 x64
Hardware Environment: Acer 5220, 2G ram, Celeron M530
Software Environment: NetworkManager=0.6.6-0ubuntu5, wpa_supplicant=0.6.0+0.5.8-0ubuntu2
Problem Description: When using the old firmware the driver works fine, but when replacing it with the new firmware the connection works only shortly and errors appear in dmesg.

[  796.673070] b43-phy2: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
[  797.994369] b43-phy2 debug: Chip initialized
[  797.995115] b43-phy2 debug: 32-bit DMA initialized
[  798.004901] Registered led device: b43-phy2::tx
[  798.005476] Registered led device: b43-phy2::rx
[  798.005940] Registered led device: b43-phy2::radio
[  798.006460] b43-phy2 debug: Wireless interface started
[  798.029348] b43-phy2 debug: Adding Interface type 2
[  798.042529] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
-> [  799.407607] b43-phy2 ERROR: PHY transmission error
(...)
[  811.014133] wlan0: associated
[  811.014133] wlan0: CTS protection enabled (BSSID=00:18:4d:b3:fc:52)
[  811.014133] wlan0: switched to short barker preamble (BSSID=00:18:4d:b3:fc:52)
[  811.014133] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready
-> [  811.383427] wlan0: RX protected frame, but have no key
(7 times within 5 seconds)
(...)
-> [  885.737569] __ratelimit: 11 messages suppressed
-> [  885.737569] wlan0: RX protected frame, but have no key

Also the connection is pretty bad. Webpages load for a little while, but then they completely stop loading.

And as the support for the old firmware is supposed to be stopped soon, the new firmware should work at that point.

Steps to reproduce:
Associate to WPA encrypted access point with 2.6.25.6-vanilla.

Please let me know what further information I can provide.
Comment 1 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-18 21:59:54 UTC
Created attachment 16540 [details]
2.6.26rc6 kern.log excerpt

I tried unloading and reloading the module a couple times. Exchanged the firmware back and forth. Whenever the new firmware was used, the network connection was working only for a little while.
Comment 2 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-18 22:01:19 UTC
For more logs of my system please see another recent bug here: 
http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10914
Comment 3 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-19 19:34:37 UTC
Actually the same problem appears with the old firmware, only much later. Around one to two hours of constant traffic and the connection breaks off with PHY errors.

Any idea how we can debug this?

I think it would be pretty tough for some people if the old firmware is cancelled but the new doesn't work yet.

I would be glad for any help!
Comment 4 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-21 08:35:20 UTC
Created attachment 16571 [details]
dmesg with old firmware
Comment 5 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-21 08:40:14 UTC
Created attachment 16572 [details]
lspci -vvn
Comment 6 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-21 08:40:45 UTC
Created attachment 16573 [details]
lspci -vxxxx
Comment 7 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-21 08:54:00 UTC
It seems like this bug is at least alleviated in 2.6.25.7.
Comment 8 Dionisus Torimens 2008-06-21 17:23:31 UTC
The bug really is fixed in 2.6.25.7.

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