Bug 40712 - brcmsmac creates no wlan0 device
Summary: brcmsmac creates no wlan0 device
Status: CLOSED CODE_FIX
Alias: None
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: 2011-08-08 12:38 UTC by guitar76
Modified: 2012-02-02 20:45 UTC (History)
6 users (show)

See Also:
Kernel Version: 3.0.1
Subsystem:
Regression: Yes
Bisected commit-id:


Attachments
dmesg output (49.15 KB, application/octet-stream)
2011-08-09 08:59 UTC, guitar76
Details
kernel.logs last 500 lines (49.25 KB, text/x-log)
2011-08-09 09:00 UTC, guitar76
Details
dmesg with missing wlan0 (47.00 KB, application/octet-stream)
2011-08-09 10:46 UTC, guitar76
Details
kernel.log with missing wlan (49.03 KB, application/octet-stream)
2011-08-09 10:46 UTC, guitar76
Details

Description guitar76 2011-08-08 12:38:26 UTC
Since I upgraded to kernel 3.0.1 from 2.6.39 no wlan0 (or similar) device is created by the brcmsmac-driver for my bcm4313. There were no problems in kernel 2.6.39. I don't get any error messages.
Interesting part is when I specifically load the module on boot (even though it gets loaded automatically) the driver works without problems.
Comment 1 Ben Mehne 2011-08-08 18:28:31 UTC
I also dont get a wlan0 device and I have a bcm43224 - worked with 2.6.39, but the fix above does not help my case.
Comment 2 Roland Vossen 2011-08-09 06:55:38 UTC
Hello guys. Can you attach the output of dmesg and the 500 last lines of /var/log/kern.log to this bug report ?

Thanks, Roland.
Comment 3 guitar76 2011-08-09 08:59:33 UTC
Created attachment 68172 [details]
dmesg output
Comment 4 guitar76 2011-08-09 09:00:29 UTC
Created attachment 68182 [details]
kernel.logs last 500 lines
Comment 5 Roland Vossen 2011-08-09 10:09:41 UTC
Thanks for the attachments. The driver associates to the AP, but later on a dissociation takes place. The driver does not report any errors. Can you still see wlan0 with a 'ifconfig -a' ? Do you have any other wireless cards (from other vendors) to see what it does to the problem ?

Thanks, Roland.
Comment 6 guitar76 2011-08-09 10:46:16 UTC
Created attachment 68192 [details]
dmesg with missing wlan0
Comment 7 guitar76 2011-08-09 10:46:49 UTC
Created attachment 68202 [details]
kernel.log with missing wlan
Comment 8 guitar76 2011-08-09 10:56:08 UTC
On the last few boot I randomly experienced that my workaround has no effect. I've attached dmesg and kernel.log for those occurrences.
To your questions:
After the dissociation it reassociates without me interfering and I can still see wlan0 device.
I have an usb-stick with rt2870. The last time when brcmsmac didn't create a device I tested it and it associated without disassociation or other problems. Or did you mean something different?
Comment 9 Roland Vossen 2011-08-09 14:06:43 UTC
Hi,

thanks for the logs and feedback. I see in the file 'dmesgnowlan' two times 'brcmutil: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned'. That is strange.

I see that the module is loaded but no action after that, also no errors reported by the driver.

Is the rt2870 consistently associating, also over reboots ? Could you try that a couple of times to determine if the problem really is in brcm80211 ?

I am a bit confused regarding the reported problem: you say that you can still see wlan0 device. So under what condition does it disappear: if you do not apply your workaround ?

Thanks, Roland.
Comment 10 guitar76 2011-08-09 15:36:28 UTC
Thank you for your help and time.

I tested the rt2870 association over several reboots. No problems so far but I will go on testing it..

Regarding the device creation:
Yes, when I don't load the brcmsmac-module explicitly on bootup, wlan0 is not created (only lo and eth0. checked with "ip a") and sadly even sometimes when I load it on boot.
What I meant in comment #8 was that the device doesn't disappear after the dissociation. But perhaps I got your question in #5 (Can you still see wlan0 with a 'ifconfig -a' ?) wrong.
Comment 11 Henry Ptasinski 2011-08-09 21:53:06 UTC
Can you try disabling the bcma driver (either by removing the module or blacklisting it)?  I think in 3.0.1, bcma now claims the BCM4313 device, which prevents the brcmsmac driver from being able to talk to the chip.
Comment 12 Ben Mehne 2011-08-10 00:24:14 UTC
That worked for me.
Comment 13 guitar76 2011-08-10 08:55:03 UTC
For me too.
Comment 14 Ruben Stukken 2011-08-11 15:22:03 UTC
It didn't work for me
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40942
Comment 15 Henry Ptasinski 2011-08-11 22:14:09 UTC
Ruben:  Your platform is somewhat different, and I believe the root cause is also somewhat different.  I'll followup on the other bug for that issue.
Comment 16 John W. Linville 2012-01-13 19:06:00 UTC
Does this problem persist with kernel 3.2 or later?
Comment 17 guitar76 2012-02-02 18:19:32 UTC
No, it doesn't. I don't blacklist bcma any more and it still isn't loaded. There are also no strange error messages in dmesg etc. So everything works fine. Can be closed for me.
Comment 18 John W. Linville 2012-02-02 20:45:51 UTC
Closing on the basis of comment 17.

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