I am on a fresh Arch install with linux 3.0.1-1, using the brcmsmac module. Initially, the wireless works for a few days. At some point, it will stop, outputting the following error repeatedly: localhost kernel: [ 825.796697] ieee80211 phy0: wl0: fifo 0: descriptor error localhost kernel: [ 825.796713] ieee80211 phy0: wl0: fatal error, re-initializing I can rmmod brcmsmac, reboot, shutdown, give it a few days, and start over and it will sometimes work. Other times, it will persist with the fifo errors. In other wods, a full shutdown may not resolve the issue and it reappears as soon as I boot and run ifconfig wlan0 up. I do not receive the error if I unload the module or if I bring down the interface using ifconfig wlan0 down. My current network connection is a wpa2 Wireless N connection. Here is the output of iwconfig when it is able to connect: wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"biteynet" Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: C0:C1:C0:EA:02:FF Bit Rate=65 Mb/s Tx-Power=19 dBm Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off Power Management:off Link Quality=70/70 Signal level=-18 dBm Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0 Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:14 Missed beacon:0 # lspci -vnn | grep 14e4 05:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4727] (rev 01) Subsystem: Broadcom Corporation Device [14e4:0510] # lsmod Module Size Used by cryptd 6893 0 aes_i586 6940 2 aes_generic 25670 1 aes_i586 appletalk 22087 0 ipx 16898 0 p8022 855 1 ipx psnap 1489 2 appletalk,ipx llc 3029 2 p8022,psnap p8023 784 1 ipx ipv6 249911 28 ext2 55531 1 joydev 7439 0 lib80211 3270 0 arc4 1086 2 brcmsmac 559153 0 brcmutil 5471 1 brcmsmac mac80211 191509 1 brcmsmac snd_hda_codec_realtek 222124 1 snd_hda_intel 19101 0 uvcvideo 57363 0 cfg80211 138620 2 brcmsmac,mac80211 snd_hda_codec 66954 2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel snd_hwdep 4942 1 snd_hda_codec snd_pcm 60015 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec snd_timer 15374 1 snd_pcm snd 43593 6 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer videodev 70542 1 uvcvideo acer_wmi 15921 0 iTCO_wdt 10293 0 soundcore 4986 1 snd serio_raw 3390 0 psmouse 56431 0 sparse_keymap 2628 1 acer_wmi media 8545 2 uvcvideo,videodev rfkill 12406 2 cfg80211,acer_wmi pcspkr 1375 0 i2c_i801 7063 0 iTCO_vendor_support 1545 1 iTCO_wdt sg 20982 0 snd_page_alloc 5869 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm atl1c 28528 0 crc_ccitt 1095 1 brcmsmac evdev 7278 8 battery 8865 0 wmi 7295 1 acer_wmi ac 2505 0 fan 1902 0 processor 21876 0 thermal 6595 0 ext4 337724 2 mbcache 4249 2 ext2,ext4 jbd2 59488 1 ext4 crc16 1069 1 ext4 sd_mod 26147 5 uhci_hcd 19609 0 ahci 18085 4 libahci 16573 1 ahci libata 154449 2 ahci,libahci ehci_hcd 34935 0 scsi_mod 111801 3 sg,sd_mod,libata usbcore 119612 4 uvcvideo,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd i915 612452 2 drm_kms_helper 21997 1 i915 drm 147613 3 i915,drm_kms_helper intel_agp 8720 1 i915 i2c_algo_bit 4423 1 i915 button 3646 1 i915 intel_gtt 11417 3 i915,intel_agp agpgart 22096 3 drm,intel_agp,intel_gtt i2c_core 16625 6 videodev,i2c_i801,i915,drm_kms_helper,drm,i2c_algo_bit video 9780 1 i915 # uname -a Linux pineapple 3.0-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat Aug 6 16:49:00 CEST 2011 i686 Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU N455 @ 1.66GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux # cat /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf blacklist bcma I have run both 64-bit and 32-bit ARCH and experienced the issue on both. As this is intermittent, it may take some time for me to be able to reproduce the issue, but I will leave the laptop running to encourage its return. I have not seen the issue with the wl module through the broadcom-wl package in AUR, running 2.6.39 but have not tested this extensively.
brcmsmac has been my bane since i put linux on this acer travelmate 8172T laptop, starting with 2.6.38. just updated my report with 3.0.1 update, or in other words, no change in being broken. https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=34682 started trial period with broadcom-sta.
I'd like to report that this seems to have been auto-magically fixed running 32-bit. I have not reinstalled using 64-bit to see if the problem is still there.
i for one am running 32-bit with PAE.
Hi Pedram, that is unsettling news to me :-) You didn't install something new during the past couple of days ? Bye, Roland.
Hi Roland, I do not know how to explain it. I did install kernel-netbook through AUR on ARch, which came with 2.6.39. I don't see how this would affect anything related to the 3.0 kernel or the brcmsmac module. It may be a coincidence but it is the only thing I can think of. When I rebooted into 3.0 to test the module again, my brcmsmac module loaded fine and I have not had a problem since. I will create a new partition and install a fresh Arch setup in 32-bit to see if I can recreate the problem for you.
Hello Pedram, did you already try the experiment of creating a new partition with a fresh Arch 32 bits install ? Curious to know if the problem is still there. Bye, Roland.
Hi Roland, I have reinstalled and unfortunately have not been able to replicate this problem on a 32-bit installation.
Well, at least thank you for trying it. Shall we close this bug and reopen it if the issue pops up again ? Bye, Roland.
Roland, great news! I was able to replicate the bug. What I did was install wicd, which also had the following dependencies: dbus-python ethtool python-urwid Once installed, I started dbus using rc.d start dbus and I started wicd using rc.d start wicd. I then ran the wicd-client, tried to connect to a network using the tool and noticed my computer slow down to a crawl and then the fifo 0: descriptior error / fatal error messages in kernel.log. I can reboot and if I do not load dbus or wicd and do not experience any issues. I am able to connect fine using netcfg. I can bring up the interface, run iwlist wlan0 scanning, connect to a network, and run dhcpcd to retrieve an ip address.
That is indeed great news. I will try to replicate this right now.
I am on a different distribution than you, so I tested on Ubuntu 11.04 (32 bits). I installed wicd but have not been able so far to replicate the problem you are seeing. Can you supply me with the wicd version you use ? Also, how did you get your kernel: did you pull it from git and if so, do you have a SHA1 for me ? Also, do you have the right firmware: $ md5sum /lib/firmware/brcm/* c53608f5818b702c46a012c57b4196ee /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm4329-fullmac-4.bin b308d5bab6b373c2f1a550ed09573f3a /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm4329-fullmac-4.txt 96cf06e4ff9f0c04a0f26ebefdf32e3d /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx-0.fw 48882412db63b4e2dd9c26571a29a799 /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx_hdr-0.fw Thanks, Roland.
I am running wicd 1.7.0-11 http://www.archlinux.org/packages/testing/any/wicd/ My firmware md5's match the ones you provided. My kernel is pulled from my distribution's package manager. http://www.archlinux.org/packages/core/i686/linux/ Currently I am on 3.0.3-1
Hello Pedram, I tried very hard replicating this bug but did not succeed. I compiled the 3.0.3 kernel and installed it on a Ubuntu x86 machine. I also use the same wicd version as you. Since you can replicate this very well and I can not, that calls for some debugging effort on your side, if you are up and willing to do this. I can send you versions of brcm source files containing debug statements (printf's), and in this way we can zoom in onto the issue. Expect some iterations over email. Are you willing to give this a try ? Bye, Roland.
Absolutely, I'd be very happy to give it a try. Feel free to email me and we can work through them that way.
Pedram kindly accepted the offer, we will debug this issue over email and update this bug report when conclusions arise.
Does this problem persist with 3.2 kernels?
I still see this issue with brcmsmac loading inconsistently on 3.2.0-22-generic-pae on 32bit ubuntu. I would be happy to provide any additional information necessary.
I am still seeing this error in 3.3..