After sys/net80211 changes in r198931 laptop is no longer associating with AP

[Kevin Oberman]

> Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:49:33 -0800
> From: Sam Leffler <sam at freebsd.org>
> 
> Kevin Oberman wrote:
> >> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 15:24:59 +0100
> >> From: Paul B Mahol <onemda at gmail.com>
> >> Sender: owner-freebsd-current at freebsd.org
> >>
> >> On 11/5/09, Alexandre "Sunny" Kovalenko <gaijin.k at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> It seems that 8.0 discussion is still going on on @current... if I
> >>> should have posted this on @stable, please, feel free to chastise me as
> >>> appropriate.
> >>>
> >>> After updating to r198831 my laptop no longer associates with either of
> >>> two APs I have. Rolling back just 'sys/net80211' to r198443 fixes the
> >>> problem.
> >>>
> >>> Working system:
> >>> FreeBSD RabbitsDen.RabbitsLawn.verizon.net 8.0-RC1 FreeBSD 8.0-RC1 #0
> >>> r198443M: Sat Oct 24 14:03:30 EDT 2009
> >>> root at RabbitsDen.RabbitsLawn.verizon.net:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/TPX60  i386
> >>>
> >>> Non-working system:
> >>> FreeBSD RabbitsDen.RabbitsLawn.verizon.net 8.0-RC2 FreeBSD 8.0-RC2 #0
> >>> r198931: Wed Nov  4 20:56:16 EST 2009
> >>> root at RabbitsDen.RabbitsLawn.verizon.net:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/TPX60  i386
> >>>
> >>> APs are is:
> >>> SSID/MESH ID    BSSID              CHAN RATE   S:N     INT CAPS
> >>> AP_SSID         00:1f:33:3b:xx:xx    3   54M -68:-96  100 EP   RSN WPS
> >>> WME
> >>> AP_SSID         00:1f:90:cb:xx:xx    8   54M -73:-96  100 EPS  RSN WPA
> >>> ATH
> >>>
> >>> Relevant piece of wpa_supplicant.conf is:
> >>>
> >>> ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
> >>> ctrl_interface_group=wheel
> >>> eapol_version=2
> >>>
> >>> network={
> >>>   ssid="AP_SSID"
> >>>   scan_ssid=1
> >>>   priority=1
> >>>   proto=WPA
> >>>   key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
> >>>   psk="Really secure something"
> >>> }
> >>>
> >>> APs are set not to broadcast SSID, but enabling broadcast does not
> >>> change much.
> >>>
> >>> Running wpa_supplicant with -d shows that it could not match AP_SSID.
> >>>
> >>> If there is anything else I can provide, please, let me know.
> >> What driver are you using?
> >> Looking into net80211 svn log for that time period I only see mesh hacks ...
> > 
> > I am seeing exactly the same issue. Atheros 5212 with a non-broadcast
> > SSID. Similar wpa_supplicant.conf including 'scan_ssid=1'. 'ifconfig
> > wlan0' shows no ssid. Every time I boot my laptop at home, I need to
> > enter 'ifconfig wlan0 ssid MySSID'. As soon as I do this, it immediately
> > associates correctly.
> > 
> > This was never a problem when I was running V7.0. Again, it only is an
> > issue when I am associating with my non-broadcast SSID at home. When at
> > work or traveling where the SSID is broadcast, wpa_supplicant works just
> > fine.
> > 
> > If I ever get more time, I'll try to run wpa_supplicant with gdb and see
> > what is happenning, but I may  not get a chance any time soon.
> 
> I believe your problem is unrelated.  I traced it to wpa_supplicant not
> doing the right thing--it doesn't pass the ssid's of ap into the code
> that issues scan requests so it's not possible for the 802.11 stack to
> send directed probe request frames (to elicit a response from the ap
> hiding it's ssid).  You can verify this by sniffing packets during a
> scan.  I have no idea why it works for you on 7.x as that code is
> woefully less capable than what's in 8.x.
> 
> Fixing wpa_supplicant request architectural changes to the code.  I
> can't recall if Jouni did this is in his devel branch.

Yes, I guess so, although the symptoms are very similar, his worked on
RC1 and failed on RC2. Mine has not worked since I moved from 7-Stable
to head (before 8 was branched). Guess I'll have to keep kicking it or
turn on broadcast on my AP.

Thanks!
-- 
R. Kevin Oberman, Network Engineer
Energy Sciences Network (ESnet)
Ernest O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
E-mail: oberman at es.net			Phone: +1 510 486-8634
Key fingerprint:059B 2DDF 031C 9BA3 14A4  EADA 927D EBB3 987B 3751