FreeBSD 7.0-RC2 ath wireless issues

Sun Feb 24 20:36:12 UTC 2008

Ian Smith wrote:
> Hello list,
>
> I have some issues with an Atheros card in a Dell Inspiron 6000 that I was hoping someone may be able to shed some light on. I can associate with an access point but am unable to connect to anything via the wireless card. The card appears to be associated (see below) but I am unable to connect/ping the router or anything connected/beyond it. Please see the following for more details:
>
> Hardware info:
> Laptop: Dell Inspiron 6000
> Wireless Card: Complex WLM54G23 (http://www.msdist.co.uk/product_compex_WLM54G23_200mW_miniPCI.php)
>
> FreeBSD output:
> root#   uname -a
> FreeBSD dmon.bsd.home 7.0-RC2 FreeBSD 7.0-RC2 #0: Sun Feb 24 09:08:01 GMT 2008     root at my.domain:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  i386
>
> root# dmesg | grep ath0
> ath0: <Atheros 5212> mem 0xdfcf0000-0xdfcfffff irq 17 at device 3.0 on pci3
> ath0: [ITHREAD]
> ath0: using obsoleted if_watchdog interface
> ath0: Ethernet address: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
> ath0: mac 10.4 phy 6.1 radio 6.3
>
> root# pciconf -lv
>     ...
>     vendor     = 'Atheros Communications Inc.'
>     device     = 'AR5006 family 802.11abg Wireless NIC'
>     class      = network
>     subclass   = ethernet
>
> root# sysctl hw.ath
> hw.ath.hal.swba_backoff: 0
> hw.ath.hal.sw_brt: 10
> hw.ath.hal.dma_brt: 2
> hw.ath.hal.version: 0.9.20.3
> hw.ath.txbuf: 200
> hw.ath.rxbuf: 40
> hw.ath.regdomain: 0
> hw.ath.countrycode: 0
> hw.ath.xchanmode: 1
> hw.ath.outdoor: 1
> hw.ath.calibrate: 30
>
> root# sysctl dev.ath.0
> dev.ath.0.%desc: Atheros 5212
> dev.ath.0.%driver: ath
> dev.ath.0.%location: slot=3 function=0
> dev.ath.0.%pnpinfo: vendor=0x168c device=0x001b subvendor=0x168c subdevice=0x2063 class=0x020000
> dev.ath.0.%parent: pci3
> dev.ath.0.smoothing_rate: 95
> dev.ath.0.sample_rate: 10
> dev.ath.0.countrycode: 0
> dev.ath.0.regdomain: 0
> dev.ath.0.slottime: 9
> dev.ath.0.acktimeout: 48
> dev.ath.0.ctstimeout: 48
> dev.ath.0.softled: 0
> dev.ath.0.ledpin: 0
> dev.ath.0.ledon: 0
> dev.ath.0.ledidle: 2700
> dev.ath.0.txantenna: 0
> dev.ath.0.rxantenna: 2
> dev.ath.0.diversity: 1
> dev.ath.0.txintrperiod: 5
> dev.ath.0.diag: 0
> dev.ath.0.tpscale: 0
> dev.ath.0.tpc: 0
> dev.ath.0.tpack: 63
> dev.ath.0.tpcts: 63
> dev.ath.0.monpass: 24
>
> Attempting to get an address from the AP after associating:
> root# dhclient ath0
> DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 6
> DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 13
> DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 14
> DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 17
> DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11
> No DHCPOFFERS received.
> No working leases in persistent database - sleeping.
>
> With manual IP address:
> root# ifconfig -v ath0
> ath0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
>         ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
>         inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast xxx.xxx.xxx.255
>         media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet autoselect (OFDM/54Mbps)
>         status: associated
>         ssid XXXXX channel 11 (2462 Mhz 11g) bssid xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
>         authmode OPEN privacy OFF deftxkey UNDEF powersavemode OFF
>         powersavesleep 100 txpower 31.5 txpowmax 23.0 rtsthreshold 2346
>         fragthreshold 2346 bmiss 7 scanvalid 60 bgscan bgscanintvl 300
>         bgscanidle 250 roam:rssi11a 7 roam:rate11a 12 roam:rssi11b 7
>         roam:rate11b 1 roam:rssi11g 7 roam:rate11g 5 -pureg protmode CTS -ht
>         -htcompat -ampdu ampdulimit 8k ampdudensity - -amsdu -shortgi
>         htprotmode RTSCTS -puren -wme burst -ff -dturbo roaming AUTO
>         bintval 100
>
> In either case pinging anything on the network results in the following:
> root# ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
> PING xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx): 56 data bytes
> ^C
> --- xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx ping statistics ---
> 9 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100.0% packet loss
>
> For the purpose of this testing the AP was running without a firewall, encryption or an access list.
>
> Interestingly when I run `tcpdump -ttt -vv -n -i ath0` I am able to see broadcasts from other clients on the network. Also if I run ` airodump-ng --band bg ath0` I can see a whole host of wireless networks including the one I am trying to connect to.
>
> Any information/advice would be much appreciated.
>
>   

The first thing to check is whether errors are being counted.  netstat 
-in, wlanstats, athstats are useful tools.

Next I'd use tcpdump to inspect traffic starting at the 802.3 layer and 
going down; e.g.

tcpdump -n -i ath0 -p

then

tcpdump -n -i ath0 -p -y IEEE802_11

then finally

tcpdump -n -i ath0 -p -y IEEE802_11_RADIO

If you are associated then packets should be coming through so you 
should find them at some level.  Once you find them you need to figure 
out why they aren't being handled correctly; the stats usually tell you 
where+when frames are dropped.  You can also turn on debug msgs in 
net80211 with wlandebug if you believe the issue is there.

You say this network is running open so presumably there's no need to 
disable crypto (the first step one should do whenever having problems 
like this).

    Sam