Bug 441037

Summary: mac80211 defaults to regulatory domain US (channels above 11 are disabled)
Product: [openSUSE] openSUSE 11.1 Reporter: Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf <forgotten_2Bw2fCSUmf>
Component: NetworkAssignee: Karl Eichwalder <ke>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED QA Contact: Stephan Kulow <coolo>
Severity: Major    
Priority: P3 - Medium CC: anllogui, behlert, ke
Version: Beta 4   
Target Milestone: RC 2   
Hardware: x86   
OS: Other   
Whiteboard:
Found By: --- Services Priority:
Business Priority: Blocker: ---
Marketing QA Status: --- IT Deployment: ---
Attachments: /var/log/messages and /var/log/NetworkManager on network start
several trials to connect to WPA protected AP
/var/log/messages and /var/log/NetworkManager - association timed out

Description Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-03 12:27:05 UTC
Created attachment 249364 [details]
/var/log/messages and /var/log/NetworkManager on network start

First: This bug does appear in OpenSuse 11.0, too.

Problem: My Access Point (dd-wrt on Linksys WRT-54GL) isn't shown in NetworkManager or iwlist.
I tried to treat it like a hidden AP and configured it with YaST and ifup, but no chance. Connecting to an open Wlan works.

I think it could be a problem with wpa_supplicant and iwl3945, because on OpenSuse 10.3 with ipw3945 it works well.

Sometimes I'm getting a lot of messages like this when wifi is on:
Nov  3 13:04:38 linux-6tp4 kernel: iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_LEDS_CMD: iwl3945_enqueue_hcmd failed: -28
Nov  3 13:04:39 linux-6tp4 kernel: iwl3945: No space for Tx

I attached the output of /var/log/messages and /var/log/Networkmanager while (re)starting the network.

Any idea where to start to get this fixed?
Comment 1 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-03 21:24:58 UTC
*** Bug 441036 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 2 Angel Llosá 2008-11-05 18:24:48 UTC
I have the same problem. 

Wifi card: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945AB

The same occurs to me with Ubuntu 8.10 . 
Comment 3 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-06 13:36:33 UTC
Does it show other APs in range? Only your AP is missing?
Comment 4 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-06 15:47:24 UTC
I've done more testing, Network Manager
- shows all APs in range except my WPA procteted (AP is not invisible)
- connects to open _and_ (at least one) other WPA protected AP

Vista, Symbian and ipw3945 / OpenSuse 10.3 connects to my WPA AP.
Comment 5 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-06 16:01:53 UTC
Thanks for the info. Could you please try if reloading the module helps here (rmmod iwl3945, modprobe iwl3954)?
Comment 6 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-06 18:40:35 UTC
Sorry, that didn't help.

Connecting to the other WPA AP needs several trials, messages will follow.
Comment 7 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-06 18:42:19 UTC
Created attachment 250429 [details]
several trials to connect to WPA protected AP

despite of the last errors, the connection is then established
Comment 8 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-07 10:15:22 UTC
Which channel is used by your AP?
Comment 9 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-07 18:39:53 UTC
channel 13
Comment 10 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-07 19:45:03 UTC
Could you please run the following as root:

rmmod iwl3945
rmmod iwlcore
rmmod mac80211
rmmod cfg80211
modprobe cfg80211 ieee80211_regdom=EU
modprobe iwl3945

Afterwards retry if you can get a connection. Thanks.
Comment 11 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-08 15:25:07 UTC
Created attachment 250872 [details]
/var/log/messages and /var/log/NetworkManager - association timed out

Okay, rmmod iwlcore gave the following message:
ERROR: Module iwlcore does not exist in /proc/modules

BUT, after restarting the network a couple of times and switching the WLan-switch off and on und waiting, I can see my AP the first time in NetworkManager's list!

Unfortunately I can't connect to it (association with AP 00:16:b6:d9:XX:XX timed out): logs attached.
Comment 12 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-08 17:02:13 UTC
(In reply to comment #11 from Kai-Wilhelm Bolte)
> Okay, rmmod iwlcore gave the following message:
> ERROR: Module iwlcore does not exist in /proc/modules

OK, just ignore that line. Just do:

rmmod iwl3945
rmmod mac80211
rmmod cfg80211
modprobe cfg80211 ieee80211_regdom=EU
modprobe iwl3945

Afterwards try again if you are able to connect.

> BUT, after restarting the network a couple of times and switching the
> WLan-switch off and on und waiting, I can see my AP the first time in
> NetworkManager's list!

Did you reload the modules as described before in that case?
Comment 13 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-08 22:11:17 UTC
Sorry, I didn't make that clear: I did reload the modules as described and afterwards I saw my AP the first time in the list. But connection attempts timed out as you can see in the logs.
Comment 14 Angel Llosá 2008-11-11 17:43:14 UTC
(In reply to comment #12)

It works for me (comment #2). I follow the steps to remove the wifi modules and to load then again ieee80211 instead of mac80211. 

Now NetworkManager list well my AP with WPA and there is no problem to connect to it.

Is there anyway to do it via modprobe.conf to make it automatic?
Comment 15 Forgotten User 2Bw2fCSUmf 2008-11-12 00:02:48 UTC
today I tested it again and indeed after

rmmod iwl3945
rmmod mac80211
rmmod cfg80211
modprobe cfg80211 ieee80211_regdom=EU
modprobe iwl3945

Finally I'm able to acces my AP :-)

I'm doing that in a little shell script now, but for the release there should be a better solution.
Comment 16 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-12 09:45:56 UTC
Thanks for the info.

The problem is somewhat complicated because using "ieee80211_regdom=EU" as default is not feasible as it would allow users (for example in the US) to transmit on prohibited channels. Hence I leave this bug open until the issue is discussed.
Comment 17 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-12 11:30:50 UTC
Adjusting summary.
Comment 18 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-12 11:32:16 UTC
Adjusting summary.
Comment 19 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-12 11:34:23 UTC
Just added a short section to the wireless wiki at [1] describing how to use a different regulatory domain.

[1] http://en.opensuse.org/Tracking_down_wireless_problems
Comment 20 Helmut Schaa 2008-11-14 10:38:17 UTC
This issue is not easily fixable for 11.1 and SLED 11 anymore.

Karl, I'd like to add a section to the release notes explaining why channel 12-14 are not usable by default. Maybe we could even link to the openSUSE wiki (see previous comment) which includes an explanation on how to enable these channels.
Comment 22 Karl Eichwalder 2008-11-25 10:57:19 UTC
Thanks for the info.  I think this snippet is sufficient

  <!-- bnc#441037 -->
  <sect3 id="wlan-channels" status="2008-11-25">
   <title>WLAN Channels 12, 13, and 14 Disabled</title>

   <para>By default, the WLAN channels 12, 13, and 14 are disabled
    because it is not allowed to use these channels everywhere.  If you want to
    use them in your region, see <ulink
    url="http://en.opensuse.org/Tracking_down_wireless_problems"/> for more
    information.</para>

  </sect3>
Comment 23 Karl Eichwalder 2008-11-26 15:43:38 UTC
-> /work