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July 9th, 2013 04:00

XPS13 ubuntu wireless issues.

Hi there,

We have two XPS13's delivered in the last 10 days, both are dropping wireless connections very frequently when connecting to different networks in different locations. It then trys to reconnect to the same SSID, often asking for the password.

Looking at /var/log/syslog, I'm seeing lines suggesting the laptop thinks it is roaming between networks.

Jul 8 16:54:30 mymachine NetworkManager[1088]: (wlan0): roamed from BSSID AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF (MySSID) to (none) ((none))

This is not the case. The AP is approximately 1-2m from the machine in each scenario, connecting on either 2.4 or 5ghz frequencies, the same thing happens on both. I think I've captured a complete drop/reconnect cycle here:

http://www.cfp.co.uk/syslog-export.txt

Both laptops have these specs:

XPS13 model L322X
BIOS A09

> sudo lspci -v [snipped]
01:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
Subsystem: Bigfoot Networks, Inc. Device 2003
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
Memory at d0400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable)
Expansion ROM at bfa00000 [disabled] [size=64K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/4 Maskable+ 64bit+
Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
Kernel driver in use: ath9k
Kernel modules: ath9k


PPA list is as follows [both laptops up to date via update manager]:

/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://opensource.dell.com/releases/sputnik/archive precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb-src http://opensource.dell.com/releases/sputnik/archive precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/canonical-hwe-sputnik-kernel-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/canonical-hwe-team/sputnik-kernel/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/canonical-hwe-sputnik-kernel-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/canonical-hwe-team/sputnik-kernel/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/precise-dell.list:deb http://dell.archive.canonical.com/updates/ precise-dell public
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/precise-dell.list:deb-src http://dell.archive.canonical.com/updates/ precise-dell public
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/precise-dell.list.save:deb http://dell.archive.canonical.com/updates/ precise-dell public
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/precise-dell.list.save:deb-src http://dell.archive.canonical.com/updates/ precise-dell public

The wireless AP's have these specs:

WAP Asus RT-N56U
Firmware version: 1.0.1.2

Buffalo AirStation nFiniti WZR-HP-AG300H
Firmware version: DD-WRT v24SP2-MULTI (03/21/11) std - build 16519


1 Rookie

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46 Posts

July 12th, 2013 09:00

Nothing to add here, just want to get notified if anyone replies with any tips. I have a Sputnik on the way, so want to be ready.

This may or may not be any help, but the firmware on the RT-N56U is very old. If you are able to update it, it may be worth trying to see if that resolves the issue. If it does it could provide a clue.

www.asus.com/.../RTN56U

Current version is: 3.0.0.4.360

July 12th, 2013 16:00

I'm having similar issues.

I found a similar roaming entry in my syslog

Jul 12 22:45:42 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): roamed from BSSID < > (blah network) to (none) ((none))
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): link timed out.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: activated -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant-timeout') [100 30 11]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): deactivating device (reason 'supplicant-timeout') [11]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): canceled DHCP transaction, DHCP client pid 2108
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik kernel: [  231.979272] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik dnsmasq[2365]: exiting on receipt of SIGTERM

It looks to me that something seriously fails with my wifi. It then goes on to restart and go into a authenticate/deauthenticate loop until it eventually connects.

Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik dbus[684]: [system] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher' (using servicehelper)
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Auto-activating connection 'blah network'.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'blah network'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none') [30 40 0]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'blah network' has security, but secrets are required.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): device state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'blah network' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: added 'ssid' value 'blah network'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: added 'auth_alg' value 'OPEN'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: added 'psk' value ' '
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik dbus[684]: [system] Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.nm_dispatcher'
Jul 12 22:45:53 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik wpa_supplicant[1188]: Trying to authenticate with < > (SSID='blah network' freq=5220 MHz)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik wpa_supplicant[1188]: Trying to associate with < > (SSID='blah network' freq=5220 MHz)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.773684] wlan0: authenticate with < > (try 1)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.774821] wlan0: authenticated
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.787729] wlan0: associate with < > (try 1)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.788982] wlan0: RX ReassocResp from < > (capab=0x11 status=12 aid=0)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.788990] wlan0: < > denied association (code=12)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik wpa_supplicant[1188]: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=00:00:00:00:00:00 reason=3
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik kernel: [  235.794142] wlan0: deauthenticating from < > by local choice (reason=3)
Jul 12 22:45:57 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> disconnected

Repeat authentications -> associating > disconnected another 10 times until...

Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated
Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> 4-way handshake
Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik wpa_supplicant[1188]: WPA: Key negotiation completed with < > [PTK=CCMP GTK=TKIP]
Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik wpa_supplicant[1188]: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to < > completed (reauth) [id=0 id_str=]
Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: (wlan0): supplicant interface state: 4-way handshake -> completed
Jul 12 22:46:40 sputnik NetworkManager[1120]: Activation (wlan0/wireless) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful.  Connected to wireless network 'blah network'.

I received my XPS13 Developer Edition a few days ago. I have fully updated it.

Connecting to a Virgin Media "SuperHub"

2 Posts

July 15th, 2013 02:00

I have the same problems. Looking for a solution.

Brand new XPS 13 with Ubuntu 13.04 connecting to a Vigin Media "SuperHub".

The connection drops randomly and often. I have to re-boot to reconnect. I'm a complete Linux novice so this is a learning curve!

July 15th, 2013 03:00

Still seeing the same issues with both ma....

Dell have been and replaced the wireless card in one of the laptops to no avail.

Their next course of action is, and I quote, "an OS replacement, followed by a full refund if this fails to solve the issue"

July 15th, 2013 03:00

The issue here is with multiple APs, not just this RT-N56U.

I have around 10 seperate devices connecting to the RT-N56U without any problems at all.

1 Rookie

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46 Posts

July 17th, 2013 19:00

I just received my L322X Sputnik and have also been experiencing the drops on my Asus RT-N66U, a Verizon 4G LTE router and NAC wifi routers at work. The symptom, wifi tries to connect and eventually asks for the passphrase again. The process continues to repeat.

I'm running an up to date 13.04

Just now I turned off Bluetooth and Wifi connected, so perhaps that's a workaround?

I'm a little confused about the wifi card that's installed. The Sputnik page says it ships with "Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6230 802.11 a/g/n" however, the card in the laptop is an "Atheros AR9462"

           *-network
description: Wireless interface
product: AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
logical name: wlan0
version: 01
serial: bc:85:56:XX:XX:XX
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath9k driverversion=3.8.0-19-generic firmware=N/A ip=10.0.1.145 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abgn
resources: irq:16 memory:d0400000-d047ffff memory:bfa00000-bfa0ffff
At any rate, I found another suggestion that I've not tried yet:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/1040943 and
http://www.unixmen.com/resolve-slow-connexion-when-using-wifi-in-ubuntu-1104-natty-narwhal/
 
The first suggestion:

sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k.conf

append the file with:

options ath9k nohwcrypt=1

Reboot

July 22nd, 2013 09:00

we have had pretty solid wireless since upgrading to 13 and running update manager immediately...

we tried the nohwcrypt=1 within 12.04 and most others  fixes with no joy on 12.04

numerous calls with Dell ended up with them offering us the RedHat support number ?!?!?!?

words fail me.

2 Posts

August 10th, 2013 20:00

Has anyone searched around on this wifi card?  I came across several links (on Arch Linux and Ubuntu forums).

See this thread on the Ubuntu forums:  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2133296 they seem to have some success with a new driver.  Note that this was in April (about 3 mo ago).

It seems the Atheros AR9462 might be an issue with current drivers.  I haven't modified anything, but I am seeing similar problems with the overall performance of the wireless (particularly stopping mid-download and pausing, then picking up about 40 seconds later and finishing).  And this is being about 2-3 meters away from the AP.

4 Posts

August 11th, 2013 22:00

Hi!

I have XPS L322X, with ubuntu and similar problems. When I installed

linux-backports-modules-cw-3.8-precise-generic

it's help a little. So jus "apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.8-precise-generic" and reboot. It will
install a new versio on of the ath9k module.

1 Message

August 16th, 2013 08:00

The above command failed on my (stock) Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition, due to unmet dependencies.

However, after some great help from the folks on the #ubuntu-uk IRC channel, here's a solution that worked from my LX322x machine (fitted with the Atheros wireless card:

Open a terminal (press CTRL+ALT+T) and type:  sudo apt-get install linux-generic-lts-quantal

Then reboot your laptop.

This command installs a newer Linux kernel, with better drivers for the wifi card. I can confirm that all the other features (hotkeys, two finger scrolling etc.) all continue to work on this kernel.

August 26th, 2013 15:00

This worked for me, thank you so much! :emotion-2:

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46 Posts

August 27th, 2013 15:00

Chicochaz, what release of Ubuntu are you running? 12.04, 12.10 or 13.04?

3 Posts

August 27th, 2013 15:00

After months of attempting to fix this issue, installing this backport worked for me using the provided instructions.

Link: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1160188

Instructions:

  1. Open Dash and search for Terminal and open it
  2. wget https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/backports/2013/06/18/backports-20130618.tar.xz
  3. tar xvf backports-20130618.tar.xz
  4. cd backports-20130618
  5. make defconfig-ath9k
  6. make
  7. sudo make install
  8. (insert your password when sudo asks it).
  9. Ready! Reboot the computer.

The new drivers should then be in use, but note you will need to do the steps 4-7 again if a Linux kernel update comes as a security update or otherwise.

3 Posts

August 27th, 2013 16:00

12.10 - The only reason I upgraded to 12.10 was to fix the daily freeze-ups I was receiving.

1 Message

September 3rd, 2013 14:00

This has worked for me fine, thanks to  isleofmandan.

Now the issue with wifi has been SOLVED and even the batery life is longer , i guess not be connecting all the time saves batery.


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