Wifi signal erratic since kernel update

JPr · 2010-11-28 19:04:49

I updated the kernel from 2.6.35 to 2.6.36 on my laptop yesterday and suddenly my wifi signal strength is all over the place. With previous versions of .35 I had 100% signal but now it jumps between 60-90% according to NetworkManager Applet.

The physical location of my laptop hasn't changed. I did some testing using another laptop with an older Ubuntu install, and it shows 100% signal strength at the same time my current laptop shows the erratic levels. I also tried downgrading NetworkManager but that didn't change anything (plus it was working fine with the .35 kernel with the versions I tried.)

I have an Atheros AR9287 Wifi Adapter using the ATH9K_HW module.

Output of iwconfig wlan0:

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"**********"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.432 GHz  Access Point: ********** 
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=54/70  Signal level=-56 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

Running it immediately afterwards showed "Link Quality=60/70 Signal level=-50 dBm"

I'd prefer to not downgrade the kernel just for this issue, but it's really obnoxious.

Last edited by JPr (2010-11-28 19:09:48)

.:B:. · 2010-11-28 19:31:37

You could always try the wireless-compat packages (which provide a complete wireless stack and drivers) and see if that fixes the problem you're having. Either way, signal quality will always fluctuate; if I call iwconfig ten times a minute, I'll get different output 80% of the time.

JPr · 2010-11-29 16:53:31

Thank you for the reply. I might try using the wireless-compat packages, but it was working perfectly before the update using the ATH9K_HW module.

I work with this laptop practically 6 feet from the router, so it shouldn't go down to 60% or less for any extended period of time.

Last edited by JPr (2010-11-29 16:53:47)

.:B:. · 2010-11-29 17:06:30

If there are no obstacles and it's 802.11g, then that does sound bad indeed.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-11-28 19:04:49

Wifi signal erratic since kernel update

#2 2010-11-28 19:31:37

Re: Wifi signal erratic since kernel update

#3 2010-11-29 16:53:31

Re: Wifi signal erratic since kernel update

#4 2010-11-29 17:06:30

Re: Wifi signal erratic since kernel update

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