Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

graphicmist · 2017-05-25 05:34:27

Hi,

I am running arch on macbook air 2015 model. I am using broadcom-wl-dkms driver for my Network Controller Broadcom Limited BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter (rev 03)
The problem i am facing is sometimes when i boot my system i get the error :

wl driver failed with code 1
Error @wl_cfg80211_detach
Null ndev->ieee80211ptr, unable to deref wl

and the wifi interface is missing. I have to reboot my system multiple times until the wifi drivers are loaded properly and i can see the wireless interface.

I am really sick of this issue. Any ideas what could have caused this problem?

jasonwryan · 2017-05-25 05:47:05

Is the module loading? What do you have in /etc/modprobe.d/? What gets printed to the journal when this fails?

Moving to NC...

graphicmist · 2017-05-25 05:58:01

jasonwryan wrote:

Is the module loading? What do you have in /etc/modprobe.d/? What gets printed to the journal when this fails?

How do i check if module is loaded or not? By modinfo? I will check this when it happens next time.
The error in above post is the output of dmesg

seth · 2017-05-25 06:13:46

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … nformation
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=226468

graphicmist · 2017-05-25 06:29:58

seth wrote:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … nformation
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=226468

Thanks a lot for the links. I will debug and get back.

graphicmist · 2017-05-30 05:40:42

Hi @seth,

So i debugged last time when my wifi drivers were not loaded. Seems like kernel is loading the module but somehow while enabling wireless interface it is exiting with error:
wl driver failed with code 1
Error @wl_cfg80211_detach

lsmod | grep wl
wl 6377472 0
cfg80211 520192 1 wl

Still figuring out the issue. No idea what is causing it.

graphicmist · 2017-06-04 09:03:13

So, I further debugged the issue by living with it. I noticed wifi interface is missing even though the kernel modules are loaded right, happening only when on battery. If i plug ac power, i immediately get the wifi & but in battery it's a matter of luck with every reboot. Any ideas on where to look for such kind of issue.

seth · 2017-06-04 11:44:31

Are you using laptop-mode-tools ?

graphicmist · 2017-06-04 11:49:09

seth wrote:

Are you using laptop-mode-tools ?

No

seth · 2017-06-04 12:05:41

What's the output of "modinfo wl"? (You're looking for a parameter to control power management)

graphicmist · 2017-06-04 12:09:59

$ modinfo wl
filename: /lib/modules/4.11.2-1-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/wl.ko
license: MIXED/Proprietary
alias: pci:v*d*sv*sd*bc02sc80i*
depends: cfg80211
vermagic: 4.11.2-1-ARCH SMP preempt mod_unload modversions
parm: passivemode:int
parm: wl_txq_thresh:int
parm: oneonly:int
parm: piomode:int
parm: instance_base:int
parm: nompc:int
parm: intf_name:string

seth · 2017-06-04 14:14:42

Doesn't look like.
Did you try the brcm*mac or b43 modules? (check "lspci -v" on which would apply), iow. why do you attempt broadcom-wl itfp?

graphicmist · 2017-06-05 06:29:26

$ lspci -v
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Limited BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter (rev 03)
Subsystem: Apple Inc. Device 0117
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
Memory at c1200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
Memory at c1000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2M]
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [58] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Capabilities: [68] Vendor Specific Information: Len=44 <?>
Capabilities: [ac] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
Capabilities: [13c] Device Serial Number f0-72-00-ff-ff-09-00-01
Capabilities: [150] Power Budgeting <?>
Capabilities: [160] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [1b0] Latency Tolerance Reporting
Capabilities: [220] #15
Kernel driver in use: wl
Kernel modules: bcma, wl

No, i haven't tried brcm*mac modules or b43. I installed broadcom-wl-dkms because of the official mac on arch documentation and the same driver is recommended on other forums as well. For once it is working also with litte trouble. I will try other drivers on weekend and let you know which worked which didn't.

graphicmist · 2017-06-05 06:31:35

Also, i am using TLP for power saving in my mac. I hope it has nothing to do with wireless driver loading.

seth · 2017-06-05 06:40:52

m(
http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-con … networking
;-)

graphicmist · 2017-06-05 06:45:23

seth wrote:

m(
http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-con … networking
;-)

Oops! Let me change this parameter and test. Thanks

jlbribeiro · 2017-07-21 17:06:23

graphicmist wrote:

seth wrote:
m(
http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-con … networking
;-)
Oops! Let me change this parameter and test. Thanks

Any update, @graphicmist? I have the exact same setup and issue, and changing the TLP configuration setting didn't work for me. I bumped into this thread recently and I was hoping this would have progress by now (after some kernel updates and stuff...).

graphicmist · 2017-07-22 08:53:06

No, it didn't work for me either. I am still struggling with this issue.

seth · 2017-07-22 12:43:47

Did you try disabling/uninstalling TLP altogether (to track the problem down)?

jlbribeiro · 2017-07-22 18:57:07

seth wrote:

Did you try disabling/uninstalling TLP altogether (to track the problem down)?

I did, I disabled TLP by

# systemctl disable tlp.service
# systemctl disable tlp-sleep.service

and after a couple of reboots I didn't have WiFi.

Is there any info we can provide that can help us troubleshoot this?

The pattern I noticed is that everytime it does not load the error message graphicmist posted at the beginning of the thread is preceded by

wl 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)

Every time it loads correctly that message does not occur.

So, to expand on graphicmist's log, this is the (seemingly relevant) dmesg output when it fails:

wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
wl 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
wl driver 6.30.223.271 (r587334) failed with code 1
ERROR @wl_cfg80211_detach : 
NULL ndev->ieee80211ptr, unable to deref wl

and this is the (seemingly relevant) output when it succeeds:

wl: module license 'MIXED/Proprietary' taints kernel.
Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
wlan0: Broadcom BCM43a0 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 6.30.223.271 (r587334)
wl 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: renamed from wlan0

graphicmist, can you confirm I'm correct and this is the output you see on both cases as well?
(I don't want to take over your topic and I'll create one if I realize I have a different issue, but by looking at your output (and HW) it looks like we're on the exact same boat)

Yesterday I kept searching the Arch Forums for similar issues and the only similar situation I could find was this: [SOLVED] broadcom-wl[-dkms] BCM3960 working intermittently on Air 7,2 (the model is different, but the output and symptoms are very similar). The solution was to switch to the linux-lts kernel and to use broadcom-wl-lts instead of broadcom-wl, which seems to be one of the suggested solutions on the Broadcom wireless - ArchWiki page (kernel switching only), although for a totally different problem.

I'm just providing additional info in the hope this has an easy fix because I, as a noob, would assume a (seemingly random) issue like this would be caused by something along "kernel modules' loading order/conflicting kernel module", but I know very little about this; I'll obviously install the linux-lts if that's the only solution (even though I'm not exactly sure of the main disadvantages of using an LTS kernel instead of the current one [i.e. how far behind I can get and how that reflects on everyday use]).

Edit: I just installed linux-lts and rebooted a few times and right now everything seems alright; I'll post again when I feel confident this has actually solved the issue. I'm still interested in learning about what comes into play here and in understanding if there's any other fix to this.

Last edited by jlbribeiro (2017-07-22 19:52:02)

seth · 2017-07-22 20:01:50

try running rfkill - is there a function or other HW button to control the WiFi?

jlbribeiro · 2017-07-23 04:21:30

seth wrote:

try running rfkill - is there a function or other HW button to control the WiFi?

There no HW button on my MBP, not sure about @graphicmist's MBA.

About using rfkill, I already tried using `rfkill unblock wifi` but when this error occurs it does not even appear listed on `rfkill list`.

@graphicmist, after changing to `linux-lts` it hasn't occurred yet, so it seems to be working; I'm still using `broadcom-wl-dkms` though.

Last edited by jlbribeiro (2017-07-23 04:21:55)

Fran · 2017-10-17 11:02:33

Seems to be caused by facetimehd: https://github.com/patjak/bcwc_pcie/issues/135

I blacklisted it and everything is ok again. Now I load it on demand when I need it. It would be better if we could specify an order to load modules.

progandy · 2017-10-17 11:27:04

Fran wrote:

Seems to be caused by facetimehd: https://github.com/patjak/bcwc_pcie/issues/135
I blacklisted it and everything is ok again. Now I load it on demand when I need it. It would be better if we could specify an order to load modules.

maybe blacklist it and then manually load it in modules-load.d?

graphicmist · 2017-11-25 14:27:28

jlbribeiro wrote:

after changing to `linux-lts` it hasn't occurred yet, so it seems to be working; I'm still using `broadcom-wl-dkms` though.

Great it worked for you, I don't want to move to lts kernel. I am on 4.13.12-1-ARCH now and it works like 80% of the time without ac power and 100% of the time with ac power. I would like to tey disabling the facetime hd driver and see if it helps.

Will keep you guys posted

Arch Linux

#1 2017-05-25 05:34:27

Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#2 2017-05-25 05:47:05

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#3 2017-05-25 05:58:01

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#4 2017-05-25 06:13:46

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#5 2017-05-25 06:29:58

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#6 2017-05-30 05:40:42

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#7 2017-06-04 09:03:13

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#8 2017-06-04 11:44:31

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#9 2017-06-04 11:49:09

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#10 2017-06-04 12:05:41

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#11 2017-06-04 12:09:59

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#12 2017-06-04 14:14:42

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#13 2017-06-05 06:29:26

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#14 2017-06-05 06:31:35

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#15 2017-06-05 06:40:52

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#16 2017-06-05 06:45:23

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#17 2017-07-21 17:06:23

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#18 2017-07-22 08:53:06

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#19 2017-07-22 12:43:47

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#20 2017-07-22 18:57:07

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#21 2017-07-22 20:01:50

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#22 2017-07-23 04:21:30

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#23 2017-10-17 11:02:33

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#24 2017-10-17 11:27:04

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

#25 2017-11-25 14:27:28

Re: Wireless issue - Driver sometime missing, works randomly on reboot

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