External wifi stick not working

faraoso · 2017-02-18 13:02:03

Hi,

I bought an external wifi stick from CSL which is supposed to have good linux support but I can't get it running.

lsusb show it as follows:
Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8191SU 802.11n WLAN Adapter

Since it didn't work right away, I looked on the AUR for packages for RTL8191SU and found and installed the following:
aur/rtl8192su-git c00112c-2 (1, 0,87) [installed]
Kernel module for Realtek RTL8188SU/RTL8191SU/RTL8192SU devices

The module is loaded now...
# lsmod |grep rtl
rtl8192su 28672 0
rtl8192s_common 49152 1 rtl8192su
rtl_usb 20480 1 rtl8192su
rtlwifi 69632 3 rtl_usb,rtl8192s_common,rtl8192su
mac80211 688128 5 iwlmvm,rtl_usb,rtl8192s_common,rtlwifi,rtl8192su
cfg80211 516096 4 iwlmvm,iwlwifi,mac80211,rtlwifi
btrtl 16384 1 btusb
bluetooth 499712 4 btrtl,btintel,btbcm,btusb
usbcore 208896 9 uvcvideo,r8712u,ehci_hcd,rtl_usb,xhci_pci,btusb,rtl8192su,xhci_hcd,ehci_pci

... and I used "ip link set wlp0s20u1 up" to invoke the interface, but it shows UP in the <> brackets but state DOWN afterwards (not quite sure if this means up or down now...):
4: wlp0s20u1: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state DOWN mode DORMANT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 24:05:0f:95:1f:24 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

Unfortunately, when I try to scan for wifi networks on the interface, it fails:
# iw dev wlp0s20u1 scan
command failed: No such device (-19)

What am I doing wrong? How can I get this to work?

Thank in advance!

x33a · 2017-02-18 13:57:59

Install rfkill and list its output.

faraoso · 2017-02-18 14:25:42

# rfkill list all
0: tpacpi_bluetooth_sw: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

Don't know if phy0 refers to the internal wifi or the external stick

Last edited by faraoso (2017-02-18 14:27:08)

ewaller · 2017-02-18 17:24:23

What are the output of iw list and of iw dev ?

Last edited by ewaller (2017-02-18 17:33:58)

faraoso · 2017-02-18 17:37:30

Here are the outputs, they only seem to show the internal wifi.

iw dev:

phy#0
	Unnamed/non-netdev interface
		wdev 0x4
		addr <internal-wifi-ethernet-address>
		type P2P-device
		txpower 0.00 dBm
	Interface wlp3s0
		ifindex 3
		wdev 0x1
		addr <internal-wifi-ethernet address>
		type managed
		txpower 22.00 dBm

iw list:

Wiphy phy0
	max # scan SSIDs: 20
	max scan IEs length: 425 bytes
	max # sched scan SSIDs: 20
	max # match sets: 11
	max # scan plans: 2
	max scan plan interval: 65535
	max scan plan iterations: 254
	Retry short limit: 7
	Retry long limit: 4
	Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
	Device supports RSN-IBSS.
	Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
	Supported Ciphers:
		* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
		* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
		* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
		* CCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:4)
		* CMAC (00-0f-ac:6)
	Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
	Supported interface modes:
		 * IBSS
		 * managed
		 * AP
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * monitor
		 * P2P-client
		 * P2P-GO
		 * P2P-device
	Band 1:
		Capabilities: 0x11e2
			HT20/HT40
			Static SM Power Save
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			TX STBC
			RX STBC 1-stream
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
		HT Max RX data rate: 300 Mbps
		HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
		Bitrates (non-HT):
			* 1.0 Mbps
			* 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 6.0 Mbps
			* 9.0 Mbps
			* 12.0 Mbps
			* 18.0 Mbps
			* 24.0 Mbps
			* 36.0 Mbps
			* 48.0 Mbps
			* 54.0 Mbps
		Frequencies:
			* 2412 MHz [1] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2417 MHz [2] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2422 MHz [3] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2427 MHz [4] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2432 MHz [5] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2437 MHz [6] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2442 MHz [7] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2447 MHz [8] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2452 MHz [9] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2457 MHz [10] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2462 MHz [11] (22.0 dBm)
			* 2467 MHz [12] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 2472 MHz [13] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
	Band 2:
		Capabilities: 0x11e2
			HT20/HT40
			Static SM Power Save
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			TX STBC
			RX STBC 1-stream
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
		HT Max RX data rate: 300 Mbps
		HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
		VHT Capabilities (0x038071a0):
			Max MPDU length: 3895
			Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
			short GI (80 MHz)
			TX STBC
			SU Beamformee
		VHT RX MCS set:
			1 streams: MCS 0-9
			2 streams: MCS 0-9
			3 streams: not supported
			4 streams: not supported
			5 streams: not supported
			6 streams: not supported
			7 streams: not supported
			8 streams: not supported
		VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
		VHT TX MCS set:
			1 streams: MCS 0-9
			2 streams: MCS 0-9
			3 streams: not supported
			4 streams: not supported
			5 streams: not supported
			6 streams: not supported
			7 streams: not supported
			8 streams: not supported
		VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
		Bitrates (non-HT):
			* 6.0 Mbps
			* 9.0 Mbps
			* 12.0 Mbps
			* 18.0 Mbps
			* 24.0 Mbps
			* 36.0 Mbps
			* 48.0 Mbps
			* 54.0 Mbps
		Frequencies:
			* 5180 MHz [36] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5200 MHz [40] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5220 MHz [44] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5240 MHz [48] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5260 MHz [52] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5280 MHz [56] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5300 MHz [60] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5320 MHz [64] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5500 MHz [100] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5520 MHz [104] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5540 MHz [108] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5560 MHz [112] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5580 MHz [116] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5600 MHz [120] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5620 MHz [124] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5640 MHz [128] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5660 MHz [132] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5680 MHz [136] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5700 MHz [140] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5720 MHz [144] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
			* 5745 MHz [149] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5765 MHz [153] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5785 MHz [157] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5805 MHz [161] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 5825 MHz [165] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
	Supported commands:
		 * new_interface
		 * set_interface
		 * new_key
		 * start_ap
		 * new_station
		 * new_mpath
		 * set_mesh_config
		 * set_bss
		 * authenticate
		 * associate
		 * deauthenticate
		 * disassociate
		 * join_ibss
		 * join_mesh
		 * remain_on_channel
		 * set_tx_bitrate_mask
		 * frame
		 * frame_wait_cancel
		 * set_wiphy_netns
		 * set_channel
		 * set_wds_peer
		 * start_sched_scan
		 * probe_client
		 * set_noack_map
		 * register_beacons
		 * start_p2p_device
		 * set_mcast_rate
		 * channel_switch
		 * set_qos_map
		 * add_tx_ts
		 * connect
		 * disconnect
	Supported TX frame types:
		 * IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
	Supported RX frame types:
		 * IBSS: 0x40 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * managed: 0x40 0xd0
		 * AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
		 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
	WoWLAN support:
		 * wake up on disconnect
		 * wake up on magic packet
		 * wake up on pattern match, up to 20 patterns of 16-128 bytes,
		   maximum packet offset 0 bytes
		 * can do GTK rekeying
		 * wake up on GTK rekey failure
		 * wake up on EAP identity request
		 * wake up on 4-way handshake
		 * wake up on rfkill release
		 * wake up on network detection, up to 11 match sets
		 * wake up on TCP connection
	software interface modes (can always be added):
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * monitor
	valid interface combinations:
		 * #{ managed } <= 1, #{ AP, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1, #{ P2P-device } <= 1,
		   total <= 3, #channels <= 2
	HT Capability overrides:
		 * MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
		 * maximum A-MSDU length
		 * supported channel width
		 * short GI for 40 MHz
		 * max A-MPDU length exponent
		 * min MPDU start spacing
	Device supports TX status socket option.
	Device supports HT-IBSS.
	Device supports SAE with AUTHENTICATE command
	Device supports low priority scan.
	Device supports scan flush.
	Device supports per-vif TX power setting
	P2P GO supports CT window setting
	P2P GO supports opportunistic powersave setting
	Driver supports full state transitions for AP/GO clients
	Driver supports a userspace MPM
	Driver/device bandwidth changes during BSS lifetime (AP/GO mode)
	Device supports static SMPS
	Device supports dynamic SMPS
	Device supports WMM-AC admission (TSPECs)
	Device supports configuring vdev MAC-addr on create.

ewaller · 2017-02-18 17:59:46

Unplug your USB radio, then reconnect the USB radio and post the last few lines relevant lines of the output of dmesg and journalctl -b --no-pager

Last edited by ewaller (2017-02-18 17:59:58)

faraoso · 2017-02-18 18:02:09

[20883.811201] usb 2-1: USB disconnect, device number 8
[20883.823861] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20885.863686] usb 2-1: new high-speed USB device number 9 using xhci_hcd
[20885.996918] r8712u: register rtl8712_netdev_ops to netdev_ops
[20885.996942] usb 2-1: r8712u: USB_SPEED_HIGH with 4 endpoints
[20885.997238] usb 2-1: r8712u: Boot from EFUSE: Autoload OK
[20886.325394] usb 2-1: r8712u: CustomerID = 0x000a
[20886.325397] usb 2-1: r8712u: MAC Address from efuse = <ethernet-address>
[20886.325398] usb 2-1: r8712u: Loading firmware from "rtlwifi/rtl8712u.bin"
[20886.333974] r8712u 2-1:1.0 wlp0s20u1: renamed from wlan0
[20886.363465] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20887.090492] r8712u 2-1:1.0 wlp0s20u1: 1 RCR=0x153f00e
[20887.090927] r8712u 2-1:1.0 wlp0s20u1: 2 RCR=0x553f00e
[20888.530378] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20890.180389] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20890.341688] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20892.090333] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20893.880193] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20895.670082] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20897.470063] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20899.253231] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20901.039904] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20902.829694] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20904.613057] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20906.396126] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20908.192802] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20909.979246] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20911.765840] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready
[20923.561988] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp0s20u1: link is not ready

Last edited by faraoso (2017-02-21 18:58:30)

faraoso · 2017-02-18 18:03:19

Nothing relevant in the journalctl -b --no-pager (only earlier unrelated entries)

ewaller · 2017-02-18 18:10:10

Then your USB radio is not being detected by the USB subsystem. Sounds like it is dead.
Try the same thing with another USB device. The journal and dmesg should note the connection of the device and details of the device enumeration at the very least.

faraoso · 2017-02-18 18:15:59

But my dmesg log does show those information, right? I just tried with a usb stick (storage) and also then nothing appears in journalctl, only in dmesg (just like with the usb radio)

R00KIE · 2017-02-18 18:53:45

Do you happen to be using networkmanager?

faraoso · 2017-02-18 18:56:55

Yes, networkmanager is running. But I should be able to do a simple scanning from the command line without it interfering, right? My gnome (using networkmanager) shows the device but isn't able to show any wifi networks (so it also can't scan obviously).

faraoso · 2017-02-20 21:09:49

Any other ideas?

ewaller · 2017-02-20 21:59:17

You had stated that there is nothing added to the logs when you connect the device to your USB bus. Until that is fixed, everything else is a waste of time. Or, is the device actually being detected on the bus? What is the output of lsusb ?

faraoso · 2017-02-20 22:54:40

The journalctl command didn't show any usb related commands, but dmesg did (see my post above: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 8#p1691938.

lsusb shows the stick like this:
Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8191SU 802.11n WLAN Adapter

So it's obviously recognised and the dmesg output even shows that the firmware is loaded, but then it shows all those "link not ready" messages which I don't understand

Last edited by faraoso (2017-02-20 22:55:46)

R00KIE · 2017-02-21 00:03:55

faraoso wrote:

Yes, networkmanager is running. But I should be able to do a simple scanning from the command line without it interfering, right? My gnome (using networkmanager) shows the device but isn't able to show any wifi networks (so it also can't scan obviously).

If you have more than one thing trying to control the same piece of hardware it is always possible that something will not work as expected.

You might want to read this thread https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=223116 as network manager seems to cause problems with some combinations of cards/drivers.

faraoso · 2017-02-21 07:48:19

Ah ok, I didn't know that. Interesting that he also got the "No such device (-19)" error but I think with me it's another problem. I killed NetworkManager, plugged in the usb wifi and it still doesn't work.

faraoso · 2017-02-21 07:56:23

Ah, the journalctl command didn't show anything, but when I start NetworkManager again and plug in the wifi, I get with "systemctl status NetworkManager" the following:

Feb 21 08:51:58 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <warn>  [1487663518.7560] device (wlp0s20u1): set-hw-addr: new MAC address <ethernet-adress> not successfully set (scanning)
Feb 21 08:51:59 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663519.7150] device (wlp0s20u1): supplicant interface state: inactive -> disabled
Feb 21 08:51:59 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663519.9229] device (wlp0s20u1): state change: disconnected -> unmanaged (reason 'removed') [30 10 36]
Feb 21 08:52:06 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663526.2280] (wlan0): driver does not support SSID scans (scan_capa 0x00).
Feb 21 08:52:06 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663526.2280] (wlan0): using WEXT for WiFi device control
Feb 21 08:52:06 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663526.2294] manager: (wlan0): new 802.11 WiFi device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/6)
Feb 21 08:52:06 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663526.2582] device (wlan0): interface index 6 renamed iface from 'wlan0' to 'wlp0s20u1'
Feb 21 08:52:06 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663526.2639] device (wlp0s20u1): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed') [10 20 2]
Feb 21 08:52:08 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663528.4283] (wlp0s20u1): driver does not support SSID scans (scan_capa 0x00).
Feb 21 08:52:08 sunflower NetworkManager[29099]: <info>  [1487663528.4283] (wlp0s20u1): using WEXT for WiFi device control

R00KIE · 2017-02-21 13:47:06

I would try stopping network manager, unplug the usb wifi card, replug it and then manually bring the interface up and try a manual scan and see what's what. Keep an eye on the output of dmesg while you do it.

I find it hard to believe that the card does not support scanning, otherwise how would you find the wireless networks you have available to connect to? Now if you say the driver does not support it yet or it's broken/buggy that is another matter.

faraoso · 2017-02-21 19:06:43

Ok, I did all those steps but it doesn't change anything when NetworkManager has been killed before:
- I still get the same dmesg messages that tell me that the firmware is loaded, the device renamed to wlp0s20u1 and finally shows "link is not ready"
- I can't set the device as up. After doing "ip link set wlp0s20u1 up" I still get "state DOWN":

10: wlp0s20u1: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether <ethernet-address> brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

- An "iw dev wlp0s20u1 scan" still tells me:

command failed: No such device (-19)

Last edited by faraoso (2017-02-21 19:07:04)

Arch Linux

#1 2017-02-18 13:02:03

External wifi stick not working

#2 2017-02-18 13:57:59

Re: External wifi stick not working

#3 2017-02-18 14:25:42

Re: External wifi stick not working

#4 2017-02-18 17:24:23

Re: External wifi stick not working

#5 2017-02-18 17:37:30

Re: External wifi stick not working

#6 2017-02-18 17:59:46

Re: External wifi stick not working

#7 2017-02-18 18:02:09

Re: External wifi stick not working

#8 2017-02-18 18:03:19

Re: External wifi stick not working

#9 2017-02-18 18:10:10

Re: External wifi stick not working

#10 2017-02-18 18:15:59

Re: External wifi stick not working

#11 2017-02-18 18:53:45

Re: External wifi stick not working

#12 2017-02-18 18:56:55

Re: External wifi stick not working

#13 2017-02-20 21:09:49

Re: External wifi stick not working

#14 2017-02-20 21:59:17

Re: External wifi stick not working

#15 2017-02-20 22:54:40

Re: External wifi stick not working

#16 2017-02-21 00:03:55

Re: External wifi stick not working

#17 2017-02-21 07:48:19

Re: External wifi stick not working

#18 2017-02-21 07:56:23

Re: External wifi stick not working

#19 2017-02-21 13:47:06

Re: External wifi stick not working

#20 2017-02-21 19:06:43

Re: External wifi stick not working

Board footer