Arch Linux

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

[SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

Hello again,

I have run into another issue that I cannot seem to solve. My wifi is super slow, topping out at a wopping 3Mbpsish. Using latest arch on an old acer 5742 laptop with a broadcom 43225 wireless chip.

I was wondering if there's a way to increase the speed, some settings I could tweak. It sometimes drops the connection too. I checked to see if maybe there's a service interfering:

dbus.service                    loaded active running D-Bus System Message Bus 
kmod-static-nodes.service       loaded active exited  Create list of required st
lxdm.service                    loaded active running LXDE Display Manager     
NetworkManager.service          loaded active running Network Manager          
polkit.service                  loaded active running Authorization Manager    
rtkit-daemon.service            loaded active running RealtimeKit Scheduling Pol
systemd-backlight@backlight:acpi_video0.service loaded active exited  Load/Save 
systemd-backlight@backlight:intel_backlight.service loaded active exited  Load/S
systemd-fsck@dev-disk-by\x2duuid-a3ed37b4\x2decfb\x2d42f8\x2dbf1a\x2d6c79f052987
systemd-fsck@dev-disk-by\x2duuid-d8cfc1ba\x2d3203\x2d4a15\x2d9618\x2d808f8716ced
systemd-journal-flush.service   loaded active exited  Flush Journal to Persisten
systemd-journald.service        loaded active running Journal Service          
systemd-logind.service          loaded active running Login Service            
systemd-random-seed.service     loaded active exited  Load/Save Random Seed    
systemd-remount-fs.service      loaded active exited  Remount Root and Kernel Fi
systemd-sysctl.service          loaded active exited  Apply Kernel Variables   
systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service loaded active exited  Create Static Device No
systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service  loaded active exited  Create Volatile Files and 
systemd-udev-trigger.service    loaded active exited  udev Coldplug all Devices
systemd-udevd.service           loaded active running udev Kernel Device Manager
systemd-update-utmp.service     loaded active exited  Update UTMP about System B
systemd-user-sessions.service   loaded active exited  Permit User Sessions     
upower.service                  loaded active running Daemon for power managemen
user@1000.service               loaded active running User Manager for UID 1000
wpa_supplicant.service          loaded active running WPA supplicant           

As you can see, I am using network manager.

ip addr:

1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
    inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
    inet6 ::1/128 scope host 
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: enp1s0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state DOWN group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 88:ae:1d:9a:33:31 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: wlp2s0b1: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 18:f4:6a:23:a2:e0 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
    inet 192.168.0.104/24 brd 192.168.0.255 scope global dynamic wlp2s0b1
       valid_lft 7064sec preferred_lft 7064sec
    inet6 fe80::271c:ca51:8742:b720/64 scope link 
       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

networking part of lspci -v:

01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Limited NetLink BCM57780 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 036d
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 28
	Memory at b3400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
	Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [60] Vendor Specific Information: Len=6c <?>
	Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [cc] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 88-ae-1d-ff-fe-9a-33-31
	Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
	Kernel driver in use: tg3
	Kernel modules: tg3

02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Limited BCM43225 802.11b/g/n (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Foxconn International, Inc. T77H103.00 Wireless Half-size Mini PCIe Card
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
	Memory at b2400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information: Len=78 <?>
	Capabilities: [48] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [d0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-00-6a-ff-ff-23-18-f4
	Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
	Kernel driver in use: bcma-pci-bridge
	Kernel modules: bcma

Pastebin of my lsmod:

https://pastebin.com/V5veazYw

If anyone has any ideas of anything I could do, please let me know. If there's any other info I should provide, just let me know too.

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

Last edited by exad (2017-07-30 20:08:39)

x33a

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2009-08-15

Posts: 4,587

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

What is the output of iwconfig?

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

What is the output of iwconfig?

enp1s0    no wireless extensions.

wlp2s0b1  IEEE 802.11  ESSID:"Unicorns are Awesome"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: 84:16:F9:A5:8B:05   
          Bit Rate=117 Mb/s   Tx-Power=19 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-30 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:1003   Missed beacon:0

lo        no wireless extensions.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,722

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

Interesting ESSID.  My favorite remains "Get off my WLAN".

It claims you've a bitrate of 117Mb/s.  On the 2.4 GHz band, no less.
Lets look at another tool's output.  What are the output of iw phy

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

Interesting ESSID.  My favorite remains "Get off my WLAN".

It claims you've a bitrate of 117Mb/s.  On the 2.4 GHz band, no less.
Lets look at another tool's output.  What are the output of iw phy

Yeah i don't think this card supports 5Ghz.

Wiphy phy0
	max # scan SSIDs: 4
	max scan IEs length: 2257 bytes
	max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
	max # match sets: 0
	max # scan plans: 1
	max scan plan interval: -1
	max scan plan iterations: 0
	Retry short limit: 7
	Retry long limit: 4
	Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
	Device supports RSN-IBSS.
	Supported Ciphers:
		* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
		* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
		* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
		* CCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:4)
		* CCMP-256 (00-0f-ac:10)
		* GCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:8)
		* GCMP-256 (00-0f-ac:9)
	Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
	Supported interface modes:
		 * IBSS
		 * managed
		 * AP
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * monitor
	Band 1:
		Capabilities: 0x7c
			HT20
			SM Power Save disabled
			RX Greenfield
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			No RX STBC
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			No DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
		HT Max RX data rate: 500 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] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2417 MHz [2] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2422 MHz [3] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2427 MHz [4] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2432 MHz [5] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2437 MHz [6] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2442 MHz [7] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2447 MHz [8] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2452 MHz [9] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2457 MHz [10] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2462 MHz [11] (19.0 dBm)
			* 2467 MHz [12] (19.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 2472 MHz [13] (19.0 dBm) (no IR)
			* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
	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
		 * set_tx_bitrate_mask
		 * frame
		 * frame_wait_cancel
		 * set_wiphy_netns
		 * set_channel
		 * set_wds_peer
		 * probe_client
		 * set_noack_map
		 * register_beacons
		 * start_p2p_device
		 * set_mcast_rate
		 * connect
		 * disconnect
		 * set_qos_map
		 * Unknown command (121)
	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
	software interface modes (can always be added):
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * monitor
	interface combinations are not supported
	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 AP scan.
	Device supports per-vif TX power setting
	Driver supports full state transitions for AP/GO clients
	Driver supports a userspace MPM
	Device supports configuring vdev MAC-addr on create.

Sorry, I had to download iw

The reported speed looks fast but when I am using it, it slows down and even drops sometimes.

Last edited by exad (2017-07-30 18:38:45)

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,722

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

It looks like a pretty good 2,4 GHz MIMO radio. 

I want back over the thread and note the the wpa_supplicant service is running.  Check to see if is enabled -- it should not be.  NetworkManager runs wpa_supplicant as a daemon when it needs it.
Stop it, disable it, and restart NetworkManager and let's see what happens.

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

It looks like a pretty good 2,4 GHz MIMO radio. 

I want back over the thread and note the the wpa_supplicant service is running.  Check to see if is enabled -- it should not be.  NetworkManager runs wpa_supplicant as a daemon when it needs it.
Stop it, disable it, and restart NetworkManager and let's see what happens.

Hmm still seems to be the same. Very weird. I can't say I have noticed any drops (not enough time to tell) but speed is still slow. Upload is fast but download is topping out at 3Mbps no matter what I am doing... I wonder if it's NetworkManager causing the problem. Maybe I will try another connection manager.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,722

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

I shall use this opportunity to make a plug for my favorite solution:

Services:
systemd-networkd.service
systemd-resolved.service
wpa_supplicant@

And user space tools:
wpa_gui (tray tool)
wpa_cli  (From shells)

Absolute rock solid.  Not the best solution for vpn and ppp but I don't use those much.

Last edited by ewaller (2017-07-30 19:15:29)

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

I shall use this opportunity to make a plug for my favorite solution:

Services:
systemd-networkd.service
systemd-resolved.service
wpa_supplicant@

And user space tools:
wpa_gui (tray tool)
wpa_cli  (From shells)

Absolute rock solid.  Not the best solution for vpn and ppp but I don't use those much.

Thanks a lot! I will try this and reply with my results and mark as solved if I get things working again. Thanks for your help and insight into some tools I could use to check the connection details!

ugjka

Member

From: Latvia

Registered: 2014-04-01

Posts: 1,962

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

I'm kind of sceptical that this is an configuration issue. What firmware do you use?

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

I'm kind of sceptical that this is an configuration issue. What firmware do you use?

Looks like bcma-pci-bridge according to lspci -k

exad

Member

Registered: 2016-11-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Slow wifi BCM43225

I'm kind of sceptical that this is an configuration issue. What firmware do you use?

I think it is network manager. I removed it and used wifi-menu just to test and my download speed within speedtest-cli alone jumped right up to 25Mbps.

I will mark this as solved and blame NetworkManager as being the culprit.

So just to recap removing networkmanager and using netctl has fixed my issue.

UPDATE:

Just thought I would post an update that netctl slowed my boot a little bit so I decided to go with wicd (wicd + wicd-gtk packages) which allows me to boot as quickly as I did with NetworkManager and keep my speeds stable as with netctl. In case anyone else ever has a similar issue.

Last edited by exad (2017-07-30 22:16:17)