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#1 2017-08-26 09:19:21

livito
Member
Registered: 2017-08-26
Posts: 3

Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

Purchased recently this new USB network adapter but I cannot get it to work. Here is some more info:

Wiphy phy1
	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 long limit: 2
	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
		 * mesh point
	Band 1:
		Capabilities: 0x17e
			HT20/HT40
			SM Power Save disabled
			RX Greenfield
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			RX STBC 1-stream
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			No DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 32767 bytes (exponent: 0x002)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 2 usec (0x04)
		HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7, 32
		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] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
	Band 2:
		Capabilities: 0x17e
			HT20/HT40
			SM Power Save disabled
			RX Greenfield
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			RX STBC 1-stream
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			No DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 32767 bytes (exponent: 0x002)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 2 usec (0x04)
		HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7, 32
		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] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5190 MHz [38] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5230 MHz [46] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm)
			* 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5270 MHz [54] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5280 MHz [56] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5300 MHz [60] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5310 MHz [62] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5320 MHz [64] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5500 MHz [100] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5510 MHz [102] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5520 MHz [104] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5540 MHz [108] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5550 MHz [110] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5560 MHz [112] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5580 MHz [116] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5590 MHz [118] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5600 MHz [120] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5620 MHz [124] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5630 MHz [126] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5640 MHz [128] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5660 MHz [132] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5670 MHz [134] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5680 MHz [136] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5700 MHz [140] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
			* 5745 MHz [149] (disabled)
			* 5755 MHz [151] (disabled)
			* 5765 MHz [153] (disabled)
			* 5785 MHz [157] (disabled)
			* 5795 MHz [159] (disabled)
			* 5805 MHz [161] (disabled)
			* 5825 MHz [165] (disabled)
			* 5835 MHz [167] (disabled)
			* 5845 MHz [169] (disabled)
			* 5855 MHz [171] (disabled)
			* 5865 MHz [173] (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
	valid interface combinations:
		 * #{ AP, mesh point } <= 8,
		   total <= 8, #channels <= 1
	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.

The driver seems to load fine:

[  924.109020] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file 'rt2870.bin'
[  924.109039] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Info - Firmware detected - version: 0.36

I make sure the device is up:

6: wlp0s29f7u2: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

I also make sure that the registry is right for my country (UK):

$ sudo iw reg get
global
country GB: DFS-ETSI
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5170 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (N/A), AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5490 - 5710 @ 160), (N/A, 27), (0 ms), DFS
	(57000 - 66000 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)

And yet when I try to scan for networks I get no results, whether that is with "iw dev scan" or "wifi-menu". I checked if the device is not blocked, but everything seems in order:

$ sudo rfkill list
1: phy1: Wireless LAN
	Soft blocked: no
	Hard blocked: no

I don't think it's a problem with the network/router because I can connect to it just fine with other network adapters and with other devices too.

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#2 2017-09-02 02:31:38

GenkiSky
Member
From: This account is henceforth dis
Registered: 2017-04-04
Posts: 82

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

Quick drive-by comment: You say "I make sure the device is up" but the output you post shows it in "state DOWN". Perhaps you copy/pasted the wrong thing, or?

Last edited by GenkiSky (2017-09-02 03:26:42)

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#3 2017-09-02 07:19:59

loqs
Member
Registered: 2014-03-06
Posts: 18,859

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

GenkiSky wrote:

You say "I make sure the device is up" but the output you post shows it in "state DOWN".

Wireless_network_configuration#Activate_the_interface

The UP in <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> is what indicates the interface is up, not the later state DOWN.

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#4 2017-09-02 15:40:46

ewaller
Administrator
From: Pasadena, CA
Registered: 2009-07-13
Posts: 20,612

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

That all looks reasonable.  For sanities sake, verify that you ran the site survey as root.

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

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#5 2017-09-02 17:01:40

GenkiSky
Member
From: This account is henceforth dis
Registered: 2017-04-04
Posts: 82

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

loqs: Thanks, sorry for spreading misinformation. I had never noticed the in-between state between setting the device as up, and it actually seeing other devices on L1 (?), being LOWER_UP.
OP: Also, in dmesg you show the driver loading the firmware, but is there no other relevant output? It would be nice to see the entire dmesg output up through when doing the scan. And just to confirm, running the 'sudo iw dev wlp0s29f7u2 scan' simply exits with no output? No error message?

Last edited by GenkiSky (2017-09-02 17:09:22)

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#6 2017-09-10 08:54:22

livito
Member
Registered: 2017-08-26
Posts: 3

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

I managed to do some progress on this issue. I passed through the adapter to a Ubuntu QEMU virtual machine. Surprisingly, the device works out of the box there, both the LTR and latest versions of the distro. Comparing the behaviour with the host (my machine), I noticed that for me the transmission power of the device is set to 0dB. Here are the two outputs (MACs censored):

Ubuntu 17.04

phy#0
	Interface wlx00c0ca956912
		ifindex 3
		wdev 0x1
		addr xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
		type managed
		txpower 20.00 dBm

Host machine:

phy#8
	Interface wlp0s29f7u2
		ifindex 12
		wdev 0x800000001
		addr xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
		type managed
		txpower 0.00 dBm

There are some other subtle differences in how the device is configured, but I am fairly sure they are not relevant to the issue. The question now is, why is the power of the device set differently under Arch than it is under Ubuntu? I checked and both load the same driver, namely rt2870.bin version 0.36.

Last edited by livito (2017-09-10 08:55:09)

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#7 2017-09-10 17:10:03

GenkiSky
Member
From: This account is henceforth dis
Registered: 2017-04-04
Posts: 82

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

Again, rt2870.bin is the firmware (the code that lives on the device itself), whereas a driver is what runs in the kernel, and is the one who requests the firmware from udev. It seems the driver in this case is ieee80211. Anyway, that's interesting, have you confirmed that setting "iwconfig <device> txpower 20" makes it start working? Something changing the txpower makes it seem like the job of some sort of power management software, though that's just a guess. Do you have any power management software running?

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#8 2017-09-11 19:39:49

livito
Member
Registered: 2017-08-26
Posts: 3

Re: Cannot find networks with ALFA AWUS051NH v2

Thanks for all the help, GenkiSky. There is some progress: I connected the device and set it up, but this time the power was 20dB, which was kind of weird. Anyway, I was just glad that it's as it should be. I tried scanning for networks with: 

sudo iw dev wlp0s29f7u2 scan

Unfortunately, I found no networks again. Then I decided to be a bit more aggressive and scanned for the particular channel (11) on which the router was sitting:

sudo iw dev wlp0s29f7u2 scan -u freq 2642

Lo and behold, I found the network successfully! I haven't tried connecting to it, but there is still the issue that a normal scan (i.e. over all channels) does not work. I went even further and tried a scan with wpa_supplicant, but it cannot find the network either, be it over all channel or just the router's current channel. There is still some sort of issue and I am wondering if it could be related to some other configuration of the device. Here is the difference of "iw dev info" between my Arch host and my Ubuntu guess machine (Ubuntu output diffed with that of Arch, to be more precise):

1c1
< Wiphy phy0
---
> Wiphy phy9
9,10c9
< 	Retry short limit: 7
< 	Retry long limit: 4
---
> 	Retry short long limit: 2
39c38
< 		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
---
> 		Maximum RX AMPDU length 32767 bytes (exponent: 0x002)
67,69c66,68
< 			* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 2484 MHz [14] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
---
> 			* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
80c79
< 		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
---
> 		Maximum RX AMPDU length 32767 bytes (exponent: 0x002)
93,127c92,126
< 			* 5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5190 MHz [38] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5230 MHz [46] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5270 MHz [54] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5280 MHz [56] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5300 MHz [60] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5310 MHz [62] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5320 MHz [64] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5500 MHz [100] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5510 MHz [102] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5520 MHz [104] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5540 MHz [108] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5550 MHz [110] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5560 MHz [112] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5580 MHz [116] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5590 MHz [118] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5600 MHz [120] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5620 MHz [124] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5630 MHz [126] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5640 MHz [128] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5660 MHz [132] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5670 MHz [134] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5680 MHz [136] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5700 MHz [140] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
< 			* 5745 MHz [149] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5755 MHz [151] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5765 MHz [153] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5785 MHz [157] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5795 MHz [159] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5805 MHz [161] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
< 			* 5825 MHz [165] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
---
> 			* 5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5190 MHz [38] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5230 MHz [46] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm)
> 			* 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5270 MHz [54] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5280 MHz [56] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5300 MHz [60] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5310 MHz [62] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5320 MHz [64] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5500 MHz [100] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5510 MHz [102] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5520 MHz [104] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5540 MHz [108] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5550 MHz [110] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5560 MHz [112] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5580 MHz [116] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5590 MHz [118] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5600 MHz [120] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5620 MHz [124] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5630 MHz [126] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5640 MHz [128] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5660 MHz [132] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5670 MHz [134] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5680 MHz [136] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5700 MHz [140] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
> 			* 5745 MHz [149] (disabled)
> 			* 5755 MHz [151] (disabled)
> 			* 5765 MHz [153] (disabled)
> 			* 5785 MHz [157] (disabled)
> 			* 5795 MHz [159] (disabled)
> 			* 5805 MHz [161] (disabled)
> 			* 5825 MHz [165] (disabled)
160a160
> 		 * Unknown command (121)

Disregarding the transmission power at the moment (because the Ubuntu machine doesn't have the proper regulatory domain set up), I am a bit concerned by the difference in retry limit and Maximum RX AMPDU length. I will try to play around with it some more in the next few days.

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