WiFi roaming NetworkManager

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 14:18:08

Hello,
I'm trying to set up my Arch Linux Laptop wich has an Intel AX210 WiFi card to roam between my 2 WiFi AP.

My 2 AP have the same SSID and password. They run on OpenWrt and are configured to to fast roaming with 802.11r, 802.11k and 802.11v. I also installed the DAWN package for OpenWrt.
The fast roaming is working on my Android phone (running LineageOS with Android 13).

But on my laptop running Arch Linux with NetworkManager, it's sticking to the last AP, even if the signal is weak (above -80dBm).
If I run

nmcli device wifi list

I can see that my laptop detects the AP with a stronger signal but doesn't roam to it.
If I disconnect and reconnect WiFi, it connects to the stronger AP.

I have search on the wiki and on internet.
I found about wpa_supplicant bgscan setting for roaming but I think it only enable the scan of WiFi AP but it doesn't actually roam to it.
I can see that bgscan is enabled with NetworkMangager (by the way it looks as if there is no way to change the setting for bgscan wich is coded in NetworkManager) :

journalctl -b 0 -u NetworkManager | grep bgscan
déc. 29 11:37:29 yoga-730 NetworkManager[575]: <info>  [1703542709.6812] Config: added 'bgscan' value 'simple:30:-65:300'

I also tried to lower the WiFi power on my APs to force roaming, but even if the signal my laptop gets is even lower, it doesn't roam.
Does anyone know how to configure roaming (for NetworkManager) to actually roam ?

Thanks

seth · 2023-12-29 15:23:43

Are you connecting to the SSID (human AP name) or the BSSID (mac)?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Networ … ets_(WiFi)

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 20:33:42

I'm connecting using SSID (not BSSID)

seth · 2023-12-29 21:41:13

Roaming would then be the default behavior, please post your complete system journal for the boot:

sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st

after moving between AP (and a manual reconnect to show both APs)

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 22:03:23

I walked with my laptop between the 2 AP without beeing able to roam automaticly even if at a point the signal was very low.
I disconnected manually and reconnected (disconnect to WiFi and click on connect on KDE) on both AP : when connecting, the connection take lass then 0.5s, meaning fast transition is working but my laptop is sticking to weak signal AP.
Here is my system journal : http://0x0.st/HEtQ.txt

Thanks

seth · 2023-12-29 22:29:56

The journal spans 4 days, please reboot, cause the condition where you expect roming (connect to one AP and then move) and post a new journal to remove the noise.

Just for the last minute

déc. 29 22:59:08 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: deauthenticating from 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
déc. 29 22:59:08 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac reason=3 locally_generated=1
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (SSID='PALMH' freq=5580 MHz)
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: authenticate with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: send auth to 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (try 1/3)
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: Trying to associate with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (SSID='PALMH' freq=5580 MHz)
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: associate with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (try 1/3)
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (capab=0x1111 status=30 aid=2)
déc. 29 22:59:10 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: 78:11:dc:41:46:3e rejected association temporarily; comeback duration 1000 TU (1024 ms)
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: associate with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (try 2/3)
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 78:11:dc:41:46:3e (capab=0x1111 status=0 aid=2)
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: Associated with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: Limiting TX power to 23 (26 - 3) dBm as advertised by 78:11:dc:41:46:3e
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: WPA: Key negotiation completed with 78:11:dc:41:46:3e [PTK=CCMP GTK=CCMP]
déc. 29 22:59:11 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 78:11:dc:41:46:3e completed [id=0 id_str=]
déc. 29 22:59:54 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: deauthenticating from 78:11:dc:41:46:3e by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
déc. 29 22:59:55 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=78:11:dc:41:46:3e reason=3 locally_generated=1
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: SME: Trying to authenticate with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac (SSID='PALMH' freq=5180 MHz)
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: authenticate with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: send auth to 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac (try 1/3)
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: Trying to associate with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac (SSID='PALMH' freq=5180 MHz)
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: associate with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac (try 1/3)
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac (capab=0x1111 status=0 aid=2)
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: Associated with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 kernel: wlan0: Limiting TX power to 20 (23 - 3) dBm as advertised by 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: WPA: Key negotiation completed with 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac [PTK=CCMP GTK=CCMP]
déc. 29 22:59:56 yoga-730 wpa_supplicant[644]: wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac completed [id=0 id_str=]

You leaving 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac at 22:59:08, connect to 78:11:dc:41:46:3e at 22:59:11, leave that at 22:59:54 and return to that at 22:59:56
Where those two switches manual?

There're serveral iwlwifi firmware crashes and no signal quality reports from wpa_supplicant.

Do you get proper roaming w/ iwd?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Networ … Fi_backend (pay attention to the note, do NOT enable the service)

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 22:43:52

seth wrote:

You leaving 2a:5f:6d:8f:71:ac at 22:59:08, connect to 78:11:dc:41:46:3e at 22:59:11, leave that at 22:59:54 and return to that at 22:59:56
Where those two switches manual?

Yes those switches were manual.
I'll do the same after a reboot with wpa_supplicant ant then after a reboot with iwd

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 22:54:04

Here is my system journal after reboot with default config (without the iwd config)
http://0x0.st/HEtt.txt

maximushugus · 2023-12-29 22:59:08

And the same with iwd config, with the same behavior
http://0x0.st/HEtw.txt

Last edited by maximushugus (2023-12-29 23:03:43)

seth · 2023-12-30 22:03:27

Let's see whether the cause is the APs (can you btw. test this in a different environment?):
Disable https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Networ … domization (fors scanning)

Arch Linux

#1 2023-12-29 14:18:08

WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#2 2023-12-29 15:23:43

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#3 2023-12-29 20:33:42

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#4 2023-12-29 21:41:13

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#5 2023-12-29 22:03:23

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#6 2023-12-29 22:29:56

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#7 2023-12-29 22:43:52

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#8 2023-12-29 22:54:04

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#9 2023-12-29 22:59:08

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

#10 2023-12-30 22:03:27

Re: WiFi roaming NetworkManager

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