ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

Kariddi · 2009-06-25 14:25:21

I've upgraded today to kernel 2.6.30 on my EEE PC 1000HE and everything went alright, but I have a problem with the wireless connection.

After the upgrade the wireless signal strength decreased a lot . Now in places in my house where with 2.6.29 I could reach 22% or more signal strength now I can barely reach 10% and I get a lot of disconnections. In places where I had 60% signal I now have 20%.

I have now downgraded to 2.6.29 (kernel26 + kernel26-firmware downgrade) and the wireless connection is back again to its former glory.

What's the problem with the new wireless ath9k drivers?

`dannyb · 2009-06-25 15:10:18

I don't know much about the ath9k drivers but I am getting my 1000HE from newegg tonight so once I insall Arch I'll report back if I have the same issues.

mitch00 · 2009-06-27 04:09:39

I'm using ath9k as well, and where I used to get 80-90%, since upgrading to 2.6.30 I'm now getting between 30-40%. Anyone know what the problem is?

lardon · 2009-06-27 07:46:00

Is the performance really different? It might just be a labeling change.

alez · 2009-06-27 10:12:27

I also had that exact problem with a d-link (rt61) card. It also disconnects all the time. It's extremely annoying. I'm right now from a kubuntu livecd which works without a problem. I may venture the problem is the kernel 2.6.30 (2.6.28-11 on the livecd)

Kariddi · 2009-06-28 08:55:11

mitch00 wrote:

I'm using ath9k as well, and where I used to get 80-90%, since upgrading to 2.6.30 I'm now getting between 30-40%. Anyone know what the problem is?

It may be a labeling problem, but to be honest I don't know.

I had more problems with the wireless recently then in the past, that's why I thought that the signal actually lowered its power.

Last edited by Kariddi (2009-06-28 08:58:49)

zenlord · 2009-06-29 07:15:08

I don't think it is a labelling problem, because the connection is interrupted constantly and speed is lower then before.

The ath9k driver was usabel for me in kernels .28 and .29 (before I got the same symptoms, but then the driver just wasn't finished yet) - I don't know what is happening now. Downgrading seems like the only solution.

scio · 2009-06-29 11:08:24

Have you tried compat-wireless? (http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=16829)

zenlord · 2009-07-08 07:26:26

Just a bump for this: upgrading to 2.6.30.1 did not solve my problem.

After a reboot I did a -Syu and download speeds were a measily ~160KB/s.
During the fourth package I couldn't stand it anymore and CTRL+C'd out of there.
pacman -U to 2.6.29.4 and without rebooting I downloaded packages at ~1600KB/s. Speeds were 1/10th just 2 minutes ago...

Since I didn't have to reboot to get my old speeds back, this cannot be caused by the kernel itself, because it had not been loaded. Maybe the ath9k-module or a dependency for that module?

I'm using netcfg2, wpa_supplicant_beta to connect to a wpa2/psk-secured wlan.

Can anyone confirm that .30.1 does not solve your problem? Because then we should file a bugreport...

Zl.

/EDIT: found (maybe relevant) kernel bug reports:
http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13581
http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13630

Last edited by zenlord (2009-07-08 07:32:27)

Kariddi · 2009-07-08 13:59:52

.30.1 doesn't solve the problem for me either.

It exibithed a strange behavior also.

As I upgraded to .30.1 and rebooted the signal strength came back to .29 level and I thought "YAY!!! problem solved!" . This was confirmed by Wicd graphic and iwconfig.

As I opened firefox (a couple of minutes after having connected the wireless) the signal strength immediately dropped to the old .30 level or even lower. I tried to reboot , but this never repeated again (the signal was low from the beginning).

Compat-wireless doesn't compile as of now on my system. I tried to revert some git changes to make it compile, but then the new compiled ath9k module Ooops!es the kernel when loaded.

I reverted to .29.4 again and added kernel26 to IgnorePkg

As of now this is the only solution for me.

Also , what models of cards have you guys? I have an ath9k chip integrated in an Asus EEEPC 1000HE (this is to see if the problem is card specific).

scio · 2009-07-08 16:25:11

Same model here, I haven't tried the wireless outside of my house recently, so I can't comment on signal strength. I used to have dropped connection issues back in .28 (or whatever version had the first ath9k) I think, but those seem to have been gone since .28.1 or something like that.

zenlord · 2009-07-09 10:21:08

Mine is a D-Link PCMCIA-card with the AR5008-chipset.

kryo · 2009-07-10 14:21:20

Same problem here.

Wifi signal issues with kernel26-2.6.30 series.

Everything is rock stable with kernel26-2.6.29.

Acer Aspire 5335 with:
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002a] (rev 01)

Last edited by kryo (2009-07-10 14:25:55)

Wilco · 2009-07-27 20:47:18

I noticed this problem too when I upgraded my router to a linksys WAG160N.

Wilco · 2009-07-29 19:07:52

Downgrading my kernel does not work unfortunately.

Probably related: http://ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.org … ?t=1222805

mukul_s · 2009-08-23 07:49:27

Guys,

What's the current status of ath9k driver and the linux kernel? Is it solved in the newer rev of 2.6.30 or 2.6.31??

Adriano ML · 2009-08-28 03:29:19

nope... 2.6.31-rc7 sometimes is even worse!

i've been trying everything and the only way is to use kernel 2.6.29...

mukul_s · 2009-08-28 05:48:42

Adriano ML wrote:

nope... 2.6.31-rc7 sometimes is even worse!
i've been trying everything and the only way is to use kernel 2.6.29...

2.6.31-rc7 works fine under Ubuntu Karmic Koala. No connections drop and not much change in the signal strength too. Though it has dropped a little. Using ath9k driver with Atheros wireless chipset

Adriano ML · 2009-08-28 22:05:37

yes.. but, is it an AR9285? It could even be something specific for netbooks...

Wilco · 2009-08-29 20:39:47

In my case it's specific to the AR928X chipset in combination with a linksys WAG160N Wireless-N router. No kernel can give me a workable configuration

mukul_s · 2009-08-30 11:30:01

Wilco wrote:

In my case it's specific to the AR928X chipset in combination with a linksys WAG160N Wireless-N router. No kernel can give me a workable configuration

make sure you've:
ath9k driver
wireless_tools installed

Is your network detected in scan results??

shrewd.user · 2009-09-02 10:54:42

i'm getting an atheros AR5008 soon, to replace my intel 5350 (engineering sample, fails and eeprom check in newer drivers )

so the latest ath9k drivers are no good? or is it only with those single chip solution chips?

zenlord · 2009-09-02 11:12:58

I had a AR5008 in my previous laptop, but since I have bought another laptop, I haven't been using the old one anymore. If I find the time, I'll see if it 's better now than it was early july.

Zl.

isak · 2009-09-02 18:22:05

As of compat-wireless-2009-08-30 git I haven't experienced any connection drops with my AR9285.

mukul_s · 2009-09-02 19:24:22

shrewd.user wrote:

i'm getting an atheros AR5008 soon, to replace my intel 5350 (engineering sample, fails and eeprom check in newer drivers )
so the latest ath9k drivers are no good? or is it only with those single chip solution chips?

The latest ath9k driver is good for me. If you are not freak about signal strength then no issues. FYI mine is AR928x chipset that supports 802.11n
Also, may be by the time you get your card, the issue will be fixed in kernel.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-25 14:25:21

ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#2 2009-06-25 15:10:18

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#3 2009-06-27 04:09:39

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#4 2009-06-27 07:46:00

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#5 2009-06-27 10:12:27

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#6 2009-06-28 08:55:11

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#7 2009-06-29 07:15:08

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#8 2009-06-29 11:08:24

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#9 2009-07-08 07:26:26

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#10 2009-07-08 13:59:52

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#11 2009-07-08 16:25:11

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#12 2009-07-09 10:21:08

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#13 2009-07-10 14:21:20

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#14 2009-07-27 20:47:18

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#15 2009-07-29 19:07:52

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#16 2009-08-23 07:49:27

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#17 2009-08-28 03:29:19

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#18 2009-08-28 05:48:42

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#19 2009-08-28 22:05:37

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#20 2009-08-29 20:39:47

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#21 2009-08-30 11:30:01

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#22 2009-09-02 10:54:42

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#23 2009-09-02 11:12:58

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#24 2009-09-02 18:22:05

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

#25 2009-09-02 19:24:22

Re: ath9k wireless and kernel 2.6.30 = absymal signal strength

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