[ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP

[ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP

[Frode V. Fjeld]

Hi,

I have a new PC running ubuntu 9.10 and ath9k:

# lspci -nn | grep Atheros
04:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X
Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002a] (rev 01)

# modinfo ath9k
filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.31-17-generic/updates/cw/ath9k.ko
license:        Dual BSD/GPL
description:    Support for Atheros 802.11n wireless LAN cards.
author:         Atheros Communications
srcversion:     918698AEA3CBE61D0E996E6
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Esv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Dsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Bsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000029sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000027sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000024sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000023sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        mac80211,led-class,ath,cfg80211
vermagic:       2.6.31-17-generic SMP mod_unload modversions 
parm:           debug:uint
parm:           nohwcrypt:Disable hardware encryption (int)


It's performing quite badly, giving ping-times in the area of 100ms
(when pinging from host x, but around 1ms when pinging to host x), and
frequent delays/pauses in TCP connections.

I tried to run the module with debug=1, and there was something that
looks suspicious to me:

Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.020973] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.026534] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK SLEEP
Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.123358] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE


etc etc.. in other words, it seems to oscillate like this at a steady
rate of about 10-20Hz. Is it supposed to be like this, or does it
indicate a problem?

Also, once in a while (every couple of minutes or so), there are bursts
of these:

Jan 16 01:18:09 tv kernel: [ 4252.157169] ath9k: ah->misc_mode 0x4


I'd appreciate any advice on this.

Thanks,
-- 
Frode V. Fjeld

[ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP

[Satanand Burla]

>-----Original Message-----
From: ath9k-devel-bounces@lists.ath9k.org [mailto:ath9k-devel-
>bounces at lists.ath9k.org] On Behalf Of Frode V. Fjeld
>Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 4:37 PM
>To: ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org
>Subject: [ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP
>
>Hi,
>
>I have a new PC running ubuntu 9.10 and ath9k:
>
># lspci -nn | grep Atheros
>04:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X
>Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002a] (rev 01)
>
># modinfo ath9k
>filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.31-17-generic/updates/cw/ath9k.ko
>license:        Dual BSD/GPL
>description:    Support for Atheros 802.11n wireless LAN cards.
>author:         Atheros Communications
>srcversion:     918698AEA3CBE61D0E996E6
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Esv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Dsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Bsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000002Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000029sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000027sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000024sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000023sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>depends:        mac80211,led-class,ath,cfg80211
>vermagic:       2.6.31-17-generic SMP mod_unload modversions
>parm:           debug:uint
>parm:           nohwcrypt:Disable hardware encryption (int)
>
>
>It's performing quite badly, giving ping-times in the area of 100ms
>(when pinging from host x, but around 1ms when pinging to host x), and
>frequent delays/pauses in TCP connections.
>
>I tried to run the module with debug=1, and there was something that
>looks suspicious to me:
>
>Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.020973] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
>Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.026534] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK SLEEP
>Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.123358] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
>
>
>etc etc.. in other words, it seems to oscillate like this at a steady
>rate of about 10-20Hz. Is it supposed to be like this, or does it
>indicate a problem?
It is probably related to powersave, mac80211 has dynamic power save timer, which goes off every 100ms or so unless you have traffic.
And it puts the card to sleep. But the card has to wake up every beacon interval and dtim interval to look for any traffic
when in pspoll mode. Hence you might be seeing the oscillation. It is not a problem. 
You can turn power save off if you don't want this.

>Also, once in a while (every couple of minutes or so), there are bursts
>of these:
>
>Jan 16 01:18:09 tv kernel: [ 4252.157169] ath9k: ah->misc_mode 0x4
>
>
>I'd appreciate any advice on this.
>
>Thanks,
>--
>Frode V. Fjeld
>
>_______________________________________________
>ath9k-devel mailing list
>ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org
>https://lists.ath9k.org/mailman/listinfo/ath9k-devel

[ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP

[Sujith]

Frode V. Fjeld wrote:
> I tried to run the module with debug=1, and there was something that
> looks suspicious to me:
> 
> Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.020973] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
> Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.026534] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK SLEEP
> Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.123358] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE

Disable power managament.
'iwconfig wlan0 power off'

Sujith

[ath9k-devel] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK_SLEEP

[Luis R. Rodriguez]

On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 07:39:29PM -0800, Sujith Manoharan wrote:
> Frode V. Fjeld wrote:
> > I tried to run the module with debug=1, and there was something that
> > looks suspicious to me:
> >
> > Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.020973] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
> > Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.026534] ath9k: AWAKE -> NETWORK SLEEP
> > Jan 16 01:21:09 tv kernel: [ 4432.123358] ath9k: NETWORK SLEEP -> AWAKE
> 
> Disable power managament.
> 'iwconfig wlan0 power off'

And upgrade your driver to at least the latest stable release:

http://www.orbit-lab.org/kernel/compat-wireless-2.6-stable/v2.6.32/compat-wireless-2.6.32.3.tar.bz2

I should note that although Ubuntu 9.10 will continue on
using 2.6.31 the 2.6.31 kernel has now reached its last kernel
release so if you want to get newer updates you will need
to upgrade.

Fortunately Ubuntu also has mainline kernel builds now which you
can use to upgrade to newer kernels:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/

These won't be supported by your distribution, but the next Ubuntu
release (Lucid) should be using and supporting 2.6.32 on it.

  Luis