[ath9k-devel] Can't associate with a particular AP

[Julien Valroff <julien@kirya.net>]

[ please CC me when replying, I am not subscribed to the list ]

Hi,

I have recently purchased a new laptop (Asus X93S) with an Atheros AR9285
wireless chip which obviously uses the ath9k module.

When connecting to the AP of my router, everything works as expected
provided no other PC has already been connected to the AP. If that is not
the case, I have to reboot the router and make sure my new laptop is the
first to connect.

Here is the log of such a failing connection:
    Oct  1 08:55:41 ares kernel: [ 8774.854934] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready
    Oct  1 08:55:41 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated
    Oct  1 08:55:48 ares kernel: [ 8781.880987] wlan0: deauthenticated from ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (Reason: 15)
    Oct  1 08:55:49 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ce:67:c3:86:34:80 reason=15
    Oct  1 08:55:49 ares kernel: [ 8781.931122] cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
    Oct  1 08:55:49 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> disconnected
    Oct  1 08:55:49 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Trying to authenticate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (SSID='Kirya' freq=2422 MHz)
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares kernel: [ 8783.091580] wlan0: authenticate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (try 1)
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Trying to associate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (SSID='Kirya' freq=2422 MHz)
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares kernel: [ 8783.093674] wlan0: authenticated
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares kernel: [ 8783.114042] wlan0: associate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (try 1)
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares kernel: [ 8783.123261] wlan0: RX ReassocResp from ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=2)
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares kernel: [ 8783.123265] wlan0: associated
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Associated with ce:67:c3:86:34:80
    Oct  1 08:55:50 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated
    Oct  1 08:55:52 ares kernel: [ 8785.016027] wlan0: no IPv6 routers present
    Oct  1 08:55:56 ares kernel: [ 8789.887920] wlan0: deauthenticated from ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (Reason: 15)
    Oct  1 08:55:56 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ce:67:c3:86:34:80 reason=15
    Oct  1 08:55:56 ares kernel: [ 8789.903098] cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
    Oct  1 08:55:56 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> disconnected
    Oct  1 08:55:57 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Trying to authenticate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (SSID='Kirya' freq=2422 MHz)
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> authenticating
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares kernel: [ 8791.063535] wlan0: authenticate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (try 1)
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Trying to associate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (SSID='Kirya' freq=2422 MHz)
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares kernel: [ 8791.070815] wlan0: authenticated
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: authenticating -> associating
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares kernel: [ 8791.091384] wlan0: associate with ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (try 1)
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares kernel: [ 8791.100579] wlan0: RX ReassocResp from ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=2)
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares kernel: [ 8791.100583] wlan0: associated
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: Associated with ce:67:c3:86:34:80
    Oct  1 08:55:58 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated
    Oct  1 08:56:04 ares kernel: [ 8797.894857] wlan0: deauthenticated from ce:67:c3:86:34:80 (Reason: 15)
    Oct  1 08:56:05 ares wpa_supplicant[1859]: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=ce:67:c3:86:34:80 reason=15
    Oct  1 08:56:05 ares kernel: [ 8797.933108] cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
    Oct  1 08:56:05 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> disconnected
    Oct  1 08:56:05 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> scanning
    Oct  1 08:56:06 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long.
    Oct  1 08:56:06 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'none') [50 60 0]
    Oct  1 08:56:06 ares NetworkManager[1830]: <warn> Activation (wlan0/wireless): asking for new secrets

lspci output:
    03:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
        Subsystem: AzureWave Device 1089
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
        Memory at f7900000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [60] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-15-17-ff-ff-24-14-12
        Capabilities: [170] Power Budgeting <?>
        Kernel driver in use: ath9k

iwconfig:
    wlan0     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"Kirya"
              Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.422 GHz  Access Point: C6:6E:27:A6:BE:A4
              Bit Rate=65 Mb/s   Tx-Power=14 dBm
              Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
              Encryption key:off
              Power Management:off
              Link Quality=70/70  Signal level=-29 dBm
              Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
              Tx excessive retries:2  Invalid misc:90   Missed beacon:0

All my laptops run Debian unstable, currently with kernel 3.1~rc7 (from
Debian).

I have already tested changing the security scheme from WPA (AES) to WPA
(AES/TKIP), WPA (TKIP), WEP and even without security, but the problem is
the same.

I own other laptops using the brcmsmac and b43 modules which do not have any
problem with this router. On the other hand, I have successfully tested the
laptop chip with other routers with success.

I normally use NetworkManager as a wireless client, but have also tested
wicd and manual configuration (through Debian ifupdown and wpa_supplicant),
but still encounter the same problem.

I do not have much control on the router as it is the one supplied by my
internet provider, hence I cannot access to the logs.

I suspect it might be a problem of the ath9k module and/or in the router
itself, but I do not know how to confirm any of these speculations.

I have already noticed similar issues [0] in the archive of the list, which
lets me think I am in the right direction, but what extra information would
you need to help you understand the issue?

Cheers,
Julien

[0] https://lists.ath9k.org/pipermail/ath9k-devel/2011-October/007055.html

-- 
  .''`.   Julien Valroff ~ <julien@kirya.net> ~ <julien@debian.org>    
 : :'  :  Debian Developer & Free software contributor
 `. `'`   http://www.kirya.net/
   `-     4096R/ E1D8 5796 8214 4687 E416  948C 859F EF67 258E 26B1
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