ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Ignacy Gawedzki]

Hi everyone,

This is an old issue, about which it seems the first posts date back to 2009.
With the latest possible version of the firmware for AR9271 and the latest
possible wireless drivers, the issue is still there.  Whether this is still
the exact same problem every time remains to be checked, but it is annoying
enough to deserve some consideration.

The problem is that the driver can't talk to the device if the following
conditions are met:

 - The system cold boots with the USB dongle inserted or the USB dongle is
   inserted on a running system.

 - The interface is *not* brought up.

 - The system (warm) reboots.

Then the driver complains about the target being unresponsive after uploading
the firmware.  Apparently the only way to make it work again is to unplug and
then plug the USB dongle back, physically.  It seems that if the USB port is
not powered down during reboot (which happens with at least two different
setups that I've tested it with), the device is left in a broken state.

I would gladly help in tracing down this bug if only I knew where to start.

Thanks for any suggestion.

Ignacy

-- 
A person is shit's way of making more shit.
		-- S. Barnett, anthropologist.

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Luis R. Rodriguez]

Cc'ing linux-wireless and ath9k_htc_fw list. The firmware is open
so any issues can now be debugged in collaboration with the community.

You may try the newer backports:

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/backports/stable/v3.12/backports-3.12-1.tar.bz2

And as for the firmware it seems to be the latest but I'll let
others who are maintaining that now chime in.

  Luis

On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 02:17:43AM -0800, Proffit, Jerome wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Could anybody help with the question below?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -Jerome
> 
> -------------------------------------------
> 
> We are trying to bring up the VIA TECH WLAN USB dongle (AR9271 based
> chip) on our platform.  We have downloaded the back port
> drivers from:
> https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/backports/stable/v3.10/backports-3.10-1.tar.bz2
> and cross compiled to our target (Tensilica -233).  The Firmware
> (htc_9271.fw) is downloaded from:
> http://wireless.kernel.org/download/htc_fw/1.3/htc_9271.fw and copied
> the same into /lib/firmware/ on the target.  Loaded all generated
> modules (.ko) and connect the WiFi over USB dongle into the USB
> connector. But the device is not getting initialized. Please find the
> log as below. Please help in this regard.
> 
> 
> Log:
> usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using dwc_otg and address 2
> usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
> usb 1-1: ath9k_htc: Firmware htc_9271.fw requested
> usb 1-1: firmware: requesting htc_9271.fw
> usb 1-1: ath9k_htc: Transferred FW: htc_9271.fw, size: 51000
> ath9k_htc 1-1:1.0: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive
> ath9k_htc: Failed to initialize the device
> 
> 
> Product:VIA USB2.0 WLAN
> Manufacturer:VIA TECH
> 
> Vendor id: 0x040d 
> Product id: 0x3801
> ----------------------------------------
> 
> 

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Oleksij Rempel]

I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
If your kernel still use bulk, it may be the cause of this issue.

Am 15.11.2013 14:47, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
> Cc'ing linux-wireless and ath9k_htc_fw list. The firmware is open
> so any issues can now be debugged in collaboration with the community.
> 
> You may try the newer backports:
> 
> http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/backports/stable/v3.12/backports-3.12-1.tar.bz2
> 
> And as for the firmware it seems to be the latest but I'll let
> others who are maintaining that now chime in.
> 
>   Luis
> 
> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 02:17:43AM -0800, Proffit, Jerome wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Could anybody help with the question below?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> -Jerome
>>
>> -------------------------------------------
>>
>> We are trying to bring up the VIA TECH WLAN USB dongle (AR9271 based
>> chip) on our platform.  We have downloaded the back port
>> drivers from:
>> https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/backports/stable/v3.10/backports-3.10-1.tar.bz2
>> and cross compiled to our target (Tensilica -233).  The Firmware
>> (htc_9271.fw) is downloaded from:
>> http://wireless.kernel.org/download/htc_fw/1.3/htc_9271.fw and copied
>> the same into /lib/firmware/ on the target.  Loaded all generated
>> modules (.ko) and connect the WiFi over USB dongle into the USB
>> connector. But the device is not getting initialized. Please find the
>> log as below. Please help in this regard.
>>
>>
>> Log:
>> usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using dwc_otg and address 2
>> usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
>> usb 1-1: ath9k_htc: Firmware htc_9271.fw requested
>> usb 1-1: firmware: requesting htc_9271.fw
>> usb 1-1: ath9k_htc: Transferred FW: htc_9271.fw, size: 51000
>> ath9k_htc 1-1:1.0: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive
>> ath9k_htc: Failed to initialize the device
>>
>>
>> Product:VIA USB2.0 WLAN
>> Manufacturer:VIA TECH
>>
>> Vendor id: 0x040d 
>> Product id: 0x3801
>> ----------------------------------------
>>
>>
> --
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> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> 


-- 
Regards,
Oleksij

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Luis R. Rodriguez]

On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.

Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
merged into Linux by doing:

git describe --contains gitsum

where the gitsum is the gitsum of the patch.

  Luis

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Oleksij Rempel]

Am 15.11.2013 15:29, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
> 
> Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
> the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
> linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
> merged into Linux by doing:
> 
> git describe --contains gitsum

i mean:

commit 2f5e3ecfc155449987d64028ff6b73f29cd1ef8b
Author: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
Date:   Tue Aug 13 09:29:34 2013 +0200

    ath9k_htc: do not use bulk on EP3 and EP4

If it is already included, then try to revert.

-- 
Regards,
Oleksij

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Luis R. Rodriguez]

On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
> Am 15.11.2013 15:29, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
>>
>> Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
>> the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
>> linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
>> merged into Linux by doing:
>>
>> git describe --contains gitsum
>
> i mean:
>
> commit 2f5e3ecfc155449987d64028ff6b73f29cd1ef8b
> Author: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
> Date:   Tue Aug 13 09:29:34 2013 +0200
>
>     ath9k_htc: do not use bulk on EP3 and EP4

OK that is upstream commit ID 2b721118b7

mcgrof@frijol ~/linux-stable (git::master)$ git describe --contains
2b721118b7821107757eb1d37af4b60e877b27e7
v3.12-rc1~132^2~84^2^2~88

This means that patch got merged into v3.12-rc1 which means the
backports release based on v3.12 will have it.

> If it is already included, then try to revert.

What do you mean? Are you saying to try to revert that patch in case
v3.12 backports release causes issues with the card? It seems the user
of this card had issues with the v3.10 release of backports which
would not have this patch merged.

  Luis

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Oleksij Rempel]

Am 15.11.2013 16:33, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>> Am 15.11.2013 15:29, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>>> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
>>>
>>> Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
>>> the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
>>> linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
>>> merged into Linux by doing:
>>>
>>> git describe --contains gitsum
>>
>> i mean:
>>
>> commit 2f5e3ecfc155449987d64028ff6b73f29cd1ef8b
>> Author: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
>> Date:   Tue Aug 13 09:29:34 2013 +0200
>>
>>     ath9k_htc: do not use bulk on EP3 and EP4
> 
> OK that is upstream commit ID 2b721118b7
> 
> mcgrof@frijol ~/linux-stable (git::master)$ git describe --contains
> 2b721118b7821107757eb1d37af4b60e877b27e7
> v3.12-rc1~132^2~84^2^2~88
> 
> This means that patch got merged into v3.12-rc1 which means the
> backports release based on v3.12 will have it.
> 
>> If it is already included, then try to revert.
> 
> What do you mean? Are you saying to try to revert that patch in case
> v3.12 backports release causes issues with the card?

yes

> It seems the user
> of this card had issues with the v3.10 release of backports which
> would not have this patch merged.

Ok. Thank you.

-- 
Regards,
Oleksij

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Luis R. Rodriguez]

On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 5:04 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
> Am 15.11.2013 16:33, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>> Am 15.11.2013 15:29, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>>>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>>>> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
>>>>
>>>> Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
>>>> the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
>>>> linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
>>>> merged into Linux by doing:
>>>>
>>>> git describe --contains gitsum
>>>
>>> i mean:
>>>
>>> commit 2f5e3ecfc155449987d64028ff6b73f29cd1ef8b
>>> Author: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
>>> Date:   Tue Aug 13 09:29:34 2013 +0200
>>>
>>>     ath9k_htc: do not use bulk on EP3 and EP4
>>
>> OK that is upstream commit ID 2b721118b7
>>
>> mcgrof@frijol ~/linux-stable (git::master)$ git describe --contains
>> 2b721118b7821107757eb1d37af4b60e877b27e7
>> v3.12-rc1~132^2~84^2^2~88
>>
>> This means that patch got merged into v3.12-rc1 which means the
>> backports release based on v3.12 will have it.
>>
>>> If it is already included, then try to revert.
>>
>> What do you mean? Are you saying to try to revert that patch in case
>> v3.12 backports release causes issues with the card?
>
> yes
>
>> It seems the user
>> of this card had issues with the v3.10 release of backports which
>> would not have this patch merged.
>
> Ok. Thank you.

So to be clear -- you would recommend testing the new v3.12 release
that *has* the patch then?

  Luis

Re: ath9k_htc: Target is unresponsive

[Oleksij Rempel]

Am 15.11.2013 17:07, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 5:04 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>> Am 15.11.2013 16:33, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>>> Am 15.11.2013 15:29, schrieb Luis R. Rodriguez:
>>>>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM, Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> wrote:
>>>>>> I do not know which backport include patch for usb interrupt transfer.
>>>>>
>>>>> Which patch are you referring to? The backports project releases match
>>>>> the Linux kernel releases, so the backports-3.12 release is based on
>>>>> linux v3.12, we can check what kernel the patch you are describing got
>>>>> merged into Linux by doing:
>>>>>
>>>>> git describe --contains gitsum
>>>>
>>>> i mean:
>>>>
>>>> commit 2f5e3ecfc155449987d64028ff6b73f29cd1ef8b
>>>> Author: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
>>>> Date:   Tue Aug 13 09:29:34 2013 +0200
>>>>
>>>>     ath9k_htc: do not use bulk on EP3 and EP4
>>>
>>> OK that is upstream commit ID 2b721118b7
>>>
>>> mcgrof@frijol ~/linux-stable (git::master)$ git describe --contains
>>> 2b721118b7821107757eb1d37af4b60e877b27e7
>>> v3.12-rc1~132^2~84^2^2~88
>>>
>>> This means that patch got merged into v3.12-rc1 which means the
>>> backports release based on v3.12 will have it.
>>>
>>>> If it is already included, then try to revert.
>>>
>>> What do you mean? Are you saying to try to revert that patch in case
>>> v3.12 backports release causes issues with the card?
>>
>> yes
>>
>>> It seems the user
>>> of this card had issues with the v3.10 release of backports which
>>> would not have this patch merged.
>>
>> Ok. Thank you.
> 
> So to be clear -- you would recommend testing the new v3.12 release
> that *has* the patch then?

Yes. Before this patch ath9k_htc was overwriting usb descriptor from
driver. The problem with it - USB subsystem do not have this option, so
not all usb host controller drivers will use updated information.
In case driver indeed use Bulk instead of Int, it can still cause other
problems. For example not all controller can work with 64 byte bulk frames.

This behaviour was added back in 2010 and should be workaround for speed
problem on EP4, which is intensively used by REG_READ/WRITE.

Right now there are two options:
- use Bulk, but fail on some controllers
- use Int but be damn slow on other controllers.

After i tested ath9k-htc on different usb HC, i will not wonder that
there can be other problems too. Here is some info about known usb issues:
https://github.com/qca/open-ath9k-htc-firmware/wiki/usb-related-issues

-- 
Regards,
Oleksij