[PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[AceLan Kao]

There are many rtl8723be wifi unstable issues that wifi lost connection
after working for a while. The wifi signal and status it's show connected
also ifconfig have IP but can not connect to internet and filed to ping 8.8.8.8
The problem should result from the power saving controlled by firmware.
I'd suggest to disable it by default and re-enable it after firmware fixes
this issue.

BTW. the firmware I tested from linux-firmware git tree is
rtlwifi/rtl8723befw.bin
be225d6 Update firmware for rtl8723be

Signed-off-by: AceLan Kao <acelan.kao@canonical.com>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
index 1017f02..02fe2cc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ static struct rtl_mod_params rtl8723be_mod_params = {
 	.sw_crypto = false,
 	.inactiveps = true,
 	.swctrl_lps = false,
-	.fwctrl_lps = true,
+	.fwctrl_lps = false,
 };
 
 static struct rtl_hal_cfg rtl8723be_hal_cfg = {
-- 
2.1.4

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[Larry Finger]

On 08/06/2015 10:11 PM, AceLan Kao wrote:
> There are many rtl8723be wifi unstable issues that wifi lost connection
> after working for a while. The wifi signal and status it's show connected
> also ifconfig have IP but can not connect to internet and filed to ping 8.8.8.8
> The problem should result from the power saving controlled by firmware.
> I'd suggest to disable it by default and re-enable it after firmware fixes
> this issue.
>
> BTW. the firmware I tested from linux-firmware git tree is
> rtlwifi/rtl8723befw.bin
> be225d6 Update firmware for rtl8723be
>
> Signed-off-by: AceLan Kao <acelan.kao@canonical.com>

NACK for this patch. If you were to make this change, you should also change the 
text in the MODULE_PARM_DESC() for this parameter. It shows a hard-coded default.

I am not sure this is a firmware problem as some users report that they need to 
run with the "ips=0" option, not with "fwlps=0" as your patch would force. 
Conversely, the driver works fine as is with other AP/environment combinations.

The Realtek engineer has told me that he is aware of problems with the dynamic 
management for all the drivers, and that they are working on major replacements; 
however, there is no timetable for the new code.

If we make a change in the default power settings, I would prefer changing 
inactiveps and its MODULE_PARM_DESC() text; however, that would have a negative 
impact on power usage on the host.

I have BCc'd the Realtek engineer and I hope to get his comments on this change.

Larry

> ---
>   drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c | 2 +-
>   1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
> index 1017f02..02fe2cc 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
> @@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ static struct rtl_mod_params rtl8723be_mod_params = {
>   	.sw_crypto = false,
>   	.inactiveps = true,
>   	.swctrl_lps = false,
> -	.fwctrl_lps = true,
> +	.fwctrl_lps = false,
>   };
>
>   static struct rtl_hal_cfg rtl8723be_hal_cfg = {
>

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[AceLan Kao]

Hi Larry,

I tried using "ips=0" today and found it's not working.
I ping 8.8.8.8 and got below message within one hour.
   ping: sendmsg: No buffer space available

Best regards,
AceLan Kao.

2015-08-08 0:33 GMT+08:00 Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>:
> On 08/06/2015 10:11 PM, AceLan Kao wrote:
>>
>> There are many rtl8723be wifi unstable issues that wifi lost connection
>> after working for a while. The wifi signal and status it's show connected
>> also ifconfig have IP but can not connect to internet and filed to ping
>> 8.8.8.8
>> The problem should result from the power saving controlled by firmware.
>> I'd suggest to disable it by default and re-enable it after firmware fixes
>> this issue.
>>
>> BTW. the firmware I tested from linux-firmware git tree is
>> rtlwifi/rtl8723befw.bin
>> be225d6 Update firmware for rtl8723be
>>
>> Signed-off-by: AceLan Kao <acelan.kao@canonical.com>
>
>
> NACK for this patch. If you were to make this change, you should also change
> the text in the MODULE_PARM_DESC() for this parameter. It shows a hard-coded
> default.
>
> I am not sure this is a firmware problem as some users report that they need
> to run with the "ips=0" option, not with "fwlps=0" as your patch would
> force. Conversely, the driver works fine as is with other AP/environment
> combinations.
>
> The Realtek engineer has told me that he is aware of problems with the
> dynamic management for all the drivers, and that they are working on major
> replacements; however, there is no timetable for the new code.
>
> If we make a change in the default power settings, I would prefer changing
> inactiveps and its MODULE_PARM_DESC() text; however, that would have a
> negative impact on power usage on the host.
>
> I have BCc'd the Realtek engineer and I hope to get his comments on this
> change.
>
> Larry
>
>> ---
>>   drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c | 2 +-
>>   1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
>> b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
>> index 1017f02..02fe2cc 100644
>> --- a/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
>> +++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/sw.c
>> @@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ static struct rtl_mod_params rtl8723be_mod_params = {
>>         .sw_crypto = false,
>>         .inactiveps = true,
>>         .swctrl_lps = false,
>> -       .fwctrl_lps = true,
>> +       .fwctrl_lps = false,
>>   };
>>
>>   static struct rtl_hal_cfg rtl8723be_hal_cfg = {
>>
>

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[James Cameron]

On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 11:38:09AM +0800, AceLan Kao wrote:
> I tried using "ips=0" today and found it's not working.
> I ping 8.8.8.8 and got below message within one hour.
>    ping: sendmsg: No buffer space available

I use both ips=0 and fwlps=0 with Ubuntu kernel and with 4.1, and the
connection remains stable.

fwlps=0 alone was not enough.

ips=0 alone was not enough.

Hope that helps.

-- 
James Cameron
http://quozl.linux.org.au/

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[Kai Heng Feng]

Hi James,

Do you use Ubuntu Trusty (14.04)?
The rtl8723be firmware is not up-to-date in Trusty's linux-firmware.
You can grab the newer one from the upstream linux-firmware.

Thanks,
Kai-Heng Feng


On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 12:19 PM, James Cameron <quozl@laptop.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 11:38:09AM +0800, AceLan Kao wrote:
>> I tried using "ips=0" today and found it's not working.
>> I ping 8.8.8.8 and got below message within one hour.
>>    ping: sendmsg: No buffer space available
>
> I use both ips=0 and fwlps=0 with Ubuntu kernel and with 4.1, and the
> connection remains stable.
>
> fwlps=0 alone was not enough.
>
> ips=0 alone was not enough.
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> --
> James Cameron
> http://quozl.linux.org.au/
> --
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Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[James Cameron]

On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 06:47:05PM +0800, Kai Heng Feng wrote:
> Do you use Ubuntu Trusty (14.04)?

Yes, that's what I'm using.

> The rtl8723be firmware is not up-to-date in Trusty's linux-firmware.
> You can grab the newer one from the upstream linux-firmware.

Thanks, but both seem to work fine (apart from the issue in this
thread), and I don't have a list of what has changed.

-- 
James Cameron
http://quozl.linux.org.au/

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[Kai Heng Feng]

Hi James,

I think the newer firmware in conjunction with "fwlps=0"
should work fine in my (limited) testing.

Thanks,
Kai-Heng Feng


On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 8:01 PM, James Cameron <quozl@laptop.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 06:47:05PM +0800, Kai Heng Feng wrote:
>> Do you use Ubuntu Trusty (14.04)?
>
> Yes, that's what I'm using.
>
>> The rtl8723be firmware is not up-to-date in Trusty's linux-firmware.
>> You can grab the newer one from the upstream linux-firmware.
>
> Thanks, but both seem to work fine (apart from the issue in this
> thread), and I don't have a list of what has changed.
>
> --
> James Cameron
> http://quozl.linux.org.au/

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[AceLan Kao]

Hi all,

I have some new findings that doesn't need to modify the parameter.
I'm still testing the new driver and will submit the patch later.

Best regards,
AceLan Kao.

2015-08-11 9:45 GMT+08:00 Kai Heng Feng <kai.heng.feng@canonical.com>:
> Hi James,
>
> I think the newer firmware in conjunction with "fwlps=0"
> should work fine in my (limited) testing.
>
> Thanks,
> Kai-Heng Feng
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 8:01 PM, James Cameron <quozl@laptop.org> wrote:
>> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 06:47:05PM +0800, Kai Heng Feng wrote:
>>> Do you use Ubuntu Trusty (14.04)?
>>
>> Yes, that's what I'm using.
>>
>>> The rtl8723be firmware is not up-to-date in Trusty's linux-firmware.
>>> You can grab the newer one from the upstream linux-firmware.
>>
>> Thanks, but both seem to work fine (apart from the issue in this
>> thread), and I don't have a list of what has changed.
>>
>> --
>> James Cameron
>> http://quozl.linux.org.au/

Re: [PATCH] rtlwifi: rtl8723be: disable FW control power save

[AceLan Kao]

Sorry, no luck, this issue happens from time to time, and always
happens when playing youtube video within a day.
We need Realtek guys give us some hints, I can do some tests for it.


2015-08-11 21:17 GMT-04:00 AceLan Kao <acelan.kao@canonical.com>:
> Hi all,
>
> I have some new findings that doesn't need to modify the parameter.
> I'm still testing the new driver and will submit the patch later.
>
> Best regards,
> AceLan Kao.
>
> 2015-08-11 9:45 GMT+08:00 Kai Heng Feng <kai.heng.feng@canonical.com>:
>> Hi James,
>>
>> I think the newer firmware in conjunction with "fwlps=0"
>> should work fine in my (limited) testing.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Kai-Heng Feng
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 8:01 PM, James Cameron <quozl@laptop.org> wrote:
>>> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 06:47:05PM +0800, Kai Heng Feng wrote:
>>>> Do you use Ubuntu Trusty (14.04)?
>>>
>>> Yes, that's what I'm using.
>>>
>>>> The rtl8723be firmware is not up-to-date in Trusty's linux-firmware.
>>>> You can grab the newer one from the upstream linux-firmware.
>>>
>>> Thanks, but both seem to work fine (apart from the issue in this
>>> thread), and I don't have a list of what has changed.
>>>
>>> --
>>> James Cameron
>>> http://quozl.linux.org.au/