Wifi Networking Dies on Restart

thund3rstruck · 01-15-2012, 11:52 AM

Installed latest Lucid Puppy Linux (full install). Working great and I love it, that is until I reboot the machine and then suddenly wireless is broken. I have tried this now 4 or 5 times on three different PCs and all returned the same results. Everything works great from the LiveCD and it works great after installing and booting for the first time.

However, after that, wifi dies hard and won't come back.

Sometimes you can run

Code:

# rmmod b43
# modprobe b43

And wireless comes back but other times that it does nothing. I really have no idea why wireless would work and then not work randomly? I would think that it would work or it wouldn't work but not intermittently work at random.

Here is the contents of /tmp/sns_wireless.log when wireless goes out:

Code:

Information about this interface:
 Interface: wlan0  Driver: b43  Bus: pcmcia  MacAddress: 00:16:CE:37:9D:E6
 Description: Broadcom B43 wireless driver 
 
STEP1a: ifconfig wlan0 up
ifconfig: SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
 
*********************************************************
LAST 10 LINES of /var/log/messages:
Jan 15 12:38:01 puppypc user.info kernel: usbhid: USB HID core driver
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.info kernel: b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/ucode5.fw
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.info kernel: b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/pcm5.fw
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.info kernel: b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0initvals5.fw
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.info kernel: b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: firmware ssb0:0: firmware_loading_store: unexpected value (0)
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.info kernel: b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43-open/ucode5.fw
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website.

Looks like the broadcom driver is loaded to me:

Code:

puppypc-4.1# lsmod | grep -i b43
b43                   133615  0 
mac80211               99898  1 b43
cfg80211               90319  2 b43,mac80211
led_class               1733  1 b43
ssb                    29373  2 b43,ohci_hcd

Any help would be appreciated. I really like Puppy but this is wireless issue is just ridiculous.

camorri · 01-16-2012, 06:28 AM

Have you followed the error information you posted from the wireless log?

Quote:

Firmware file "b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/...devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website.

Run the command 'lspci' as root, and look for the info on your wireless card. You need the rev number to follow the instructions at http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43

Hope this helps.

thund3rstruck · 01-16-2012, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camorri

Have you followed the error information you posted from the wireless log?

Run the command 'lspci' as root, and look for the info on your wireless card. You need the rev number to follow the instructions at http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43

Hope this helps.

Yes, the files all exist and wireless works fine every 10th boot or so on its own. It also works if I run:

Code:

# rmmod b43
# modprobe b43

After every reboot. The wireless definitely works, it doesn't work until root manually intervenes and unloads and reloads the driver.

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to allow the OS to properly load the wireless driver without having to load it manually all the time. Maybe if its loaded earlier in the boot sequence or I use a different driver or something. I don't know, that's why I'm asking.

culaterout · 01-16-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

camorri Have you followed the error information you posted from the wireless log?

Quote:
Firmware file "b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode5.fw" not found
Jan 15 12:38:27 puppypc user.err kernel: b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/...devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website.
Run the command 'lspci' as root, and look for the info on your wireless card. You need the rev number to follow the instructions at http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43

Hope this helps.

Look Camorri gave you wealth of information and when trying to fix a wifi card this becomes a scientific nightmare.

With common sense we can elimanate the problems.

General rules for linux support of hardware on wifi cards.

1. New Wifi cards take usually till the next release update. (Without a internet link with land line unable to update drivers.)

2. Revesions is were the problems exsist with software and chipset updates. (the link that camorri provided stated in the chart below not all chipsets are supported.)

Conclusion:

There are only 1 or 2 ideas here that can fix problem

1. connect to a landline and download kernel update this usually contians latest wifi card revesions.

2. Which far goes beyond but simply put would waste lots of time is to download a fresh copy of Licud Puppy Linux and install it.

Personnel experience have in the past owned a broadcom wifi card and only Debian based distros seemed to support it within first several weeks with a driver update. With other distros had to wait till there next release for update. Not all distro's have the support of the larger distro's to update as often as Ubuntu, Fedora or Suse.

Last, but not least I would post to puppy linux board that your having trouble with wifi card revesion included and chipset.

Note last time I had a broadcom card it was in a laptop and support I was concerned , but Ubuntu seemed to have an update for the chipset.

Well, Good luck

thund3rstruck · 01-16-2012, 08:26 PM

I really don't want to sound ungrateful because I do sincerely appreciate quality comments and feedback so I'll just re-iterate again that the wireless card works fine. I'm using it right now, in fact.

The trouble is that it ONLY works if I manually unload the kernel module and then reload it after I log into the machine.

*for the 3rd time

Code:

# rmmod b43
# modprobe b43

Obviously, I've already placed the rmmod b43 && modprobe b43 commands into ~/.bash_profile but I'd prefer to not have to do this.

rokytnji · 01-16-2012, 08:51 PM

Make a simple bash script text file like

Code:

#!/bin/bash
rmmod b43
modprobe b43

Make it executable and put it in ~/Startup. Reboot and see if it works. I am in Racy 5.2.2 right now and my chip and gear are different than yours. So I don't experience the same problems. This might help also http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html

Code:

sh-3.00# inxi -F
System:    Host: puppypc2751 Kernel: 3.0.7 i686 (32 bit) 
           Desktop: JWM sn-505 Distro: Racy Puppy Linux
Linux 3.0.7 [i686 arch]
Machine:   System: Acer (portable) product: Aspire 5534 version: V1.10 serial: LXPJV0200293721BAE1601 
           Mobo: Acer model: Aspire 5534 version: V1.10 serial: LXPJV0200293721BAE1601
           Bios: Acer version: V1.10 date: 08/26/2009
CPU:       Dual core (AMD Athlon X2 L310,1197.030,512 KB,fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy 3dnowprefetch lbrv,2395.81,amd) (-MCP-) cache: unknown  flags: (-) 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1197.030 MHz 2: 1197.030 MHz
Graphics:  Card: ATI RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] 
           X.org: 1.11.0 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: vesa) tty size: 79x23 Advanced Data: N/A for root 
Audio:     Card: ATI SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) driver: HDA Intel Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.24
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filtered>
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller driver: r8169 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filtered>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: (254.1GB,1.0% used) () 1: /dev/sda TOSHIBA_MK2555GS 250.1GB 
           2: /dev/sdb SanDisk_Cruzer 4.1GB 
Partition: 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 63.0C mobo: 0.0C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 85 Uptime: 4:17 Memory: 375.3/3796.1MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.28

Good luck.

Edit: Just further instruction. In ~/Startup folder in Rox File Manager. Just right click on empty space and from menu pick New>Script to make the text file. Like I said. Make sure it is executable in permissions or properties also.

thund3rstruck · 01-17-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Make a simple bash script text file like

Code:

#!/bin/bash
rmmod b43
modprobe b43

Make it executable and put it in ~/Startup. Reboot and see if it works.

*facepalm*

Per my earlier post, yea I did that already before posting my question:

Quote:

Obviously, I've already placed the rmmod b43 && modprobe b43 commands into ~/.bash_profile but I'd prefer to not have to do this.

NOTE: That should have said ~/Startup and not ~/.bash_profile.

And yea, per my earlier post that gets the driver loaded. Of course that wasn't my question; my question was how to configure the Operating system to function correctly so that I don't have to do that manually (or through a hack script).

Thanks anyways...

Karl Godt · 01-18-2012, 01:50 PM

I have no b43 but in the puppy forum there had been reports of wrong firmware things in regards of b43 in newer Puppies with newer kernels .

Some seems to have solved this by coping /lib/firmware directory from older puppies into /lib of the current puppy .

It is actually a kernel source or kernel configure thingy .

firmware gets loaded only once by /sbin/pup_event_backend_modprobe script .

Check that script !