5GHz not working

[stasheck]

You're going to laugh on what I did: the short story is that I wanted to upgrade from non-Wifi B3 to a Wifi B3, while simultaneously upgrading the drive.

Since I've made a number of changes, I did it using rsync on /. Worked, for the most part, and I managed (after few wonderful hours) to bring back LAN connectivity

Anyway, it works now; the only problem left is that I'm unable to run wifi in 5GHz (which was kind of a point for the whole exercise).

I've got 2.4 GHz setup working fine, but as soon as I change 'hw_mode=g' to '=a' and run '/etc/init.d/hostapd restart':

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#
/etc/init.d/hostapd restart
Stopping advanced IEEE 802.11 management: hostapd.
Starting advanced IEEE 802.11 management: hostapdrmdir[ctrl_interface]: No such file or directory
 failed!

I googled that it means the hardware doesn't support 5 GHz, which is obviously wrong here.

Can someone offer an advice? Also, sharing /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf with 5GHz would be appreciated.

(and yes, the theory is that I rsynced one thing too many, but as of now I can't figure what was it).

[stasheck]

Ok, can anyone share his/her hostapd.conf for 5GHz setup?

[Gordon]

Did you change the channel as well?

You can get a list of supported channels using

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iwlist wlan0 chan

Bubba admin changes the channel to 36 when selecting 5GHz operation, so I guess that one must be working. iwlist does show channels 12 and 13 supported on 2.4GHz as well though and from experience I can tell that these don't work in AP mode. This appears to be caused by the eeprom being stamped with a regulatory domain code (it says 0x60 on my B3) and if you want to work around this you'll have to compile the driver yourself.

[stasheck]

Gordon, thanks for chiming in.

I'm now doing crash course on hostapd. The command is actually 'iw', and the important part from 'iw phy0 info' is:

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        Band 2:
                Capabilities: 0x11ce
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        TX STBC
                        RX STBC 1-stream
                        Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
                        DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
                Frequencies:
                        * 5180 MHz [36] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5200 MHz [40] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5220 MHz [44] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5240 MHz [48] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5260 MHz [52] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5280 MHz [56] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5300 MHz [60] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5320 MHz [64] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5500 MHz [100] (17.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5520 MHz [104] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5540 MHz [108] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5560 MHz [112] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5580 MHz [116] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5600 MHz [120] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5620 MHz [124] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5640 MHz [128] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5660 MHz [132] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5680 MHz [136] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5700 MHz [140] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
                        * 5745 MHz [149] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5765 MHz [153] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5785 MHz [157] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5805 MHz [161] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
                        * 5825 MHz [165] (16.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)

This means that the device _cannot_ be set as AP on 5 GHz band. Which is, you know, kinda surprising :/

Can you try if you can setup your B3 in 5GHz mode?

Also, web interface in my case attempts to set 5 GHz as '0' (although I tried 36, 56 and 100 manually).

[Gordon]

Wouldn't help. Because even if I could get it started I could never check whether it works because I don't have any other devices supporting 5GHz band. And beside I'm currently a bit preoccupied moving on to a different OS on my B3 (Gentoo).

According to a link I found on the internet though this is definitely a regulatory domain issue and you will not get this running with an unpatched driver/kernel to ignore what's in the eeprom. Since the option to run an AP on 5GHz is offered by the Bubba OS, it would seem that Excito got themselves a bad batch of Wifi modules being stamped with the wrong code.

Link

[stasheck]

Gordon, helpful as always

I tried doing this the way described in 3rd post and it didn't work (some assembly instructions missing in ARM), but after you linked the same content I used compat-wireless method - and this works fine.

For future reference:

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# wget http://www.orbit-lab.org/kernel/compat-wireless-3-stable/v3.6/compat-wireless-3.6.6-1.tar.bz2
# tar xvf compat-wireless-3.6.6-1.tar.bz2
# cd compat-wireless-3.6.6-1/drivers/net/wireless/ath/
# wget --no-check-certificate https://dev.openwrt.org/export/32952/trunk/package/mac80211/patches/403-ath_regd_optional.patch
# patch -Np5 -i 403-ath_regd_optional.patch
# echo "#define ATH_USER_REGD 1" | cat - regd.c > /tmp/out && mv /tmp/out regd.c
# cd -
# cd compat-wireless-3.6.6-1
# make
# sudo make install

Only note is that I used compat-wireless 3.6.8-1, so just check what's available at http://www.orbit-lab.org/kernel/compat- ... -3-stable/

[kenned]

Sorry if I'm being Captain Obvious here, but have you checked if it works as a wifi client in 5GHz mode?

[stasheck]

Actually no, as I don't have any other AP working on 5GHz band. Regardless, it works now as 5GHz AP, so I see no reason for it not to work as client.

[stasheck]

So, I'm now giving Arch Linux a try and have the same issue. Need to recompile drivers again :/

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# iw phy0 info
Wiphy phy0
        max # scan SSIDs: 4
        max scan IEs length: 2257 bytes
        Retry short limit: 7
        Retry long limit: 4
        Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
        Device supports RSN-IBSS.
        Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
        Device supports T-DLS.
        Supported Ciphers:
                * WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
                * WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
                * TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
                * CCMP (00-0f-ac:4)
                * 00-0f-ac:10
                * GCMP (00-0f-ac:8)
                * 00-0f-ac:9
                * CMAC (00-0f-ac:6)
                * 00-0f-ac:13
                * 00-0f-ac:11
                * 00-0f-ac:12
        Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
        Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
        Supported interface modes:
                 * IBSS
                 * managed
                 * AP
                 * AP/VLAN
                 * WDS
                 * monitor
                 * P2P-client
                 * P2P-GO
        Band 1:
                Capabilities: 0x11ce
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        TX STBC
                        RX STBC 1-stream
                        Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
                        DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
                Bitrates (non-HT):
                        * 1.0 Mbps
                        * 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
                        * 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
                        * 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
                        * 6.0 Mbps
                        * 9.0 Mbps
                        * 12.0 Mbps
                        * 18.0 Mbps
                        * 24.0 Mbps
                        * 36.0 Mbps
                        * 48.0 Mbps
                        * 54.0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
        Band 2:
                Capabilities: 0x11ce
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        TX STBC
                        RX STBC 1-stream
                        Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
                        DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
                Bitrates (non-HT):
                        * 6.0 Mbps
                        * 9.0 Mbps
                        * 12.0 Mbps
                        * 18.0 Mbps
                        * 24.0 Mbps
                        * 36.0 Mbps
                        * 48.0 Mbps
                        * 54.0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
                        * 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5280 MHz [56] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5300 MHz [60] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5320 MHz [64] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5500 MHz [100] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5520 MHz [104] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5540 MHz [108] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5560 MHz [112] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5580 MHz [116] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5600 MHz [120] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5620 MHz [124] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5640 MHz [128] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5660 MHz [132] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5680 MHz [136] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5700 MHz [140] (19.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                          DFS state: usable (for 169 sec)
                          DFS CAC time: 60000 ms
                        * 5745 MHz [149] (disabled)
                        * 5765 MHz [153] (disabled)
                        * 5785 MHz [157] (disabled)
                        * 5805 MHz [161] (disabled)
                        * 5825 MHz [165] (disabled)
        Supported commands:
                 * new_interface
                 * set_interface
                 * new_key
                 * start_ap
                 * new_station
                 * set_bss
                 * authenticate
                 * associate
                 * deauthenticate
                 * disassociate
                 * join_ibss
                 * remain_on_channel
                 * set_tx_bitrate_mask
                 * frame
                 * frame_wait_cancel
                 * set_wiphy_netns
                 * set_channel
                 * set_wds_peer
                 * tdls_mgmt
                 * tdls_oper
                 * probe_client
                 * set_noack_map
                 * register_beacons
                 * start_p2p_device
                 * set_mcast_rate
                 * testmode
                 * channel_switch
                 * Unknown command (104)
                 * connect
                 * disconnect
        Supported TX frame types:
                 * IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
                 * P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
        Supported RX frame types:
                 * IBSS: 0x40 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
                 * managed: 0x40 0xd0
                 * AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
                 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
                 * mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
                 * P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
                 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
                 * P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
        software interface modes (can always be added):
                 * AP/VLAN
                 * monitor
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ managed } <= 2048, #{ AP } <= 8, #{ P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1,
                   total <= 2048, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match
                 * #{ WDS } <= 2048,
                   total <= 2048, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match
        HT Capability overrides:
                 * MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
                 * maximum A-MSDU length
                 * supported channel width
                 * short GI for 40 MHz
                 * max A-MPDU length exponent
                 * min MPDU start spacing
        Device supports TX status socket option.
        Device supports HT-IBSS.
        Device supports SAE with AUTHENTICATE command
        Device supports low priority scan.
        Device supports scan flush.
        Device supports AP scan.
        Device supports per-vif TX power setting
        P2P GO supports CT window setting
        Driver supports a userspace MPM
        Device supports active monitor (which will ACK incoming frames)
        Driver/device bandwidth changes during BSS lifetime (AP/GO mode)

[Gordon]

Yes you're bound to experience this with every distribution, because none of them will allow you to accidentally break any laws.

[stasheck]

Yeah, shame I cannot update the software on the card in any way... That'd be the real solution.

Anyway, since the kernel is much newer now, I used backports-4.0.1-1. The patch still works, and I'm running 5 GHz AP with my proper regulatory domain set in drivers.

Yay!