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Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

This is a bit uncertain and not well tested and the problem is not even clearly defined and apparent, but after an update today that included:
iproute2 (6.9.0-2 -> 6.10.0-2)
wpa_supplicant (2:2.10-8 -> 2:2.11-2)
the connection to wifi at home a distance away from the router wouldn't connect, I thought I would have to sort it out at work. Then at work next to the router it did connect but there was one time it seemed a bit slow, at home again it didn't work but finally connected after a couple of tries, I downgraded wpa_supplicant with no apparent difference, next iproute2 and then it connected normally. This is connecting with dhclient and no GUI network manager. So there could be some slight problem unless it is entirely coincidence.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #1 –
Yes, there does seem to be a consistent issue, wifi doesn't connect very reliably now. It requires both wpa_supplicant and iproute2 to be downgraded to fix this, not just one or the other, they are somehow related in causing the problem.
pacman -Ql shows the newer version of iproute2 no longer includes these files:
/usr/include/libnetlink.h
/usr/lib/libnetlink.a
but I don't know if their removal is anything to do with this.

Installing wpa_supplicant-git and iproute2-git gave the same result, and using dhcpcd instead of dhclient didn't help so it's not dhclient.

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=298079
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=298171
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=298039

This is using a Dell E7470 with an Intel Wireless 8260 internal card, driver: iwlwifi so Intel rather than Broadcom as mentioned in some of those posts on the Arch forum. It still seems to work but perhaps it stays in low power mode when attempting to connect or something.
The same problem is also found on a Dell M4500 with both network cards, a Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 internal card, driver: ath9k and Belkin PCMCIA card, Ralink RT2760 driver: rt2800pci

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #2 –
Following

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #3 –
Well don't expect too much excitement, it's been 3 years since the last wpa_supplicant version was released and I tried to file a report to the apparently aptly named "infradead" mailing list:
Your mail to 'Hostap' with the subject
Wifi not connecting at longer distances from router after upgrade
to 2:2.11-2
Is being held until the list moderator can review it for approval.

That was 2 days ago and nothing has appeared on the list. This is the same thing that happened when I tried to report a nouveau issue last year to their mailing list which never appeared either.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #4 –
I’m experiencing the same issue post update on my install as well. connman, iproute2, wpa_supplicant were the three network related packages that were upgraded during the update that occurred since last weeks weekly iso was released.  Even next to the router, things disconnect every 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  The same issue is present on this weeks weekly ISO.  I rolled back all three packages and it fixed it on my install, but for the current weekly ISO to also be having the same issue with wifi, is ungood.  (Present on both the weekly xfce openrc and the gtk community isos, but other versions need to be tested and fixed.  Rolling back all three packages seemed to fix things, but still, for people new to the distro this could be a rather offputting issue if they’re unfamiliar with how to roll back packages.  (Problem started last saturday and there were 128 packages needing updates post install, which went up to 136 by mid week).

EDIT:  This is happening with realtek cards/chipsets too, not just intel, and it happens whether i’m two feet away from AP or 50 feet from it.





Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #5 –
Hmm that's weird. I can't say I'm experiencing any issues on my end. Intel in my case. I only run wpa_supplicant with dhcpcd. No other network managing software daemon. Not sure if that matters.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #6 –
wpa_supplicant is an optional dependency for connman, unless you set it as the wireless backend for connman this is probably a different issue, there were several other threads with random disconnection problems using various network managers that appeared at the same time.  I am using only wpa_supplicant and dhclient (or dhcpcd instead if I want) in a script to bring up the wireless, which probably few people on here do.
wpa_supplicant sends commands directly to the kernel and it's wireless driver interface, in the newer version it looks like those commands have changed and new ones have been added according to the "dd" debug output:
Code: [Select]
-wpa_supplicant v2.10
+wpa_supplicant v2.11-hostap_2_11+
-nl80211: key_mgmt=0x1ff0f enc=0xfef auth=0x7 flags=0x40005115b03d0e0 rrm_flags=0x10 probe_resp_offloads=0x0 max_stations=0 max_remain_on_chan=5000 max_scan_ssids=4
+nl80211: key_mgmt=0x1ff0f enc=0xfef auth=0x7 flags=0x40005115b03d0e0 flags2=0x8103 rrm_flags=0x10 probe_resp_offloads=0x0 max_stations=0 max_remain_on_chan=5000 max_scan_ssids=4

-wpa_driver_nl80211_set_key: ifindex=4 (wlp5s0) alg=0 addr=(nil) key_idx=0 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0 key_flag=0x10
+wpa_driver_nl80211_set_key: ifindex=4 (wlp5s0) alg=0 addr=(nil) key_idx=0 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0 key_flag=0x10 link_id=-1


Quite likely this is what is causing my problems because it seems like the wifi adapter is trying to connect in low power mode, when the connection is established the adapter and router agree on a power setting between themselves so it doesn't matter then.
Whether changes have been made to the wireless backend of connman I don't know, that's something that could be investigated I suppose. Also because I'm some distance from the router 5GHz doesn't work reliably and disconnects frequently if I am connected to that, so I only use 2.4GHz. There was some mention in the new wpa_supplicant release notes about introducing a new "soft connection mode" too.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #7 –
I tried the semi-weekly ISO (they’ve been coming out closer to every 4-5 days as opposed to 7) that was posted on the 22, and I can maintain a connection on the 5Ghz extender connectiion, but 2.4 extender, 2.4 & 5ghz direct from modem/router won’t stay connected (and i even power cycled the modem and switched the main network on the extender to 2.4ghz, still the same issues.  no issues on any other box. 

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #8 –
Connected under modem (either band) or 2.4ghz extender dmesg output.

[   54.756513] wlan0: authenticate with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (local address=8c:53:e6:fc:34:6a)
[   54.756520] wlan0: send auth to 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (try 1/3)
[   54.789083] wlan0: send auth to 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (try 2/3)
[   54.817441] wlan0: send auth to 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (try 3/3)
[   54.846535] wlan0: authentication with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e timed out
[   55.927116] wlan0: authenticate with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (local address=8c:53:e6:fc:34:6a)
[   55.927122] wlan0: send auth to 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (try 1/3)
[   55.929419] wlan0: authenticated
[   55.933770] wlan0: associate with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (try 1/3)
[   55.940200] wlan0: RX AssocResp from 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e (capab=0x1411 status=0 aid=3)
[   56.054800] wlan0: associated
[   56.054855] wlan0: Limiting TX power to 20 (20 - 0) dBm as advertised by 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e

Under the extender 5ghz band (the only one that stays connected, no matter how close i am to the modem/router) from where I disconnected from the AP that won't allow me a reliable connection to connecting to 5ghz extender AP.

[  499.030373] wlan0: deauthenticating from 60:83:e7:08:b0:6e by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[  506.233218] wlan0: authenticate with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6f (local address=8c:53:e6:fc:34:6a)
[  506.233225] wlan0: send auth to 60:83:e7:08:b0:6f (try 1/3)
[  506.236542] wlan0: authenticated
[  506.240311] wlan0: associate with 60:83:e7:08:b0:6f (try 1/3)
[  506.241975] wlan0: RX AssocResp from 60:83:e7:08:b0:6f (capab=0x1911 status=0 aid=5)
[  506.354590] wlan0: associated
[  506.354934] wlan0: Limiting TX power to 35 (35 - 0) dBm as advertised by 60:83:e7:08:b0:6f



Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #9 –
I'm still having this issue. No internet connectivity via wifi, but ethernet still works. Anything I can do to help troubleshoot?

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today? - one month later still hap

Reply #10 –
The weeklies are still having this issue as well.  All 2.4 ghz connections are crap and disconnect within 2 minutes, connecting directly to the modem at 5ghz also has the same issue.  I can only connect to the 5ghz extender.  The last weekly where things worked was 8/12 or 8/14 2024 - 8/19/2024 is where it began and hasn’t stopped.  Can someone please look into the configuration changes that happened (iproute2, dhclient and wpa_supplicant got upgraded from here - and i babysit my installs so these packages don’t get upgraded, but i know that one day i’m going to end up with dependency bs)

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #11 –
Quote from: lythandrel – on
The weeklies are still having this issue as well.  All 2.4 ghz connections are crap and disconnect within 2 minutes, connecting directly to the modem at 5ghz also has the same issue.  I can only connect to the 5ghz extender.  The last weekly where things worked was 8/12 or 8/14 2024 - 8/19/2024 is where it began and hasn’t stopped.  Can someone please look into the configuration changes that happened (iproute2, dhclient and wpa_supplicant got upgraded from here - and i babysit my installs so these packages don’t get upgraded, but i know that one day i’m going to end up with dependency bs)

Thanks for sharing. I was planning on refreshing my device to a weekly build tomorrow, but guess you saved me some time!

I am still having this issue but am able to connect via Ethernet.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #12 –
This is an arch upstream issue, which means f@$! - i have to join the arch forums.  it happens on any arch based distro packaged after late-mid (august 19) or after.  Endeavour, Kaos, Artix - and if that’s the case, it’s gonna happen with arch.  Keeping iproute2, connman, and wpa_supplicant rolled back is only a temporary solution at best.  eventually there will be a dependency issue that requires a newer version  of what i’ve rolled back.

Re: Sub optimal wifi connection after upgrade today?

Reply #13 –
Reporting bugs on Arch packages is not done through the forum before you create an account on there, it's a different account login which is required:
https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/iproute2/
https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/wpa_supplicant/

If the problem is upstream and not a build / packaging issue then you need to contact the package developers anyway, not the packagers.