bcm43xx headache

[oleksandr korneta]

hello all,

here is a fresh Fedora Core 6 installation on a Compaq v2404us laptop.
The built-in wireless adapter is based on Broadcom bcm4318 chip. On a 
previous installation I was using ndiswrapper with windows driver for 
x86_64, but since I've heard a lot about a native driver for bcm43xx 
family and decided to give it a try this time.

With the help of  HOWTO from fedoraforum.org everything went smoothly 
and my wireless started working like a charm. However now, after a 
couple days of using it I am not so excited.

The wireless works very unstable. Sometimes it works fine the whole day, 
  and another day I am not able to connect for hours. I am using 
NetworkManager and I can see my access point (AP) along the whole bunch 
of another APs in my apartment complex but does not want to establish a 
  connection. I am not using any encryption, just mac-address-based 
filtering on my wireless router, so wpa_supplicant should not come into 
play. Also, the AP is just next room so the signal should be strong enough.

What bothers me the most is that even when the connection is stable 
/var/log/messages gets full of the following crap:

Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): ' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40 completed (reauth)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED - Disconnect event - 
remove keys
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Trying to associate with 00:11:95:18:b4:40 
(SSID='B5' freq=0 MHz)
Dec 28 21:18:57 camomile NetworkManager: <information> 
wpa_supplicant(14879): Associated with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Associate: Scanning for 
networks first.
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Start scanning with channel: 1
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning 14 channels
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Received unrequested 
assocation response from 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning finished
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Queueing Authentication 
Request to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Cannot associate without being 
authenticated, requested authentication
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Sent Authentication Request to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40.
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Already associating or 
associated to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed 
with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: sent association request!
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: associated!
Dec 28 21:19:24 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Associate: Scanning for 
networks first.
...
Dec 28 21:19:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Already associating or 
associated to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed 
with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:19:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: sent association request!
Dec 28 21:19:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: associated!
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Associate: Scanning for 
networks first.
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Start scanning with channel: 1
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning 14 channels
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Received unrequested 
assocation response from 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning finished
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Queueing Authentication 
Request to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Cannot associate without being 
authenticated, requested authentication
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Sent Authentication Request to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40.
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Already associating or 
associated to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed 
with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: sent association request!
Dec 28 21:20:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: associated!
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Associate: Scanning for 
networks first.
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Start scanning with channel: 1
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning 14 channels
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning finished
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Queueing Authentication 
Request to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Cannot associate without being 
authenticated, requested authentication
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Sent Authentication Request to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40.
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Already associating or 
associated to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed 
with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: sent association request!
Dec 28 21:21:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: associated!
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Associate: Scanning for 
networks first.
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Start scanning with channel: 1
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning 14 channels
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Received unrequested 
assocation response from 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning finished
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Queueing Authentication 
Request to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Cannot associate without being 
authenticated, requested authentication
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Sent Authentication Request to 
00:11:95:18:b4:40.
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Already associating or 
associated to 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed 
with 00:11:95:18:b4:40
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: sent association request!
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: associated!
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Start scanning with channel: 1
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning 14 channels
Dec 28 21:22:40 camomile kernel: SoftMAC: Scanning finished


and this is happening for the whole day constantly. I have no idea what 
is this SoftMAC thing and what wpa_supplicant has to do with my 
connection if there is no encryption and its daemon is even turned off.

I can also attach /var/log/messages and dmesg output if someone is 
willing to help.

Right now I am thinking about switching back to ndiswrapper unless 
someone gives me a good argument to stay.

Thank you in advance,


-- 
regards,
Oleksandr Korneta

/The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from./