Bug #15520: Document that Wi-Fi doesn't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset

Bug #15520

Document that Wi-Fi doesn't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset

Added by goupille 2018-04-10 16:56:31 . Updated 2018-10-01 13:29:40 .

Status:

Resolved

Priority:

Normal

Assignee:

Category:

Hardware support

Target version:

Tails_3.9.1

Start date:

2018-04-10

Due date:

% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:

Type of work:

End-user documentation

Blueprint:

Starter:

Affected tool:

Deliverable for:

Description

A user reported that the wi-fi stopped working since at least tails 3.6.2 on a Surface Pro (2017).

the chipset is Marvell Avastar 88W8897 WLAN/BT/NFC SoC

The user reports that after typing in the passphrase for the network, the passphrase is asked again, and so on. The issue was present for several networks (whose the user had the passphrase I suppose).

The issue was not present on a Tails device installed this summer (so with a 4.9 kernel).

Another user is affected:

Tails 3.2 works
Tails 3.5 is affected
SurfaceBook (2015/16 model)
Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88W8897 [AVASTAR] 802.11ac Wireless
logs were sent from Tails 3.2 so they’re useless
no email address

Subtasks

Related issues

Blocks Tails - ~~Feature #15334~~: Core work 2018Q3: Foundations Team

Resolved

2018-02-20

History

#1 Updated by goupille 2018-04-15 16:25:48

Status changed from New to Confirmed
Assignee changed from goupille to intrigeri

after further testing, it seems that there is no issue with ubuntu 16.04, nor with a stable Debian-live, but the problem is the same in Debian-live Testing. Network manager would show the networks available but it is not mossible to connect to any. the issue is the same with unencrypted networks.

apparently disabling mac spoofing fixed the issue once, but that never worked again after that one time.

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2018-04-30 12:01:19

Description updated
Category set to Hardware support

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2018-04-30 12:14:03

Subject changed from Wi-Fi dosen't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset to Wi-Fi doesn't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset
Assignee changed from intrigeri to goupille
QA Check set to Info Needed

Same there:

Relevant logs (sent from 3.6.2):

Apr 16 19:07:53 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: CMD_RESP: cmd 0x242 error, result=0x2
Apr 16 19:07:53 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: mwifiex_process_cmdresp: cmd 0x242 failed during        initialization
[…]
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: Trying to associate with [MAC REMOVED] (SSID='SSID REMOVED' freq=5745 MHz)
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: trying to associate to 'SSID REMOVED' bssid [MAC REMOVED]
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.3342] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: scanning -> associating
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: associated to bssid [MAC REMOVED] successfully
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: Associated with [MAC REMOVED]
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: WMM AC: Missing IEs
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=[MAC REMOVED] reason=2
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: WPA: 4-Way Handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="SSID REMOVED" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=WRONG_KEY
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: successfully disconnected from [MAC REMOVED]: reason code 2
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.3476] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> 4-way handshake
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <warn>  [1523905691.3477] sup-iface[0x55e6990efef0,mlan0]: connection disconnected (reason 2)
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: CTRL-EVENT-REGDOM-CHANGE init=CORE type=WORLD
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.3545] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: 4-way handshake -> disconnected
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.3551] device (mlan0): Activation: (wifi) disconnected during association, asking for new key
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.3551] device (mlan0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'supplicant-disconnect') [50 60 8]
Apr 16 19:08:11 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905691.4522] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> inactive
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0120] keyfile: update /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/SSID REMOVED (9c769349-88d9-4dfb-ac8e-8517b4c1e9d9,"SSID REMOVED")
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0139] device (mlan0): state change: need-auth -> prepare (reason 'none') [60 40 0]
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0143] device (mlan0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none') [40 50 0]
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0145] device (mlan0): Activation: (wifi) connection 'SSID REMOVED' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0145] Config: added 'ssid' value 'SSID REMOVED'
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0145] Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0146] Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0146] Config: added 'auth_alg' value 'OPEN'
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0146] Config: added 'psk' value '<hidden>'
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: Trying to associate with [MAC REMOVED] (SSID='SSID REMOVED' freq=5220 MHz)
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: trying to associate to 'SSID REMOVED' bssid [MAC REMOVED]
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: Associated with [MAC REMOVED]
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: WMM AC: Missing IEs
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0888] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: inactive -> associating
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: associated to bssid [MAC REMOVED] successfully
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.0941] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: associating -> associated
Apr 16 19:08:13 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905693.2152] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: associated -> 4-way handshake
Apr 16 19:08:17 amnesia gnome-settings-[4431]: failed to set screen _ICC_PROFILE: Failed to open file '/home/amnesia/.local/share/icc/edid-8c7c162fa97f63c5a14da5f8b4671f3b.icc': Permission denied
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: Authentication with [MAC REMOVED] timed out.
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=[MAC REMOVED] reason=3 locally_generated=1
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: WPA: 4-Way Handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia wpa_supplicant[11425]: mlan0: CTRL-EVENT-SSID-TEMP-DISABLED id=0 ssid="SSID REMOVED" auth_failures=1 duration=10 reason=WRONG_KEY
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <warn>  [1523905703.2139] sup-iface[0x55e6990efef0,mlan0]: connection disconnected (reason -3)
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia kernel: mwifiex_pcie 0000:01:00.0: info: successfully disconnected from [MAC REMOVED]: reason code 3
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905703.2501] device (mlan0): supplicant interface state: 4-way handshake -> disconnected
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905703.2508] device (mlan0): Activation: (wifi) disconnected during association, asking for new key
Apr 16 19:08:23 amnesia NetworkManager[11378]: <info>  [1523905703.2509] device (mlan0): state change: config -> need-auth (reason 'supplicant-disconnect') [50 60 8]

Help desk is investigating whether upgrading the firmware of the tablet helps.

#4 Updated by goupille 2018-05-01 18:25:15

> Help desk is investigating whether upgrading the firmware of the tablet helps.

the issue is still there with the latest (marrch 2018) firmware available for the surface pro 5

#5 Updated by goupille 2018-05-02 16:34:37

Assignee changed from goupille to intrigeri

#6 Updated by intrigeri 2018-05-29 09:14:10

QA Check deleted (~~Info Needed~~)

Asked another affected user to disable TPM device encryption in the BIOS/UEFI and test Debian Live testing.

#7 Updated by piguin35 2018-06-19 14:40:28

intrigeri wrote:
> Asked another affected user to disable TPM device encryption in the BIOS/UEFI and test Debian Live testing.

I disabled TPM and secure boot, internet doesn’t work (neither with Wifi, nor with wired connection). Surface Pro 2017, Tails 3.7.1. Sometimes it connects to wifi/wired network but internet doesn’t work. In troubleshooting mode it shows “activation of network connection failed”.

Where can I get the most recent Tails image for testing?

#8 Updated by goupille 2018-07-11 13:59:08

there are users reporting this error almost once a week, I think it may be a good idea to have something about that in the known issues list…

#9 Updated by tails197623 2018-07-31 13:48:25

Guessing a fix hasn’t made any progress yet? Thanks for all your work on
this…

#10 Updated by intrigeri 2018-09-19 15:32:44

Subject changed from Wi-Fi doesn't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset to Document that Wi-Fi doesn't work anymore with Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chipset
Target version set to Tails_3.10.1
Type of work changed from Research to End-user documentation

Sorry everyone for the delay.

> Where can I get the most recent Tails image for testing?

See https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/bug_reporting/#debian.

> Guessing a fix hasn’t made any progress yet?

Indeed, we’re not in the business of fixing kernel drivers ourselves. The best we can do is encourage tech-savvy affected users to engage with Linux upstream so the bug is fixed there. They’ll probably need to compile and test custom kernels.
Meanwhile, at least the “WMM AC: Missing IEs” error should be fixed in Linux 4.19. I see a number of other fixes on this driver landed in 4.18 (including one for the “user configured mac address”) and more are coming in 4.19.

> there are users reporting this error almost once a week, I think it may be a good idea to have something about that in the known issues list…

OK, will do.

#11 Updated by intrigeri 2018-09-19 15:33:23

blocks ~~Feature #15334~~: Core work 2018Q3: Foundations Team added

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2018-09-19 15:40:33

Status changed from Confirmed to Resolved
Assignee deleted (~~intrigeri~~)
% Done changed from 0 to 100

intrigeri wrote:
> > there are users reporting this error almost once a week, I think it may be a good idea to have something about that in the known issues list…
>
> OK, will do.

Done.

#13 Updated by intrigeri 2018-10-01 13:29:40

Target version changed from Tails_3.10.1 to Tails_3.9.1