Re: Annoying Wireless - Suggestions?

["Robert G. (Doc) Savage" <dsavage@peaknet.net>]

On Sun, 2010-06-27 at 23:00 -0500, Scott Duensing wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 9:09 PM, Nathan Nutter <iam@nnutter.com> wrote:
> > Scott, have you noticed whether this occurs after the computer goes to
> > sleep or is just randomly while the computer is in use? Do you ever
> > use Wi-Fi elsewhere and does the issue go away? Is there any pattern
> > that you can see as to how/when it occurs?
> >
> > --Nathan
> 
> It's anytime I'm connected with 802.11n.  I can be in the middle of
> surfing or whatever - doesn't matter.  No "usual" amount of time
> between dropouts either.  If I turn the card off using the keyboard
> shortcut, unload the kernel module, reload the kernel module, and then
> toggle it back on, it'll reconnect.
> 
> I think my solution is going to be a new card.  :-/  NDISWrapper can't
> load the WinXP64 driver for the card and neither can DriverLoader.  Oh
> well.

Scott,

A Google search for "Realtek 8172se" yields a long list of poor
performance and driver trouble reports, primarily from Linux users (all
distros). I see you're using the 8192 driver, which is mentioned in
several reports. Folks seem to have very little good to say about the
Realtek.

I think you're wise to cut your losses and buy a new card. But which
one? If yours is an internal-type Mini PCI-Express card, there *may* be
one available for your laptop (you didn't tell us its make/model). I'd
check with Kara or Steve. Be advised that some makes -- Lenovo Thinkpads
in particular -- that require very specific part numbers to avoid POST
errors. The one in my Thinkpad W700 is an Intel 5300:

03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Ultimate N WiFi Link 5300
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device 1011
        Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 34
        Region 0: Memory at f4200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
        Capabilities: [c8] Power Management version 3
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0+,D1-,D2-,D3hot+,D3cold+)
                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
        Capabilities: [d0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
                Address: 00000000fee0f00c  Data: 41d9
        Capabilities: [e0] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00
                DevCap: MaxPayload 128 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <512ns, L1 unlimited
                        ExtTag- AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset+
                DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
                        RlxdOrd+ ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop+ FLReset-
                        MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 128 bytes
                DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr+ TransPend-
                LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 <128ns, L1 <32us
                        ClockPM+ Surprise- LLActRep- BwNot-
                LnkCtl: ASPM L0s L1 Enabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
                        ExtSynch- ClockPM+ AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
                LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
        Capabilities: [100 v1] Advanced Error Reporting
                UESta:  DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
                UEMsk:  DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
                UESvrt: DLP+ SDES- TLP- FCP+ CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF+ MalfTLP+ ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
                CESta:  RxErr+ BadTLP+ BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr+
                CEMsk:  RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr+
                AERCap: First Error Pointer: 00, GenCap- CGenEn- ChkCap- ChkEn-
        Capabilities: [140 v1] Device Serial Number 00-16-ea-ff-ff-b2-ec-5c
        Kernel driver in use: iwlagn
        Kernel modules: iwlagn

If you can't get an internal, your laptop may have an external Express
Card slot (replaces PCMCIA/CardBus). In addition to getting the right
chipset, be sure you get the proper Express Card form factor: 34mm or
54mm.

--Doc



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