Recent software update broke WPA networks

[ManiacDan]

Sometime on Wednesday of last week I did a software update while at work. I got a new kernel and a handful of other items that looked innocuous.

Thursday when I came into work I couldn't connect to to the corporate network. I discovered that Windows worked fine. I also can't connect to my home networks on Ubuntu. My laptop is essentially useless until I can get WPA working again.

It doesn't seem like this is a common problem, though it was definitely triggered by a software update of some sort. Three networks in three buildings, all WPA2 Personal PSK, all stopped being accessible from this one device. Since I can't work away from a hard wired connection, this is a deal breaker for me.

Anyone have any ideas?

[jacobmar1ey]

I'm having the same issue, running 12.04. I can get onto my neighbor's unencrypted "NETGEAR" network, but my own WPA2-PSK is unavailable. I'm on an ASUS EeePC and wonder if it has something to do with cfg80211 as it spits out a ton of crap on dmesg. Anyone else? Is this related to it being a Broadcom BCM43xx chip? I'm going to check older kernels that are installed on here and be back in a bit.

robert@zirconium ~ $ uname -a
Linux zirconium 3.2.0-37-generic #58-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jan 24 15:28:10 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

robert@zirconium ~ $ dmesg | tail -n 50
[  107.233225] cfg80211: 5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233233] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5220 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233244] cfg80211: 5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233253] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5230 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233263] cfg80211: 5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233272] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5240 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233283] cfg80211: 5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233292] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5260 MHz
[  107.233299] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5280 MHz
[  107.233307] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5300 MHz
[  107.233314] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5320 MHz
[  107.233321] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5500 MHz
[  107.233329] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5520 MHz
[  107.233336] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5540 MHz
[  107.233342] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5560 MHz
[  107.233348] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5580 MHz
[  107.233354] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5600 MHz
[  107.233361] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5620 MHz
[  107.233367] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5640 MHz
[  107.233373] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5660 MHz
[  107.233379] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5680 MHz
[  107.233386] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5700 MHz
[  107.233395] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5745 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233407] cfg80211: 5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233416] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5765 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233427] cfg80211: 5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233437] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5785 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233448] cfg80211: 5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233457] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5805 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233467] cfg80211: 5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233477] cfg80211: Updating information on frequency 5825 MHz for a 20 MHz width channel with regulatory rule:
[  107.233487] cfg80211: 5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233495] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5920 MHz
[  107.233501] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5940 MHz
[  107.233507] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5960 MHz
[  107.233513] cfg80211: Disabling freq 5980 MHz
[  107.233519] cfg80211: Disabling freq 6000 MHz
[  107.233524] cfg80211: Disabling freq 6020 MHz
[  107.233530] cfg80211: Disabling freq 6040 MHz
[  107.233536] cfg80211: Disabling freq 6060 MHz
[  107.233542] cfg80211: Disabling freq 6080 MHz
[  107.233558] cfg80211: World regulatory domain updated:
[  107.233565] cfg80211:     (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
[  107.233575] cfg80211:     (2402000 KHz - 2472000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233586] cfg80211:     (2457000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233595] cfg80211:     (2474000 KHz - 2494000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233606] cfg80211:     (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  107.233616] cfg80211:     (5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
[  121.088064] eth1: no IPv6 routers present

robert@zirconium ~ $ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation N10 Family DMI Bridge (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation N10 Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation N10 Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation NM10 Family LPC Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH7 Family SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 02)
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8132 Fast Ethernet (rev c0)
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4313 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)

[ManiacDan]

Yeah I don't have any older images to test on this particular machine. It literally just happened overnight last Wednesday.

[jacobmar1ey]

I was able to log into two older kernels, but the wl driver wasn't installed on them, and since I couldn't get online to install it, it was a no go. heh.

[jacobmar1ey]

This worked for me, but I use aptitude for package management. If you use something else like synaptic or the Software Center the commands will be different, but the process should be the same:

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude remove bcmwl-kernel-source 

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude install bcmwl-kernel-source=5.100.82.38+bdcom-0ubuntu6

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude forbid-version bcmwl-kernel-source=6.20.155.1+bdcom-0ubuntu0.0.1

This uninstalls the current version of the driver, installs the old version, and blacklists the current version. aptitude will install the next new version that does NOT match the blacklisted one.

I'm sure you can find ways to do this using synaptic, apt-get, or the Software Center. For a quick workaround, just uninstall the package, then install the one for download here. You'll have to be careful updating in the future however.

[SeijiSensei]

There are now dozens of threads here about problems with recent updates on machines with Broadcom wifi adapters. I suggest you browse around and see what solutions others have come up with.

Alternatively, try booting the previous kernel image when you get the grub boot screen. If you don't see that, hold down Shift while booting.

[drbin]

This worked for me, but I use aptitude for package management. If you use something else like synaptic or the Software Center the commands will be different, but the process should be the same:

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude remove bcmwl-kernel-source 

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude install bcmwl-kernel-source=5.100.82.38+bdcom-0ubuntu6

robert@zirconium ~ $ aptitude forbid-version bcmwl-kernel-source=6.20.155.1+bdcom-0ubuntu0.0.1

This uninstalls the current version of the driver, installs the old version, and blacklists the current version. aptitude will install the next new version that does NOT match the blacklisted one.

I'm sure you can find ways to do this using synaptic, apt-get, or the Software Center. For a quick workaround, just uninstall the package, then install the one for download here. You'll have to be careful updating in the future however.

Absolutely worked for me. Thank you

[varunendra]

There is a bug report regarding this (thanks to mikewhatever for the heads up)-
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...wl/+bug/923809

A possible workaround is in post #25 there, almost same as what jacobmar1ey suggested above.

[ManiacDan]

Well I'm glad this is getting some traction at least. The workaround above didn't help me, sadly. Ubuntu tries to connect to wifi for nearly a minute, then disconnects, waits 5 seconds, and tries again. I have to turn the wifi off using the hardware switch if I want to stop getting the connection failure messages.

I'll wait for the bug report to be resolved. Until then, I have to work in Windows.

[varunendra]

The workaround above didn't help me, sadly.

Could you please follow the solution suggested by mikewhatever in this thread and let us know how it goes -
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2111403

If it doesn't help, please follow the "Wireless Script" link in my signature and post back its result here. Apart from that, also the output of -

modinfo wl