# iwn driver malfunctions



## mururoa (Apr 11, 2012)

Hi there.

I had an unsupported wifi card (realtek) in my laptop when I bought it. So I changed it (mini pci) with an Intel 5100 supposed to be supported with iwn driver.

Here is the configuration:

rc.conf:

```
wlans_iwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="country FR WPA DHCP"
```

loader.conf:

```
if_iwn_load="YES"
iwn5000fw_load="YES"
```

wpa_supplicant.conf is ok.

But this wifi card is a pita. It works quite badly. Sometimes it dont get an IP at boot but most of the time it gets one an malfunction after.

Like that:

```
ping 192.168.0.1
PING 192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes

64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=20 ttl=64 time=3.222 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=26 ttl=64 time=4.143 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=32 ttl=64 time=2.529 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=34 ttl=64 time=4.184 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=35 ttl=64 time=2.486 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=37 ttl=64 time=1.664 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=38 ttl=64 time=1.651 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=39 ttl=64 time=4.528 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=40 ttl=64 time=1.461 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=41 ttl=64 time=2.692 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=42 ttl=64 time=1.472 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=43 ttl=64 time=2.069 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=44 ttl=64 time=1.815 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=45 ttl=64 time=5.771 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=47 ttl=64 time=3.413 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=48 ttl=64 time=1.652 ms
^C
--- 192.168.0.1 ping statistics ---
49 packets transmitted, 16 packets received, 67.3% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 1.461/2.797/5.771/1.256 ms
```

67% packet loss and 20 seconds before first good packet. Not that good hey 

With the exact same hardware and windows or linux I have no trouble at all so it's not a hardware related problem.

Do I miss something in the configuration or is this hardware not really supported?

iwn mentions 4965, 5000, 5150 and 5000 series. Did I pick by pure unluck the only device not supported in the Intel family? If yes wich mini pci wifi card just behaves perfectly with FreeBSD 9.0? I mean stable, good sensitivity and fast?


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## wblock@ (Apr 11, 2012)

First, change rc.conf to wait for DHCP:

```
ifconfig_wlan0="country FR WPA SYNCDHCP"
```

For problems with iwn(4), the freebsd-wireless mailing list is the place to go.


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## mururoa (Apr 12, 2012)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> First, change rc.conf to wait for DHCP:
> 
> ```
> ifconfig_wlan0="country FR WPA SYNCDHCP"
> ```


Sure, I'll do that, but that will only fix the problem that it don*'*t get an IP from time to time. Somebody to point me for a good half mini PCI WiFi n card that behaves perfectly? Yesterday I had to my left the FreeBSD HCL -wifi section- and to my right a good bunch of Atheros, Intel, Ralink, Realtek, Broadcom cards to sell and I was unable to make a match! Intel 4965 seems widely used but this is a full size mini PCI


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## wblock@ (Apr 12, 2012)

Atheros, but not all models are supported.  I'd give numbers, but don't have any Atheros half cards.

Update: http://wiki.freebsd.org/dev/ath_hal(4)/HardwareSupport shows a list of 802.11n chipsets that are supported by the latest version in -HEAD.  Which is soon to be MFCed to 9-stable, AFAIK.  And any of those cards should be usable for 802.11b/g.

What model of Atheros card do you have available?


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## mururoa (Apr 12, 2012)

Well, for Atheros I can get 9280 and 9287.
I guess the later is better.

Edit : card ordered (Half Atheros ar5b97 AR9287 AGN pci-e card fr dell E6400)


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## mururoa (Apr 20, 2012)

Just installed the Atheros card and it works like a charm 
Maybe to*o* early to say but it appears to work much better than the Intel part. If there is a real problem I'll be back to post here. Changing the card is a much better solution than windows wrapper or using cards with problems. It do*es*n*'*t cost very much, about $15.


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## wblock@ (Apr 20, 2012)

Agreed, it's a better solution.  It can be difficult.  Have to find a card that actually has an Atheros chipset, which manufacturers don't usually admit.  And it has to be the right form factor with the right number of antenna connectors.  Some vendors lock out all but their own branded cards in the BIOS (IBM/Lenovo and HP).  But if you have the determination, it's a lot easier afterwards.


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## mururoa (May 7, 2012)

Just to lock the thread, it's working really ok no problem at all so far.
FreeBSD 9.0 Release.


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