Re: Cannot maintain an ap with brcmfmac

On April 20, 2025 8:15:56 PM KeithG <[email protected]> wrote:

> Group,
>
> I do not really know what has changed, but I

Can you try to find out?

> can no longer maintain an
> ap runnning with brcmfmac on my Pis with the brcmfmac43455 chip. The
> firmware is current (and ahead of what RPiOS ships):

Maybe you could try with what RPiOS ships.

> [    3.472501] brcmfmac: F1 signature read @0x18000000=0x15264345
> [    3.493274] brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using
> brcm/brcmfmac43455-sdio for chip BCM4345/6
> [    3.494583] usbcore: registered new interface driver brcmfmac
> [    3.900038] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_process_txcap_blob: no txcap_blob
> available (err=-2)
> [    3.901161] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM4345/6
> wl0: Oct 28 2024 23:27:00 version 7.45.286 (be70ab3 CY) FWID
> 01-95efe7fa
>
> I get this with the default RPiOS verison of hostapd:
> # hostapd -v
> hostapd v2.10
> User space daemon for IEEE 802.11 AP management,
> IEEE 802.1X/WPA/WPA2/EAP/RADIUS Authenticator
> Copyright (c) 2002-2022, Jouni Malinen <[email protected]> and contributors
>
> And also with the one I built from source. The latest hostapd I could find.
> The git repo it is built from is from here: https://w1.fi/hostapd/
>
> # hostapd -v
> hostapd v2.11-hostap_2_11+
> User space daemon for IEEE 802.11 AP management,
> IEEE 802.1X/WPA/WPA2/EAP/RADIUS Authenticator
> Copyright (c) 2002-2024, Jouni Malinen <[email protected]> and contributors
>
> My hostapd.conf is:
> # cat /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
> # interface and driver
> interface=ap0
> driver=nl80211
>
> ht_capab=[HT40][SHORT-GI-20][DSSS_CCK-40]
>
> # WIFI-Config
> ssid=TestAP
> channel=6
> hw_mode=g
> wmm_enabled=1
> macaddr_acl=0
> auth_algs=1
> max_num_sta=10
>
> # WIFI authorization
> wpa=2
> wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
> wpa_pairwise=TKIP CCMP
> rsn_pairwise=CCMP
> wpa_psk_radius=0
> wpa_passphrase=secret123
>
> If there is something wrong in my setup, let me know.

Hard to tell. The above looks okay, but no idea what your setup looks like.

> when I start hostapd with dnsmasq, an interface comes up and I can
> connect. As soon as it connects, it disconnects:
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 systemd-networkd[181]: ap0: Gained carrier
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: started, version 2.90 cachesize 150
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: compile time options: IPv6
> GNU-getopt DBus no-UBus i18n IDN2 DHCP DHCPv6 no-Lua TFTP conntrack
> ipset nftset auth cryptohash DNSSEC loop-detect inotify dumpfile
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: warning: interface ap0 does not
> currently exist

So does this mean you run with two wifi interfaces, ie. wlan0 and ap0? Can 
you try with just only an AP interface?

> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCP, IP range 192.168.5.2
> -- 192.168.5.254, lease time 1d
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: reading /run/systemd/resolve/resolv.conf
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: using nameserver 192.168.2.253#53
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 dnsmasq[169728]: read /etc/hosts - 8 names
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: interface state 
> UNINITIALIZED->ENABLED
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: AP-ENABLED
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 resolvconf[169735]: Dropped protocol specifier
> '.dnsmasq' from 'lo.dnsmasq'. Using 'lo' (ifindex=1).
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 resolvconf[169735]: Failed to set DNS
> configuration: Link lo is loopback device.
> Apr 20 12:57:39 pi4 systemd[1]: Started dnsmasq.service - dnsmasq - A
> lightweight DHCP and caching DNS server.
> Apr 20 12:57:40 pi4 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_cfg80211_set_power_mgmt:
> power save disabled
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 kernel: ieee80211 phy0: brcmf_escan_timeout: timer expired
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: associated
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: associated
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: AP-STA-CONNECTED 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> RADIUS: starting accounting session 4336779F2221A786
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a WPA:
> pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: EAPOL-4WAY-HS-COMPLETED
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> RADIUS: starting accounting session 4336779F2221A786
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a WPA:
> pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)

So looks like connection and security are setup correctly...
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPDISCOVER(ap0) 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPOFFER(ap0) 192.168.5.214
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPREQUEST(ap0)
> 192.168.5.214 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:48 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPACK(ap0) 192.168.5.214
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a

...and DHCP exchange is okay, which clearly indicated encrypted data 
connection is working.

> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: AP-STA-DISCONNECTED 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated

So not clear what triggers these disassociated events. Can you enable debug 
prints in brcmfmac, ie. use debug=0x100400? The levels are defined in 
debug.h [1]

> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: associated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: associated
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: AP-STA-CONNECTED 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> RADIUS: starting accounting session 33CFF844DBBE630F
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a WPA:
> pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: EAPOL-4WAY-HS-COMPLETED
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> RADIUS: starting accounting session 33CFF844DBBE630F
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a WPA:
> pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPDISCOVER(ap0) 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPOFFER(ap0) 192.168.5.214
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPREQUEST(ap0)
> 192.168.5.214 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:52 pi4 dnsmasq-dhcp[169728]: DHCPACK(ap0) 192.168.5.214
> 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:57 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:57 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: AP-STA-DISCONNECTED 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a
> Apr 20 12:57:57 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:57 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:57:57 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: STA 50:84:92:a6:7a:7a IEEE
> 802.11: disassociated
> Apr 20 12:58:11 pi4 hostapd[169681]: ap0: interface state ENABLED->DISABLED
> Apr 20 12:58:11 pi4 systemd[1]: Stopping hostapd.service - Hostapd
> IEEE 802.11 AP, IEEE 802.1X/WPA/WPA2/EAP/RADIUS Authenticator...

Assuming it is stopped manually here. Correct?

Regards,
Arend

[1] 
https://elixir.bootlin.com/linux/v6.14.3/source/drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/brcm80211/brcmfmac/debug.h