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    Wireless slowdown after a few days on latest releases.

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    • P
      pcatiprodotnet
      last edited by

      Just rebooted, but I'll try that when they start slowing again.
      I did watch the gui System page on a "slowed" unit and cpu was ~30%.  Normally, cpu is ~2%.
      So cpu wasn't maxed, but something was taking more than it should.  Or, maybe a memory leak?
      -pc

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      • S
        sullrich
        last edited by

        Good question.  Top should give us a pretty good indication.

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        • P
          pcatiprodotnet
          last edited by

          RC2 rebooted again 3 times within 20mins this morning; but, now it's been up for a few hours.
          RELENG_1_SNAPSHOT-07-09-2006-embedded has been up for week+.

          I got this in the logs of RC2..
          kernel: pid 277 (fsck_ufs), uid 0: exited on signal 8 (core dumped)
          But, I also get the above message on the units that work great.
          Does this indicate a need re-flash?
          I also get this every now and then…
          kernel: ath1: device timeout
          Even though the wireless keeps functioning.

          Is there a shell command to monitor and always display the last few system log entries?

          Thanks, -Pete

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          • S
            sullrich
            last edited by

            @pcatiprodotnet:

            RC2 rebooted again 3 times within 20mins this morning; but, now it's been up for a few hours.
            RELENG_1_SNAPSHOT-07-09-2006-embedded has been up for week+.

            There is no difference FreeBSD wise….  Nothing has changed except pfSense code which would not be causing this.

            @pcatiprodotnet:

            I got this in the logs of RC2..
            kernel: pid 277 (fsck_ufs), uid 0: exited on signal 8 (core dumped)
            But, I also get the above message on the units that work great.
            Does this indicate a need re-flash?
            I also get this every now and then…
            kernel: ath1: device timeout
            Even though the wireless keeps functioning.

            Is there a shell command to monitor and always display the last few system log entries?

            No, enable remote syslogging to a workstation.  Use Kiwi's syslog daemon or something else to assist.

            It almost sounds like a bad power supply to me, but it's hard to say, really.

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            • H
              hoba
              last edited by

              Or maybe heat? are the units placed somwehere in the direct sunlight and/or it's more hot as it is summer?

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              • P
                pcatiprodotnet
                last edited by

                Thanks for suggestions to check.
                It just started slowing again after running fine for ~5-6hrs, and I got this odd kernel message in the log (fyi, time is off)…

                Aug 10 03:14:35 dnsmasq[1037]: DHCPACK(ath1) 10.130.1.101 00:e0:98:e3:4f:e1 D7YMYK11
                Aug 10 03:15:26 kernel: rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3
                Aug 10 03:15:41 kernel: rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3rix 255 (0) bad ratekbps 0 mode 3
                Aug 10 03:15:57 kernel:
                Aug 10 03:15:57 kernel: arplookup 10.130.4.1 failed: host is not on local network

                I wasn't getting these kernel messages earlier when it was working fast.

                It doesn't appear that anything has changed in "top" from when it was fast; sometimes "system" goes up to 40% but not for long…

                last pid: 28510;  load averages:  0.21,  0.19,  0.17        up 0+05:15:26  03:22:04
                32 processes:  1 running, 31 sleeping
                CPU states:  2.7% user,  0.0% nice,  3.9% system,  3.9% interrupt, 89.5% idle
                Mem: 11M Active, 12M Inact, 17M Wired, 13M Buf, 76M Free
                Swap:

                PID USERNAME  THR PRI NICE  SIZE    RES STATE    TIME  WCPU COMMAND
                1038 root        1  8    0  1956K  1660K nanslp  6:56  0.98% olsrd
                  993 root        1  8  20  1680K  1188K wait    0:15  0.00% sh
                7659 root        1  96    0  5592K  2612K select  0:13  0.00% sshd
                1097 root        1  8  20  1180K  564K nanslp  0:08  0.00% check_reload_status
                  828 root        1  4    0  3252K  2364K kqread  0:06  0.00% lighttpd
                1037 nobody      1  96    0  1332K  1016K select  0:04  0.00% dnsmasq
                27650 root        1  96    0  2276K  1500K RUN      0:04  0.00% top
                1017 root        1  8  -88  1328K  796K nanslp  0:04  0.00% watchdogd
                  833 root        1  8    0  8944K  4552K wait    0:02  0.00% php
                  498 root        1 -58    0  3664K  1536K bpf      0:01  0.00% tcpdump
                  248 root        1  96    0  1352K  984K select  0:01  0.00% syslogd
                  946 proxy      1  4    0  656K  412K kqread  0:00  0.00% pftpx
                1019 root        1  8    0  1304K  984K nanslp  0:00  0.00% cron
                  829 root        1  8    0  8944K  4552K wait    0:00  0.00% php
                7799 root        1  20    0  3928K  2532K pause    0:00  0.00% tcsh
                1103 root        1  8    0  1568K  1240K wait    0:00  0.00% login
                7692 root        1  8    0  1640K  1132K wait    0:00  0.00% sh

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                • S
                  sullrich
                  last edited by

                  Any idea what rix is?  Never heard of that..

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                  • P
                    pcatiprodotnet
                    last edited by

                    It seems to run fast for ~5-8 hours, then gets sluggish for a few more hours, then reboots after that, like clockwork.
                    Here is, presumably, a last "top" before it rebooted; It appears ok…

                    last pid: 58198;  load averages:  0.08,  0.07,  0.07    up 0+14:26:31  17:55:56
                    32 processes:  1 running, 31 sleeping
                    CPU states:  1.9% user,  0.4% nice,  2.3% system,  3.1% interrupt, 92.3% idle
                    Mem: 11M Active, 10M Inact, 16M Wired, 12M Buf, 79M Free
                    Swap:

                    PID USERNAME  THR PRI NICE  SIZE    RES STATE    TIME  WCPU COMMAND
                    1038 root        1  8    0  2544K  2172K nanslp  19:25  1.12% olsrd
                    1447 root        1  96    0  2332K  1556K RUN      5:19  0.00% top
                      993 root        1  8  20  1740K  1248K wait    0:43  0.00% sh
                    1426 root        1  96    0  5592K  2608K select  0:42  0.00% sshd
                    1068 root        1  8  20  1180K  564K nanslp  0:21  0.00% check_reload_st
                    1017 root        1  8  -88  1328K  796K nanslp  0:10  0.00% watchdogd
                    1036 nobody      1  96    0  1332K  1016K select  0:06  0.00% dnsmasq
                      828 root        1  4    0  3104K  2196K kqread  0:06  0.00% lighttpd
                      498 root        1 -58    0  3664K  1536K bpf      0:04  0.00% tcpdump
                      946 proxy      1  4    0  656K  412K kqread  0:01  0.00% pftpx
                      248 root        1  96    0  1352K  984K select  0:01  0.00% syslogd
                    1019 root        1  8    0  1304K  984K nanslp  0:01  0.00% cron
                      833 root        1  8    0  8944K  4552K wait    0:00  0.00% php
                      829 root        1  8    0  8944K  4564K wait    0:00  0.00% php
                    1446 root        1  20    0  3924K  2524K pause    0:00  0.00% tcsh
                    1075 root        1  8    0  1568K  1236K wait    0:00  0.00% login
                    1430 root        1  8    0  1640K  1132K wait    0:00  0.00% sh

                    What is the path+name of the system log file?  I could leave an ssh window open with "tail -f" on it.

                    There is no difference FreeBSD wise....  Nothing has changed except pfSense code which would not be causing this.

                    Ok.  I the only other difference I could think of is this unit has two Atheros based cards in it, all other production units have just one.  I've tested both cards individually, and they do both function for days.  However, you'll find this second card is likely unprecedented...
                    http://www.ubnt.com/super_range9.php4

                    Or maybe heat.

                    It could be these two mini-pci wireless cards combined are generating too much heat.
                    One is 400mW 2.4ghz, and the other is 700mW 900mhz card.  Although, after rebooting
                    it does run smooth and fast again for ~5-8 more hours.

                    Thank you for the help, -Pete

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                    • K
                      KiFFuSeR
                      last edited by

                      @pcatiprodotnet:

                      It could be these two mini-pci wireless cards combined are generating too much heat.
                      One is 400mW 2.4ghz, and the other is 700mW 900mhz card.  Although, after rebooting
                      it does run smooth and fast again for ~5-8 more hours.

                      Can the WRAP handle the power requirements for those cards?

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                      • S
                        sullrich
                        last edited by

                        That was my other thought, are the power supplies up to snuff'.

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                        • P
                          pcatiprodotnet
                          last edited by

                          Can the WRAP handle the power requirements for those cards.
                          are the power supplies up to snuff.

                          If it's power, would turning down the wireless tx Power in the gui help?

                          Here are the PoE specs:

                          Switching Power Supply, 18v, 0.84a, 15w
                          http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_55&products_id=258

                          Also,

                          The 400mW 2.4GHz mini-pci card…
                          http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?cPath=26_34&products_id=279

                          The 700mW 900MHz mini-pci card...
                          http://www.ubnt.com/super_range9.php4

                          The WRAP.2C
                          http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?products_id=241

                          [disclaimer: links provided for information; items were not necessarily purchased there]

                          [update]
                          I disabled Opt1 (the 900mhz card) interface, and it's been running smooth for 24hrs.
                          Next, I'll try a the same setup on different hardware, then I may resort 1 card per wrap.

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                          • L
                            lsf
                            last edited by

                            uhm ,normally the cards use more power on lower speeds, and turning down power might mean lower speed.
                            So basically you could be shooting yourself by doing that.

                            SR-9 spec:

                            Current Consumption @3.3V

                            Transmit     
                            1-24 Mbps    1000mA, +/-100mA
                            36 Mbps        900mA, +/-100mA
                            48 Mbps        850mA, +/-100mA
                            54 Mbps        800mA, +/-100mA

                            Receive  400mA, +/-50mA

                            This is similar for most wireless cards, however the SR-9 consumes a lot of power.

                            -lsf

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                            • A
                              aldo
                              last edited by

                              total output of wrap with two wireless cards is about 22w
                              8watts real power from one atheros card
                              so if your usinf 400mw cards then you will be more

                              also make sure your bios is up to daye this can cause issues with minipci bus and atheroes cards

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                              • K
                                KiFFuSeR
                                last edited by

                                Even today, when AR5004x begins to be EOL, I still think cards like CM9 are the way to go. It's a shame that Atheros stop production of this wonderfull chipsets in flavour of the cheap AR5006x. I know i'll miss CM9 a lot…

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