Wireless problems

[karlseguin]

Hi, I just setup a new running box 2.1.2-RELEASE (amd64) and using an Compex WLE200NX which has an Atheros AR9280. The WIFI is horrible. It'll be good for 30 minutes or so, and then just completely suck for hours. Slow speed, dropped connections. Unusable.

First problem is that I don't really know what I'm doing. Hoping someone can point out a potential second problem? (I did play around with a lot of settings, if there's something cringeworthy, apologies).

$ sysctl hw.ath
hw.ath.bstuck: 4
hw.ath.txbuf: 4000
hw.ath.rxbuf: 4000
hw.ath.anical: 100
hw.ath.resetcal: 1200
hw.ath.shortcal: 100
hw.ath.longcal: 30

$ sysctl dev.ath.0
dev.ath.0.%desc: Atheros 9280
dev.ath.0.%driver: ath
dev.ath.0.%location: slot=0 function=0
dev.ath.0.%pnpinfo: vendor=0x168c device=0x002a subvendor=0x168c subdevice=0x3099 class=0x028000
dev.ath.0.%parent: pci4
dev.ath.0.smoothing_rate: 95
dev.ath.0.sample_rate: 10
dev.ath.0.sample_stats: 0
dev.ath.0.countrycode: 0
dev.ath.0.regdomain: 0
dev.ath.0.slottime: 9
dev.ath.0.acktimeout: 23
dev.ath.0.ctstimeout: 23
dev.ath.0.softled: 0
dev.ath.0.ledpin: 0
dev.ath.0.ledon: 0
dev.ath.0.ledidle: 270
dev.ath.0.txantenna: 0
dev.ath.0.rxantenna: 2
dev.ath.0.txintrperiod: 5
dev.ath.0.diag: 0
dev.ath.0.tpscale: 0
dev.ath.0.tpc: 0
dev.ath.0.tpack: 63
dev.ath.0.tpcts: 63
dev.ath.0.intmit: 1
dev.ath.0.monpass: 24
dev.ath.0.clear_stats: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_watchdog: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_hardware: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_bmiss: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_bmiss_phantom: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_bstuck: 812
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rxorn: 28774
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rxeol: 22
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_txurn: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_mib: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_intrcoal: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_packets: 3320155
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_mgmt: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_discard: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_qstop: 96162
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_encap: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nonode: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nombuf: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nomcl: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_linear: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nodata: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_busdma: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_xretries: 128263
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_fifoerr: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_filtered: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_shortretry: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_longretry: 2150012
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_badrate: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_noack: 44453
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_rts: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_cts: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_shortpre: 3276161
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_altrate: 83629
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_protect: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_ctsburst: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_ctsext: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_nombuf: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_busdma: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_orn: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_crcerr: 368455
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_fifoerr: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_badcrypt: 2
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_badmic: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_phyerr: 2
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_tooshort: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_toobig: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_packets: 4150259
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_mgt: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_ctl: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_be_xmit: 336026
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_be_nombuf: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_per_cal: 1174
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_per_calfail: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_per_rfgain: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rate_calls: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rate_raise: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rate_drop: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ant_defswitch: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ant_txswitch: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_cabq_xmit: 42050
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_cabq_busy: 10332
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_raw: 64912
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ff_txok: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ff_txerr: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ff_rx: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ff_flush: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_qfull: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nobuf: 3038
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tdma_update: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tdma_timers: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tdma_tsf: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tdma_ack: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_raw_fail: 3038
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_nofrag: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_be_missed: 15137
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_ani_cal: 347081
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_agg: 39
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_halfgi: 505
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_2040: 37
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_pre_crc_err: 305867
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_post_crc_err: 352
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_decrypt_busy_err: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_hi_rx_chain: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_htprotect: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_rx_hitqueueend: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_timeout: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_cst: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_xtxop: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_timerexpired: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.ast_tx_desccfgerr: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.0: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.1: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.2: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.3: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.4: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.5: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.6: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.7: 2
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.8: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.9: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.10: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.11: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.12: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.13: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.14: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.15: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.16: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.17: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.18: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.19: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.20: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.21: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.22: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.23: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.24: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.25: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.26: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.27: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.28: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.29: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.30: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.31: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.32: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.33: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.34: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.35: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.36: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.37: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.38: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.39: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.40: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.41: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.42: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.43: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.44: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.45: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.46: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.47: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.48: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.49: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.50: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.51: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.52: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.53: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.54: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.55: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.56: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.57: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.58: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.59: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.60: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.61: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.62: 0
dev.ath.0.stats.rx_phy_err.63: 0
dev.ath.0.hal.debug: 0
dev.ath.0.hal.ar5416_biasadj: 0
dev.ath.0.hal.dma_brt: 2
dev.ath.0.hal.sw_brt: 10
dev.ath.0.hal.swba_backoff: 0

$ athstats
athstats: ath0: Invalid argument
athstats: ath0: Invalid argument
4259262  data frames received
3420863  data frames transmit
84271    tx frames with an alternate rate
2172808  long on-chip tx retries
130067   tx failed 'cuz too many retries
812      stuck beacon conditions
24M      current transmit rate
28774    recv overrun interrupts
22       recv eol interrupts
96162    tx stopped 'cuz no xmit buffer
3038     tx failed 'cuz dma buffer allocation failed
45053    tx frames with no ack marked
3310624  tx frames with short preamble
373565   rx failed 'cuz of bad CRC
2        rx failed 'cuz decryption
2        rx failed 'cuz of PHY err
    2        transmit override receive
339123   beacons transmitted
1185     periodic calibrations
-0/+0    TDMA slot adjust (usecs, smoothed)
46       rssi of last ack
38       avg recv rssi
-96      rx noise floor
65213    tx frames through raw api
3038     raw tx failed 'cuz interface/hw down
42577    cabq frames transmitted
10528    cabq xmit overflowed beacon interval
Antenna profile:
[0] tx  3278466 rx     5041
[1] tx        0 rx  3434509
[2] tx        0 rx   819712

$ ifconfig -v ath0
ath0: flags=8843 <up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>metric 0 mtu 2290
  ether 04:f0:21:0a:69:d5
  media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet autoselect mode 11g <hostap>
  status: running</hostap></up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>