Configuring WiFi6 as AP in linux with hostapd

[Shm]

Hello,

I am trying to configure Intel AX200 as WiFi6 access point.Currently I am using hostapd to configure AX200 as AP. I have enabled the ieee80211ax flag in hostapd.conf. I could see the HE capabilities of
802.11ax standard advertised in the beacon frames of the AP .

When I connect WiFi6 stations(also AX200's) to the access point ,I could see a crash in the iwlwifi driver.
I was usingUbuntu both on AP and station with kernel version 5.4 running on both.

I upgraded to stable Kernel versions 5.7 ,5.8 and 5.9. The crash is seen in all the version.

I used iwlwifi-backport(core56 and master both) drivers but crash persists.

When I used iwlwifi-next tree which has linux kernel 5.9 rc6, the STA did not try to establish an WiFi6 connection. 
I am attaching the dmesg where crash can be observed  and hostapd debug logs.

The hostapd.conf is below:

interface=wlp3s0
driver=nl80211
logger_syslog=-1
logger_syslog_level=2
logger_stdout=-1
logger_stdout_level=2
ctrl_interface=/var/run/hostapd
ctrl_interface_group=0
ssid=WiFi_AX200
hw_mode=g
channel=6
beacon_int=100
dtim_period=2
max_num_sta=255
rts_threshold=-1
fragm_threshold=-1
macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
wmm_enabled=1
wmm_ac_bk_cwmin=4
wmm_ac_bk_cwmax=10
wmm_ac_bk_aifs=7
wmm_ac_bk_txop_limit=0
wmm_ac_bk_acm=0
wmm_ac_be_aifs=3
wmm_ac_be_cwmin=4
wmm_ac_be_cwmax=10
wmm_ac_be_txop_limit=0
wmm_ac_be_acm=0
wmm_ac_vi_aifs=2
wmm_ac_vi_cwmin=3
wmm_ac_vi_cwmax=4
wmm_ac_vi_txop_limit=94
wmm_ac_vi_acm=0
wmm_ac_vo_aifs=2
wmm_ac_vo_cwmin=2
wmm_ac_vo_cwmax=3
wmm_ac_vo_txop_limit=47
wmm_ac_vo_acm=0
ieee80211n=1
ht_capab=[LDPC][SMPS-DYNAMIC][TX-STBC][RX-STBC-1][MAX-AMSDU-7935][DSSS_CCK-40]
ieee80211ac=1
vht_capab=[SOUNDING-DIMENSION-2][BF-ANTENNA-2]
ieee80211ax=1
he_su_beamformer=1
he_su_beamformee=1
he_mu_beamformer=1
he_bss_color=1
he_default_pe_duration=0
he_basic_mcs_nss_set=2
eap_server=0
wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=test12345
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
wpa_pairwise=TKIP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP

[Alberto_Sykes]

Shm, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

In reference to your inquiry, please try the following troubleshooting steps in order to determine if there might be a problem with the Wireless configuration:

WiFi troubleshooting steps

Step 1: Check whether the kernel version supports this device:

The reference table of Wireless adapters and corresponding kernel versions is available in the following link:

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi

The latest FWs are available by the following link:​

​https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/

If the kernel version corresponds to the Wireless adapter, proceed with step 2.

Step 2: Check whether the Wireless adapter is connected correctly:

Type the following command to the terminal: # lspci​ 

Verify that the Intel network controller ​is identified, as on a picture below. If not, then the system doesn't identify the Intel networidentifyk adapter and you will need to make sure it's properly integrated. You may need to request help from the system manufacturer. If the wireless adapter is properly identified - proceed with the step 3.

Step 3: Check whether this is an iwlwifi issue:

Type the following command to the terminal: # modinfo iwlwifi​ (example of the command output is on the picture below). If there is no output, then the module isn’t installed this is the distribution installation issue.

Please type: # lsmod | grep iwlwifi​   

If the result is empty, the driver hasn't been loaded. Most likely to be a distribution issue.

To verify, please type: # dmesg | grep iwlwifi​   

If the result is empty, the driver wasn’t initialized and this is a distribution issue. If the result is populated as on the above picture, proceeed with the step 4.

Step 4: Check whether the suitable firmware is installed:

Please type: # dmesg | grep “no suitable firmware found!”​

If the result is not empty, it means you don’t have a suitable FW (api mentioned in the dmesg).

Please visit here​ h​ttps://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi ​for supported FW, or here​ ​https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/ for the latest versions.

If these steps didn't reveal the issue or didn't solve the problem, proceed with the Step 5: 

Step 5: Collect the debug data:

Please type: # dmesg | grep ASSERT​ 

If the output is empty, please follow this wiki: https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi/debugging ​to extract dmesg and trace-cmd.

If the output has value, please collect from the wiki FW dump too.

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Shm]

Hello,

Thanks for your response.

I have tried the steps you have mentioned.  Below is the details of them.

1. The Linux Kernel is supported. I am using Linux version 5.4 and above which is supported by AX200.

2. The wireless adapter is connected correctly. I could see AX200 in the output of lspci.

3. # modinfo iwlwifi , # lsmod | grep iwlwifi​   and # dmesg | grep iwlwifi​ are giving outputs which have iwlwifi in them . Hence driver is initialized.

4. # dmesg | grep “no suitable firmware found!”​ is giving empty result.

5. The output for # dmesg | grep ASSERT​  is not empty. It can also be seen in the dmesg logs I have attached.

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, You are very welcome, thank you very much for providing that information.

We will do further research on this matter, as soon as I get any updates I will post all the details on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Shm]

Hello,

As a follow up, I would like to get steps to configure AX200 as an AP from your side.

Could you please brief me how AX200 can be configured as an AP?

What are the configuration required for that?For example Linux Kernel version, hostapd version, hostapd config file, iwlwifi drivers etc.

Thanks in advance.

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, I just received an update on this matter.

While we are still working on this case, just to let you know, it looks like the configuration is okay, but the new FW can be required to configure MAC with an enabled ax. Could you please test the following FW on the AP device?:

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/?id=4f41e9d6437d03e7ce9279076107dd08f46656f3

If the issue is still reproducible, please provide trace-cmd data:

trace-cmd -e cfg80211 -e mac80211 -e iwlwifi

In the meantime, I will check if the information that you are requesting in your last post is available, as soon as I get any updates, I will let you know on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Shm]

Hello,

I used the new firmware(iwlwifi-cc-a0-46.ucode for AX200) from the link provided and did my test.

When STA tries to conncet to AP, I am able to see the crash in iwlwifi. The behavior is same as before.

I am attaching the dmesg logs and the hostapd logs.

Thanks.

[Shm]

Also the command trace-cmd  doesn't have -e option.

Please provide the exact command to get the details using trace-cmd command.

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, I just wanted to check if you saw the information posted previously and if you need further assistance on this matter?

For your information, we are still trying to gather the information that you requested before.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Shm, I just received an update on this matter.

In reference to your request about the steps to configure the Intel® AX200 card as an AP, you will need to install the firmware showing in the following link: 

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/commit/?id=4f41e9d6437d03e7ce9279076107dd08f46656f3

We also recommend using the latest kernel version:

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/documentation/hostapd?s[]=hostapd

If the issue still occurs, please provide the trace-cmd data:

trace-cmd -e cfg80211 -e mac80211 -e iwlwifi

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, I just wanted to check if you saw the information posted previously and if you need further assistance on this matter?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Shm, Thank you very much for sharing those details.

"Please provide the exact command to get the details using trace-cmd command" I will double-check on this information in order to try to provide the command you are requesting, as soon as I get a confirmation I will post all the details on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, I just received an update on this matter.3

After checking the case, it seems that the FW version was not changed. When checking both the previous dmesg file and the one attached recently, the FW version in both cases is the same:

-previous: 264.892131] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: Loaded firmware version: 48.4fa0041f.0 cc-a0-48.ucode

-latest: 449.587954] iwlwifi 0000:06:00.0: Loaded firmware version: 48.4fa0041f.0 cc-a0-48.ucode

So, please make sure that you are using the correct FW, delete all iwlwifi FW versions from /lib/firmware and copy the new one.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, I just wanted to check if you saw the information posted previously and if you need further assistance on this matter?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Alberto_Sykes]

Hello Shm, Since I have not heard back from you, we are closing the case, but if you have any additional questions, please post them on a new thread so we can further assist you with this matter.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[gusarg81]

Hi,

Related to this thread, I wanted to ask if AP mode is supported by this chipset in Linux (and by using hostapd).

Currently is for a project, for a small home server that I want it as for AP too.

If possible to make it work as AP mode (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz in my case, not WIFI6 devices yet in my home), is there any documentation around there to make it work by using hostapd?

My OS is Ubuntu 20.04, kernel 5.8.0.

Thanks in advance.

[gusarg81]

Nice, nobody replies....

[AlHill]

Nice, you are on a thread from 10 months ago, which has been closed.

Start a new thread explaining your problem.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Windows 11 is the new Vista]