# b43 dropping connection

## 666threesixes666

my b43 likes to drop the connection to wpa2 access point after a minute of inactivity.  it has been noted elsewhere.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1390174

its hardware is b4311 & software is b43 + nm-applet....

im experiencing strange behavior where i have to run wicd's refresh to load the network list also.

dmesg is flooded with these messages....

```

[  112.525837] wlan0: authenticate with xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

[  112.555080] wlan0: send auth to xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx (try 1/3)

[  112.756045] wlan0: send auth to xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx (try 2/3)

[  112.957048] wlan0: send auth to xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx (try 3/3)

[  113.158031] wlan0: authentication with xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx timed out

&&

[  125.949399] wlan0: RX AssocResp from xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=1)

[  125.949829] wlan0: associated

[  125.949874] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready

[  127.058164] wlan0: deauthenticating from xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx by local choice (reason=3)

```

another instance....

still connected, pages stop responding, cant ping google cant ping gateway....

dmesg says 

"wlan0: authenticated"

----------

## Logicien

Did you disable the power management on the wireless card?

```
iwconfig wlan0 power off
```

I ever had a Broadcom wireless card. For long I was force to use the broadcom-sta wl module. The b43 module was not working. At the end, b43 was working. The firmware version in use can make a difference.

 I set my country option in cfg80211 module and use specials options for module mac80211 in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf

```
options cfg80211 ieee80211_regdom=CA

options mac80211 max_nullfunc_tries=60 max_probe_tries=60 probe_wait_ms=3600000
```

With the mac80211 options, I try to give all the time needed to prevent disconncection. That may not make a difference at all. I just come to check dmesg on my two laptops. I have no wireless lan message since the connexion have been established. But they do not use b43, they use ath9k and rt2800pci modules.

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## 666threesixes666

i used fwcutter and broadcom firmware to get b43 working....  im using it because of aircrack...  i think im going to have to get another module for daily use going, possibly broadcom-sta though i dislike that idea, i like the idea of having the power to be a wireless access point.

```

mkultra@mkultra [ ~ ]$ sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off

Error for wireless request "Set Power Management" (8B2C) :

    SET failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.

```

it could have something to do with the kernel, as i updated to 3.9.3, and did not follow the wireless wiki on kernel configuration, and didnt have this problem in 3.7.x series of kernels.  its bad, like every 2 minutes dropping regardless of load or no load.

powersaving by default was compiled into my kernel...  ill try chopping that 1 option out.

----------

