# ath9k (AR5008) issues with kernel 3.*

## veezi

Anyone having issues with their ath9k wireless connection with recent 3.* kernel versions?

The link repeatedly 'stalls' for a second or two every 20 to 30 seconds. It's noticeable when for instance I ssh to the box over wireless. When I type characters stop displaying during those 'drops'.

I'm running gentoo-sources 3.1.10. And I've seen the same with the previous 3.x kernels. If I switch back to 2.6.37 all works fine.

Any hint appreciated.

----------

## bilbotux

Hey Veezi,

I think I'm experiencing similar issues (https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-908314.html), but for for 3.1.1 is good, 3.2 is not.

----------

## overkll

You are using ath9k for an ar5008?  Shouldn't you be using ath5k instead?

----------

## veezi

 *overkll wrote:*   

> You are using ath9k for an ar5008?  Shouldn't you be using ath5k instead?

 

I don't believe so.

http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/ath9k

----------

## overkll

My bad.  Haven't kept up with the latest news.  I just assumed ath5k was is ar5xxx and ath9k is for ar9xxx.

----------

## veezi

 *bilbotux wrote:*   

> Hey Veezi,
> 
> I think I'm experiencing similar issues (https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-908314.html), but for for 3.1.1 is good, 3.2 is not.

 

I guess they broke something for the ar5008 chip as well, with recent kernels.

Don't know what to do to be honest. I tried ndiswrapper. It worked fine at first, made me think "that's the way to go, and forget about native driver". But after a few minutes the connection drops completely and I have to reset the network to get it back on.

Don't want to be "stuck" in 2.6.37! Or be forced to buy a new card just to cope with new kernel versions. Sounds like Windows to me.

----------

## overkll

It's only been 4 years since ath9k came out.  You think it'd all be sorted out by now.  :Wink: 

----------

## Gusar

Try this patch: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/84750/focus=84793

 *veezi wrote:*   

> Don't want to be "stuck" in 2.6.37! Or be forced to buy a new card just to cope with new kernel versions. Sounds like Windows to me.

 

*facepalm*

You encounter a regression in a driver, a driver that is open source, that you can hack on, that you can bisect to figure out which change exactly broke things... and you're talking about buying new hardware and "like Windows"?? I repeat: *facepalm*

Oh, and there's more discussion about ath9k at the linux-wireless mailing list, with even more patches. Starts here: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.wireless.general/84725

Then there's another possibility, might work as a temporary workaround: disable hardware encryption. It's a module parameter, nohwcrypt=1

----------

