Ubuntu
linux package

acer_wmi blocks wlan rfkill status to disabled on Acer Aspire 4820TG

Bug #578909 reported by Tommaso R. Donnarumma
22
This bug affects 3 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux (Ubuntu)
Expired
High
Unassigned

Bug Description

NetworkManager always reports "Wireless is disabled", and the acer_wmi rfkill device in sysfs always reports state=0. Trying to write 1 to the rfkill device state doesn't produce errors, but it doesn't produce any results either, i.e. the state stays set at 0 and the wireless radio stays off. Removing the acer_wmi module removes the rfkill device, turning on the wireless radio.

I also tested this with upstream kernel using the 2.6.34-020634rc7-generic package from the Kernel Team PPA, with the same results.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-22-generic 2.6.32-22.33 [modified: lib/modules/2.6.32-22-generic/kernel/drivers/net/atl1e/atl1e.ko]
Regression: No
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: tawmas 1617 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xdc500000 irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC269'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10250359,00100100'
   Controls : 16
   Simple ctrls : 9
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'Generic'/'HD-Audio Generic at 0xdc420000 irq 17'
   Mixer name : 'ATI R6xx HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100200'
   Controls : 4
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [off]
Date: Tue May 11 19:55:15 2010
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=74fcdf09-98ca-47e7-b54d-e8ea949388cd
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
MachineType: Acer Aspire 4820TG
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=f088dc9b-763e-4cec-b26a-c6eef63ad52a ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
dmi.bios.date: 04/07/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: INSYDE
dmi.bios.version: V1.06
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: ZQ1B
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Base Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnINSYDE:bvrV1.06:bd04/07/2010:svnAcer:pnAspire4820TG:pvrV1.06:rvnAcer:rnZQ1B:rvrBaseBoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct1:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Aspire 4820TG
dmi.product.version: V1.06
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

Revision history for this message
Tommaso R. Donnarumma (tawmas) wrote :
summary: - acer_wmi blocks wlan rfkill status on Acer Aspire 4820TG
+ acer_wmi blocks wlan rfkill status to disabled on Acer Aspire 4820TG
Revision history for this message
Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee) wrote :

Hi Tommaso,

If you could also please test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

tags: added: kj-triage
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Tommaso R. Donnarumma (tawmas) wrote :

Hi Jeremy, as stated in the bug description I already did that. I also against 2.6.34-020634rc7-generic and the bug was still present.

tags: removed: needs-upstream-testing
Tommaso R. Donnarumma (tawmas)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → New
Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)
tags: added: kernel-needs-review kernel-net
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Triaged
importance: Undecided → High
Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)
tags: added: kernel-candidate kernel-reviewed
removed: kernel-needs-review
Andy Whitcroft (apw)
tags: removed: kernel-candidate
Revision history for this message
Manoj Iyer (manjo) wrote :

It looks like a patch that fixes this issue is already in the latest lucid kernel, can you please upgrade your kernel and report if this problem is actually fixed?

*Acer* dmi modalias wildcard causes the driver to load on systems that are unsupported, causing the network manager to report that it is disabled, coz sysfs rfkill entry is always disabled. upstream patch
 commit a74dd5fdabcd34c93e17e9c7024eeb503c92b048
 acer-wmi: Blacklist Acer Aspire One
supposed to fix this issue, and is already in the lucid kernel.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
assignee: nobody → Manoj Iyer (manjo)
status: Triaged → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Tommaso R. Donnarumma (tawmas) wrote :

@Manoj: I'm running the current kernel and the bug is not fixed for me.

tawmas@tylke:~$ uname -a
Linux tylke 2.6.32-24-generic #38-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jul 5 09:20:59 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Reading the quoted commit message, I get the impression that the fix is specific for the Acer Aspire One.

Revision history for this message
C de-Avillez (hggdh2) wrote :

resetting to triaged, given OP's response.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Triaged
Revision history for this message
Bart Van Assche (bart-vanassche) wrote :

Same problem with the Acer Aspire 7551G and Ubuntu 10.10 x86_64 (kernel 2.6.35-22-generic).

Revision history for this message
Bart Van Assche (bart-vanassche) wrote :

Still occurs with the upstream 2.6.27-rc3+ kernel.

Revision history for this message
Lele83x (lele83x) wrote :

same issue with acer travelmate 8172t with broadcom BCM43225 wireless (using brcm80211 open source driver) I had to blacklist acer-wmi but now I have bluetooth hard blocked automatically at booth and using key combination to turn it on freezes the computer

Revision history for this message
tijnema (tijnema) wrote :

Same here with Acer Aspire 7552G. Wireless is not working with NetworkManager unless acer_wmi is removed (eg. rmmod acer_wmi).

With acer_wmi loaded, I get
sudo rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
2: acer-wireless: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: yes
        Hard blocked: no
3: acer-bluetooth: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: yes
        Hard blocked: no
4: brcmwl-0: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no

and when acer_wmi is removed, I get
sudo rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
4: brcmwl-0: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no

So it seems like there are two drivers handling the same device?
My chip is Broadcom BCM4357 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller 5.100.82.38 (Bluetooth & Wireless-N)

Ike Panhc (ikepanhc)
tags: added: acer-wmi-rfkill
Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Tommaso R. Donnarumma, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Please do not test the daily kernel folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.12-rc2

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
assignee: Manoj Iyer (manjo) → nobody
status: Triaged → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Expired
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