Openwrt does not start after installing kmod-madwifi

[zam0d3gykus@…]

Openwrt works fine after flashing the router.
The problem begins after installing kmod-madwifi: the router does not start.

Last messages seen on console are about initializing atheros wifi card.
After these messages, there is no prompt returned on console.
The router is IP unresponsive and power led is off.
The problem appeared in backfire 10.03-rc2

Hardware:

• Asus WL500g Premium v1
• wifi miniPCI card based on Atheros 5212
• UART0 connected through PL2303 TTL to USB converter

How to reproduce:

• flash asus router with backfire 10.03-rc2 or later
• IP configuration so that router has internet access
• opkg install kmod-madwifi
• as no prompt is returned at previous step, power-cycle the device
• router will reboot, but it will never become operational

This problem is not present in older releases.
These are the results of my testing:

This problem is not present in following releases:

• kamikaze 8.09.2
• backfire 10.03-beta
• backfire 10.03-rc1

This problem is present in following releases:

• backfire 10.03-rc2
• backfire 10.03-rc3
• backfire 10.03
• backfire 10.03.1-rc4

Below are router outputs that may be relevant.
All command are issued over serial console.
This is a freshly flashed and functional router running Backfire 10.03

Install madwifi

BusyBox v1.15.3 (2010-04-06 04:08:20 CEST) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 Backfire (10.03, r20728) --------------------------
  * 1/3 shot Kahlua    In a shot glass, layer Kahlua
  * 1/3 shot Bailey's  on the bottom, then Bailey's,
  * 1/3 shot Vodka     then Vodka.
 ---------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:/# route add default gw 192.168.1.254
root@OpenWrt:/# echo "" > /etc/resolv.conf
root@OpenWrt:/# echo "nameserver 192.168.1.254" >> /etc/resolv.conf
root@OpenWrt:/#
root@OpenWrt:/# opkg update
Downloading http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03/brcm47xx/packages/Packages.gz.
Inflating http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03/brcm47xx/packages/Packages.gz.
Updated list of available packages in /var/opkg-lists/packages.
root@OpenWrt:/#
root@OpenWrt:/# opkg remove luci-admin-mini --force-depends
Removing package luci-admin-mini from root...
root@OpenWrt:/#
root@OpenWrt:/# opkg install kmod-madwifi
Installing kmod-madwifi (2.6.32.10+r3314-4) to root...
Downloading http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03/brcm47xx/packages/kmod-madwifi_2.6.32.10+r3314-4_brcm47xx.ipk.
Configuring kmod-madwifi.
ath_hal: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
ath_hal: 2009-05-08 (AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, AR5416, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413, RF2133, RF2425, REGOPS_FUNC, XR)

There is no prompt returned even after 20 minutes.
Router is power-cycled.

After reboot:

CFE version 1.0.37 for BCM947XX (32bit,SP,LE)
Build Date: �T 12�� 14 15:54:18 CST 2005 (root@localhost.localdomain)
Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002,2003 Broadcom Corporation.

Initializing Arena
Initializing Devices.
et0: Broadcom BCM47xx 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Controller 3.90.23.0
rndis0: Broadcom USB RNDIS Network Adapter (P-t-P)
CPU type 0x29006: 264MHz
Total memory: 16777216 KBytes

Total memory used by CFE:  0x80800000 - 0x8089B590 (636304)
Initialized Data:          0x80831700 - 0x80833DE0 (9952)
BSS Area:                  0x80833DE0 - 0x80835590 (6064)
Local Heap:                0x80835590 - 0x80899590 (409600)
Stack Area:                0x80899590 - 0x8089B590 (8192)
Text (code) segment:       0x80800000 - 0x80831700 (202496)
Boot area (physical):      0x0089C000 - 0x008DC000
Relocation Factor:         I:00000000 - D:00000000

Device eth0:  hwaddr 00-17-31-DF-82-93, ipaddr 192.168.1.1, mask 255.255.255.0
        gateway not set, nameserver not set
Null Rescue Flag.
Loader:raw Filesys:raw Dev:flash0.os File: Options:(null)
Loading: .. 4092 bytes read
Entry at 0x80001000
Closing network.
Starting program at 0x80001000
Linux version 2.6.32.10 (openwrt@wrt1.marcant.net) (gcc version 4.3.3 (GCC) ) #20 Tue Apr 6 15:53:48 CEST 2010
CPU revision is: 00029006 (Broadcom BCM3302)
ssb: Core 0 found: ChipCommon (cc 0x800, rev 0x03, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 1 found: Fast Ethernet (cc 0x806, rev 0x06, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 2 found: Fast Ethernet (cc 0x806, rev 0x06, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 3 found: USB 1.1 Hostdev (cc 0x808, rev 0x03, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 4 found: PCI (cc 0x804, rev 0x08, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 5 found: MIPS 3302 (cc 0x816, rev 0x03, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 6 found: V90 (cc 0x807, rev 0x02, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 7 found: IPSEC (cc 0x80B, rev 0x00, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Core 8 found: MEMC SDRAM (cc 0x80F, rev 0x02, vendor 0x4243)
ssb: Initializing MIPS core...
ssb: set_irq: core 0x0806, irq 4 => 4
ssb: set_irq: core 0x0806, irq 5 => 5
ssb: set_irq: core 0x0808, irq 6 => 2
ssb: set_irq: core 0x0804, irq 2 => 6
ssb: after irq reconfiguration
ssb: core 0x0800, irq : 2(S)  3* 4  5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x0806, irq : 2(S)  3  4* 5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x0806, irq : 2(S)  3  4  5* 6  D  I
ssb: core 0x0808, irq : 2(S)* 3  4  5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x0804, irq : 2(S)  3  4  5  6* D  I
ssb: core 0x0816, irq : 2(S)* 3  4  5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x0807, irq : 2(S)* 3  4  5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x080b, irq : 2(S)* 3  4  5  6  D  I
ssb: core 0x080f, irq : 2(S)  3  4  5  6  D  I*
ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found at address 0x18000000
Serial init done.
Determined physical RAM map:
 memory: 01000000 @ 00000000 (usable)
Initrd not found or empty - disabling initrd
Zone PFN ranges:
  Normal   0x00000000 -> 0x00001000
Movable zone start PFN for each node
early_node_map[1] active PFN ranges
    0: 0x00000000 -> 0x00001000
Built 1 zonelists in Zone order, mobility grouping off.  Total pages: 4064
Kernel command line: root=/dev/mtdblock2 rootfstype=squashfs,jffs2 noinitrd console=ttyS0,115200
PID hash table entries: 64 (order: -4, 256 bytes)
Dentry cache hash table entries: 2048 (order: 1, 8192 bytes)
Inode-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
Primary instruction cache 16kB, VIPT, 2-way, linesize 16 bytes.
Primary data cache 16kB, 2-way, VIPT, cache aliases, linesize 16 bytes
Memory: 13280k/16384k available (2322k kernel code, 3104k reserved, 357k data, 136k init, 0k highmem)
Hierarchical RCU implementation.
NR_IRQS:128
console [ttyS0] enabled
Calibrating delay loop... 263.16 BogoMIPS (lpj=526336)
Mount-cache hash table entries: 512
NET: Registered protocol family 16
bio: create slab <bio-0> at 0
Switching to clocksource MIPS
ssb: PCIcore in host mode found
PCI: Fixing up bridge 0000:00:00.0
PCI: Fixing up device 0000:00:00.0
PCI: Fixing latency timer of device 0000:00:00.0 to 168
pci 0000:00:03.0: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot
pci 0000:00:03.0: PME# disabled
pci 0000:00:03.1: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot
pci 0000:00:03.1: PME# disabled
pci 0000:00:03.2: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot
pci 0000:00:03.2: PME# disabled
NET: Registered protocol family 2
IP route cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
TCP established hash table entries: 512 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
TCP bind hash table entries: 512 (order: -1, 2048 bytes)
TCP: Hash tables configured (established 512 bind 512)
TCP reno registered
NET: Registered protocol family 1
squashfs: version 4.0 (2009/01/31) Phillip Lougher
Registering mini_fo version $Id$
JFFS2 version 2.2. (NAND) (SUMMARY)  © 2001-2006 Red Hat, Inc.
msgmni has been set to 25
io scheduler noop registered
io scheduler deadline registered (default)
Serial: 8250/16550 driver, 2 ports, IRQ sharing enabled
�erial8250: ttyS0 at MMIO 0xb8000300 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
serial8250: ttyS1 at MMIO 0xb8000400 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
serial8250.0: ttyS0 at MMIO 0xb8000300 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
serial8250.0: ttyS1 at MMIO 0xb8000400 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
flash init: 0x1c000000 0x02000000
Physically mapped flash: Found 1 x16 devices at 0x0 in 16-bit bank
 Amd/Fujitsu Extended Query Table at 0x0040
Physically mapped flash: CFI does not contain boot bank location. Assuming top.
number of CFI chips: 1
cfi_cmdset_0002: Disabling erase-suspend-program due to code brokenness.
Flash device: 0x800000 at 0x1fc00000
bootloader size: 262144
Creating 4 MTD partitions on "Physically mapped flash":
0x000000000000-0x000000040000 : "cfe"
0x000000040000-0x0000007f0000 : "linux"
0x00000011a400-0x0000007f0000 : "rootfs"
mtd: partition "rootfs" must either start or end on erase block boundary or be smaller than an erase block -- forcing read-only
mtd: partition "rootfs" set to be root filesystem
mtd: partition "rootfs_data" created automatically, ofs=2F0000, len=500000
0x0000002f0000-0x0000007f0000 : "rootfs_data"
0x0000007f0000-0x000000800000 : "nvram"
b44.c:v2.0
eth0: Broadcom 44xx/47xx 10/100BaseT Ethernet 00:17:31:df:82:93
b44: eth1: PHY Reset would not complete.
eth1: Broadcom 44xx/47xx 10/100BaseT Ethernet 40:10:18:00:00:2d
BCM47xx Watchdog Timer enabled (30 seconds, nowayout)
TCP westwood registered
NET: Registered protocol family 17
802.1Q VLAN Support v1.8 Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
All bugs added by David S. Miller <davem@redhat.com>
VFS: Mounted root (squashfs filesystem) readonly on device 31:2.
Freeing unused kernel memory: 136k freed
Please be patient, while OpenWrt loads ...
diag: Detected 'ASUS WL-500g Premium'
b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
roboswitch: Probing device eth0: found a 5325! It's a 5350.
- preinit -
b44: eth0: powering down PHY
b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
b44: eth0: powering down PHY
Press the [f] key and hit [enter] to enter failsafe mode
- regular preinit -
b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
b44: eth0: powering down PHY
switching to jffs2
mini_fo: using base directory: /
mini_fo: using storage directory: /overlay
b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
b44: eth0: powering down PHY
- init -
b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
b44: eth0: powering down PHY

Please press Enter to activate this console. b44: eth0: Link is up at 100 Mbps, full duplex.
b44: eth0: Flow control is off for TX and off for RX.
device eth0.0 entered promiscuous mode
device eth0 entered promiscuous mode
br-lan: port 1(eth0.0) entering forwarding state
Generic kernel compatibility enabled based on linux-next next-20100113
cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain
Broadcom 43xx driver loaded [ Features: PL, Firmware-ID: FW13 ]
Broadcom 43xx-legacy driver loaded [ Features: PLID, Firmware-ID: FW10 ]
cfg80211: World regulatory domain updated:
    (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
    (2402000 KHz - 2472000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (2457000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (2474000 KHz - 2494000 KHz @ 20000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
    (5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
ip_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
NET: Registered protocol family 24
nf_conntrack version 0.5.0 (209 buckets, 836 max)
CONFIG_NF_CT_ACCT is deprecated and will be removed soon. Please use
nf_conntrack.acct=1 kernel parameter, acct=1 nf_conntrack module option or
sysctl net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct=1 to enable it.
ath_hal: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
ath_hal: 2009-05-08 (AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, AR5416, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413, RF2133, RF2425, REGOPS_FUNC, XR)
ath_pci: trunk
wlan: trunk
wlan: mac acl policy registered
ath_rate_minstrel: Minstrel automatic rate control algorithm 1.2 (trunk)
ath_rate_minstrel: look around rate set to 10%
ath_rate_minstrel: EWMA rolloff level set to 75%
ath_rate_minstrel: max segment size in the mrr set to 6000 us
PCI: Enabling device 0000:00:02.0 (0000 -> 0002)
PCI: Fixing up device 0000:00:02.0
Atheros HAL provided by OpenWrt, DD-WRT and MakSat Technologies
wifi0: 11a rates: 6Mbps 9Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
wifi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
wifi0: 11g rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps 6Mbps 9Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
wifi0: turboA rates: 6Mbps 9Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
wifi0: turboG rates: 6Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
wifi0: H/W encryption support: WEP AES AES_CCM TKIP
ath_pci: wifi0: Atheros 5212: mem=0x40000000, irq=6

At this moment, the router returns no prompt.
Router is IP unreachable now.

[nbd]

madwifi development has stopped, consider switching to ath5k

[jow]

Milestone Attitude Adjustment 12.09 deleted