Boot method: DVD
Image version:
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.8.0-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: 2024-12-05

Machine: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. ASUS-NotebookSKU X551CA
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-3217U CPU @ 1.80GHz [ 4 Core ]
Memory: 4GiB
Partitions:

Disk /dev/sda: 465,76 GiB, 500107862016 bytes, 976773168 sectors
Disk model: WDC  WDS500G2B0A
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: BBFCEA72-6C62-4549-ADDE-6C2660252298

Device         Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sda1         34    262177    262144   128M Microsoft reserved
/dev/sda2     264192    468991    204800   100M EFI System
/dev/sda3     468992 466562180 466093189 222,3G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda4  466563072 468856831   2293760   1,1G Windows recovery
environment
/dev/sda5  468856832 484481023  15624192   7,5G Linux swap
/dev/sda6  484481024 976771071 492290048 234,7G Linux filesystem


Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn):

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor
DRAM Controller [8086:0154] (rev 09)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 3rd Gen Core processor DRAM Controller
[1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: ivb_uncore
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core
processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics
Controller [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series
Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller [8086:1e31] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family
USB xHCI Host Controller [1043:201f]
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_pci
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216
Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 [8086:1e3a] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family MEI
Controller [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
00:1a.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset
Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 [8086:1e2d] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB
Enhanced Host Controller [1043:201f]
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci
	Kernel modules: ehci_pci
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset
Family High Definition Audio Controller [8086:1e20] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High
Definition Audio Controller [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset
Family PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:1e10] (rev c4)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family PCI
Express Root Port 1 [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series
Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:1e12] (rev c4)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family
PCI Express Root Port 2 [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset
Family PCI Express Root Port 4 [8086:1e16] (rev c4)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family PCI
Express Root Port 4 [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset
Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 [8086:1e26] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB
Enhanced Host Controller [1043:201f]
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci
	Kernel modules: ehci_pci
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation HM76 Express Chipset LPC
Controller [8086:1e59] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. HM76 Express Chipset LPC Controller
[1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: lpc_ich
	Kernel modules: lpc_ich
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset
Family 6-port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [8086:1e03] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA
Controller [AHCI mode] [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
	Kernel modules: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family
SMBus Controller [8086:1e22] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family SMBus
Controller [1043:145d]
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c_i801
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless
Network Adapter [168c:0032] (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter
[11ad:6627]
	Kernel driver in use: ath9k
	Kernel modules: ath9k
03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5286
PCI Express Card Reader [10ec:5286] (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5286 PCI Express Card
Reader [10ec:5286]
	Kernel driver in use: rtsx_pci
	Kernel modules: rtsx_pci
03:00.2 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller [10ec:8136] (rev 06)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet
controller [1043:200f]
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169


Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [O]
Detect network card:    [O]
Configure network:      [E]
Detect media:           [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives:     [O]
Partition hard drives:  [O]
Install base system:    [O]
Clock/timezone setup:   [O]
User/password setup:    [O]
Install tasks:          [O / E]
Install boot loader:    [O]
Overall install:        [O / E]

Comments/Problems:

I did this Debian installation for a friend of mine who (unfortunately)
decided to keep the pre-installed proprietary operating system.

The problem during the installation was the following: d-i detected the
Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 wireless network card, but it couldn't connect
for some reason! This problem is present in the installed system, too:
the wifi networks are shown but no connections despite correct
passwords.
I tested with two different mobile phones using tethering wifi.

To continue somehow I did the installation with the netinst image
without
a network mirror. Then I copied all the necessary packages for the
Network
Manager from my personal notebook with an USB stick. So I could use
nm-tui
to configure my USB wifi adapter (which works with free firmware). Then
I installed manually using apt task-xfce-desktop, task-italian and
task-italian-desktop.

Thank you, Magnus

Ciao Magnus,

magnus@autistici.org <magnus@autistici.org> (2024-12-31):

That's a very interesting data point, thanks: that's not a limitation of
the installer environment then, most likely a problem with the Linux
kernel modules and/or firmware for this particular bit of hardware.

You could maybe give bookworm-backports a shot (sticking to a bookworm
baseline)? Or maybe you could look into the brand new Trixie Alpha 1
images we've just published (with a trixie aka. testing baseline)?
(Possibly just checking the wireless connection part, without installing
everything again… with a testing base this time.)


Cheers,

Happy New Year Cyril and any other reader!

Thank you Cyril for you quick reply!
stick
with the Trixie Alpha 1 Netinst: I checked the downloaded .iso by the
sha256sum command successfully. And I verified with success what was
written
to the USB stick with the command: dd if=/dev/sdb count=1630208 |
sha256sum

Unfortunately the problem is the same as with the bookworm installer:
The
Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 wireless network card is detected and d-i offers
to
choose from a list of available wireless networks. I chose the mobile
phone
on which I enabled tethering wifi. But d-i cannot connect despite trying
two
times and double-checking the password each time.

Any other ideas? What could I try when my friend will come again to my
home?

HTH, Magnus

magnus@autistici.org <magnus@autistici.org> (2025-01-05):

I'm discovering today protection-domain-mapper, maybe your card needs
that component?


Cheers,

(...)

I am not surprised. Atheros AR9485 is more than 10 years old and
supported since linux 2.6.38 so I did not expect any improvement in
Trixie. Can you try with other access points than mobile phones ?

kibi: Different issue, but when reading the installer syslog I noticed
that check-missing-firmware failed to identify and reload the proper
module ath9k_htc for the Atheros USB wireless adapter after installing
the missing firmware. So it seems that the workaround for the usb case
did not work here.

Hi Pascal, hi kibi ;-)
nearby coffee shop as we both only have mobile phones as access points.

If needed I could test my Atheros USB wireless adapter which uses free
firmware build from source (see #900171) with an updated netinst image
and provide the logs!

HTH, Magnus

Hi Pascal, hi kibi,
it worked. We were surprised that tethering wifi with the two different
mobile phones were successful that time, too!

Yesterday I tried to upgrade the notebook of my friend from Bookworm to
Trixie. But tethering wifi with my mobile phone did not work anymore!
:-(
The problem is the same: many wifi networks are seen but the connection
does not succeed! I completed the upgrade to Trixie using my AR9271 USB
wifi adapter (which is using free firmware compiled from source) and my
mobile phone.

Would you be willing to debug the problem? Of course, I would provide
all the logs you need. But I have to say that my friend has only this
notebook, therefore I expect that he wants it back quite soon!

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards, Magnus

Hi Debian Linux kernel maintainers,

As the problem described in this bug is present not only in the
installer but also in the installed system (one time it worked)
I'm asking you for help to debug it: according to Cyril it's

    "most likely a problem with the Linux kernel modules and/or firmware"
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1091799#10

I believe that the Linux kernel module is this one:
https://wiki.debian.org/ath9k
According to the firmware-summary attached to my installation
report I suppose that the firmware package is the following:
firmware-atheros

Using the 12.8.0 Netinst I tried to install on 2024-12-05 experiencing
the problem described in the Subject, with the two different mobile
phones. You can find the syslog of the installation attached to the
bug log. Months later instead the wifi network did successful connect,
with an access point of an Internet café and both mobile phones.

On 2025-10-09 I tried to upgrade Bookworm and full-upgrade to Trixie.
But unfortunately there was again the same problem: the wifi network
of my mobile phone was seen but no successful network connection. I
completed both upgrades using my AR9271 USB wifi adapter (which is
using free firmware compiled from source) and my mobile phone.

Feel free to ask me for logs, command outputs, etc! Thank you in
advance!

Kind regards, Magnus



Hi Pascal, hi kibi,
it worked. We were surprised that tethering wifi with the two different
mobile phones were successful that time, too!

Yesterday I tried to upgrade the notebook of my friend from Bookworm to
Trixie. But tethering wifi with my mobile phone did not work anymore!
:-(
The problem is the same: many wifi networks are seen but the connection
does not succeed! I completed the upgrade to Trixie using my AR9271 USB
wifi adapter (which is using free firmware compiled from source) and my
mobile phone.

Would you be willing to debug the problem? Of course, I would provide
all the logs you need. But I have to say that my friend has only this
notebook, therefore I expect that he wants it back quite soon!

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards, Magnus

magnus@autistici.org wrote:

Hello! Thanks for the poke. I'm a newcomer to helping with the kernel but know this particular family of devices well, so I'll do my best to help. I apologize that your very detailed report has been stagnant for a while.

You're correct. In your initial report, some of this automatically-included hardware information has what we need to know:
That shouldn't be needed. firmware-atheros is the package with non-free firmware for some of Qualcomm Atheros's other products, but non-USB devices in the ath9k family don't require any firmware at all. As you've figured out when using your AR9271, the USB version does require extra firmware, but it's libre and it sounds like that's working okay.

Here are some lines I find interesting:
ath9k is the non-USB driver, so this means that in all lines that follow, the name "wlp2s0" refers to that internal card (not the USB one).

Then:

and the lines that follow show it trying to connect to the access point, but failing to authenticate and timing out over and over again. After some time the following messages can be seen:
The second line is more interesting: this is the first time it appears, even though you've been attempting authentication for almost two minutes by the time that appears. That seems weird.

There's nothing blatantly wrong here but we do see it set the regulatory domain as follows:

The details are fuzzy, but I think seeing on the linux-wireless mailing list that there was some kind of issue with ath9k handling the '00' country code differently from how it used to. Also, I believe the 0x60 regpair maps to this same "world" regulatory domain concept.

It is a long-standing issue that, unfortunately, the majority of GNU/Linux wireless devices don't have their regulatory domain correctly set to indicate where the user is actually located. There is no interface for a user to conveniently do this to my knowledge, nor is it a thing most users are aware they need to do. There's an open issue in Network Manager to consider if they want to pick up that job, and I hope to see that happen in the future. In the meantime, this needs to be addressed. (Newer versions of the Debian Installer *might* handle this, but I'd have to look into it, and that's only a crutch for the problem at large.) Possibly-old wiki documentation suggests the "world regpair" was specially interpreted as meaning "United States" by these Atheros drivers.

If I may ask, in what country is your friend using this computer? Setting the regulatory domain appropriately might help, and my hunch is informed by this:
Perhaps merely being near the café enticed any of these devices to pick different wireless channels than they normally would. This would explain why a change in location helped even if you were just intent on connecting to the same cell phones.

So, in addition to letting me know what country the computer is being used (or planned to be used) in, could you run this command in a terminal and let us know what it says: sudo iw reg get
If the system doesn't use sudo but has a root password instead, run the 'su' command first to get superuser privilege and run the same without the 'sudo' in front.
If the output suggests the regulatory domain is still nonsense, we can try to address that. I'll provide directions on how to set it right.

Also from your email address I guess you might already be familiar with Jabber/XMPP (info at https://www.autistici.org/docs/jabber/ about it). If it'd make troubleshooting this easier, we can try to work this out in real-time if you'd like. I can be reached at xmpp:me@johnscott.me and in the meantime I'll also be doing more research on your card in particular.

Thank you.

Hi John,

When I received you email I recognized your name and
email address:

magnus@debian3:~$ apt-cache show firmware-ath9k-htc | grep 'Maintainer:'
Maintainer: John Scott <jscott@posteo.net>
magnus@debian3:~$

firmware-free: Recommend or Suggest firmware-ath9k-htc
Reported by: John Scott <jscott@posteo.net>
Date: Sun, 27 May 2018 03:42:02 UTC
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=900171

Great!

Thank you very much! Well, I did not write earlier to d-kernel
as I couldn't help with debugging without the notebook which
was at my friend's home.

Yes, my AR9271 works like a charm, with the libre firmware build
from source and the Debian package maintained by you. Thank you!

The "moto e(7) plus 3650" is the mobile phone of my friend.

We are living both in Italy.

root@debian2:~# iw reg get
global
country 00: DFS-UNSET
         (755 - 928 @ 2), (N/A, 20), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN
         (2402 - 2472 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
         (2457 - 2482 @ 20), (N/A, 20), (N/A), AUTO-BW, PASSIVE-SCAN
         (2474 - 2494 @ 20), (N/A, 20), (N/A), NO-OFDM, PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5170 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (N/A), AUTO-BW, PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5250 - 5330 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW,
PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5490 - 5730 @ 160), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), DFS, PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5735 - 5835 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN
         (57240 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 0), (N/A)

phy#0
country 99: DFS-UNSET
         (2402 - 2472 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
         (2457 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN
         (2474 - 2494 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A), NO-OFDM, PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5140 - 5360 @ 80), (N/A, 30), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN
         (5460 - 5860 @ 80), (N/A, 30), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN

root@debian2:~#

Ok, thank you!

Well, I have never used Jabber/XMPP but if you thing that the
debugging is easier I'm willing to try it to help you!


[>] https://www.autistici.org/docs/jabber/ about it). If it'd make
troubleshooting this easier, we can try to work this out in real-time if
you'd like. I can be reached at xmpp:me@johnscott.me and in the meantime
I'll also be doing more research on your card in particular.

Thank you very much!

Kind regards, Magnus