Frequent WLAN breakdown since update to 12.2

Hi! My WLAN frequently (i.e. every 3-30 minutes) breaks down since I updated to Suse12.2. I had no network problems at all under 12.1. I did a fresh install of 12.2, but I kept my home directory (as usual). I am on KDE 4.9.3 (via Index of /repositories/KDE:/Release:/49/openSUSE_12.2).

Circumstances point to Suse12.2 being the culprit: I have problems at several different WLANs, but the same laptop booted under Windows7 can connect to the same WLAN router for hours without loosing the connection (video skype, RTS gaming, streaming music, surfing). If the problem occurs, I can fix the connection by simply disabling and renabling “wirless networking” in KDE’s default networkmanager applet. The connection then works again, without me touching the router at all.

How should I proceed to pinpoint the problem?

Maybe this is related to this thread http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/network-internet/480787-internet-connection-hangs-after-some-time.html, but I wasn’t sure, so I thought I better open a separate thread.

Here is some info, taken right after the problem occurred:


 # route -n
Kernel IP Routentabelle
Ziel            Router          Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
0.0.0.0         192.168.123.254 0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 wlan0
192.168.123.0   0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 wlan0


# ping 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
^C
--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
21 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 29999ms


# ping 192.168.123.254
PING 192.168.123.254 (192.168.123.254) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 192.168.123.142 icmp_seq=24 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.123.142 icmp_seq=25 Destination Host Unreachable
^C
--- 192.168.123.254 ping statistics ---
26 packets transmitted, 0 received, +2 errors, 100% packet loss, time 39012ms


# ifconfig 
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse 5C:26:0A:20:A1:BA  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)
          Interrupt:20 Speicher:e9600000-e9620000 


lo        Link encap:Lokale Schleife  
          inet Adresse:127.0.0.1  Maske:255.0.0.0
          inet6 Adresse: ::1/128 Gültigkeitsbereich:Maschine
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:7036 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:7036 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:0 
          RX bytes:387581 (378.4 Kb)  TX bytes:387581 (378.4 Kb)


wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse 00:24:D7:6C:7C:54  
          inet Adresse:192.168.123.142  Bcast:192.168.123.255  Maske:255.255.255.0
          inet6 Adresse: fe80::224:d7ff:fe6c:7c54/64 Gültigkeitsbereich:Verbindung
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:364782 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:313375 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:1000 
          RX bytes:264377173 (252.1 Mb)  TX bytes:78676144 (75.0 Mb)
#

and here again after fixing the problem by simply deactivating and reactivating wirless networking through the networkmanager as a normal user (not as root). Note that I created the connection as a normal user, but ticked the checkbox for system connection, so that this network connection is available before logging in already. That worked fine in 12.1.

# ping 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=44 time=223 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=44 time=141 ms
^C
--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1000ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 141.459/182.496/223.533/41.037 ms


# ping 192.168.123.254
PING 192.168.123.254 (192.168.123.254) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.123.254: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.70 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.123.254: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=2.55 ms
^C
--- 192.168.123.254 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1001ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 1.706/2.129/2.552/0.423 ms


# route -n
Kernel IP Routentabelle
Ziel            Router          Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
0.0.0.0         192.168.123.254 0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 wlan0
192.168.123.0   0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 wlan0


# ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse 5C:26:0A:20:A1:BA  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)
          Interrupt:20 Speicher:e9600000-e9620000 


lo        Link encap:Lokale Schleife  
          inet Adresse:127.0.0.1  Maske:255.0.0.0
          inet6 Adresse: ::1/128 Gültigkeitsbereich:Maschine
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:8621 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:8621 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:0 
          RX bytes:465570 (454.6 Kb)  TX bytes:465570 (454.6 Kb)


wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse 00:24:D7:6C:7C:54  
          inet Adresse:192.168.123.142  Bcast:192.168.123.255  Maske:255.255.255.0
          inet6 Adresse: fe80::224:d7ff:fe6c:7c54/64 Gültigkeitsbereich:Verbindung
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:393864 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:337277 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:1000 
          RX bytes:288133978 (274.7 Mb)  TX bytes:84306633 (80.4 Mb)
#

The particular connection shown above is via an 4G Systems router model “XSBoxMove”, who itself connects to the internet via an UMTS USB Stick. I have a direct line of sight to the tower, so RTS gaming & voice chat works just fine over this connection under Windows7. It is annoying that simple surfing under 12.2 has now become so problematic.

Please wait on an answer so I can move this to wireless section.

Thank You,

This message thread is now open for business. I see you have provided some information. I suggest you read through the following two message threads and post any suggested added info.

http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/wireless/410319-getting-your-wireless-work.html

AND

http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/wireless/391535-my-wireless-doesnt-work-primer-what-i-should-do-next.html

Further, the most recent stable kernel is up to 3.6.7 and worth a try if you like to see if it might help.

S.A.K.C. - SUSE Automated Kernel Compiler - Version 2.78 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Thank You,

<p>

Ok, here is some more info:</p>
<p>
Yast->HardwareInfo->Wlan: Intel WiFi Link 6000 Series Device, Driver: iwlwifi</p>
<p>
# lspci<br />
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (rev 35)</p>
<p>
Everything else from these guides does not seem to apply to me: my wlan worked out of the box without any problems for more than 2 years and with good speed. It is only since opensuse 12.2 that the connection (which is as fast as usual) sometimes just breaks down for no apparent reason, but setting it up did not need any manual intervention, just clicking in the networkmanger, entering a password and done.</p>
<p>
In some location the breakdowns rarely happens, in others, it happens rather frequently - the most frequent breakdowns are observed when I am connected to my XSBoxMove UMTS-to-WLAN router (also, but much less frequent, at the location with my DIR-655 router, and almost never at my univeristy’s WLAN network), and mostly while streaming audio or skyping. Large downloads on the other hand do not seem to affect the stability. If I connect by wired Ethernet or by plugging my UMTS-USB Stick directly into my laptop, I have no unusal problems either, so it is something with the WLAN.</p>
<p>
Maybe some timeouts got reduced? The XSBoxMove router has not a very strong signal, even though I am close to the device (but with at least one concrete wall between). However, opensuse <=12.1 and Windows7 manage the connection just fine. Weird.</p>