Leap 42.1 on HP ProBook 4535s, Wireless (Atheros AR9285) not working

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1

I’m trying to save my fathers Laptop (made unusable by Windows 10’s enforced ‘optional’ upgrade :wink: ) with the latest Open Suse.

While almost everything works out of the box, I’m a bit surprised that wireless with Atheros AR9285 (which I don’t remember as a problematic chip on linux) doesn’t seem to work.

linux-xn60:~ # hwinfo --wlan 
34: PCI 400.0: 0282 WLAN controller                             
  [Created at pci.366]
  Unique ID: y9sn.7YWhx07TR42
  Parent ID: M71A.3xGRDfUdk90
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:07.0/0000:04:00.0
  SysFS BusID: 0000:04:00.0
  Hardware Class: network
  Device Name: "WLAN"
  Model: "Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)"
  Vendor: pci 0x168c "Qualcomm Atheros"
  Device: pci 0x002b "AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)"
  SubVendor: pci 0x103c "Hewlett-Packard Company"
  SubDevice: pci 0x1461 
  Revision: 0x01
  Driver: "ath9k"
  Driver Modules: "ath9k"
  Device File: wlan0
  Features: WLAN
  Memory Range: 0xd5000000-0xd500ffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  IRQ: 19 (no events)
  HW Address: d0:df:9a:a8:af:d8
  Link detected: no
  WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484
  WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
  WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
  Module Alias: "pci:v0000168Cd0000002Bsv0000103Csd00001461bc02sc80i00"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: ath9k is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ath9k"
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #7 (PCI bridge)

Although it seems to recognize the device and states the corresponding driver (ath9k) is active, wireless can’t be activated through Network Manager.

/sbin/lspci -vnn 

...

02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:168b]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 37
        I/O ports at 5000 [size=256]
        Memory at d0004000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=4]
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=16]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
        Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 01
        Capabilities: [b0] MSI-X: Enable- Count=4 Masked-
        Capabilities: [d0] Vital Product Data
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 01-00-00-00-68-4c-e0-00
        Kernel driver in use: r8169
        Kernel modules: r8169

03:00.0 System peripheral [0880]: JMicron Technology Corp. SD/MMC Host Controller [197b:2392] (rev 30)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:168b]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
        Memory at d6003000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Expansion ROM at d6010000 [disabled] [size=64]
        Capabilities: [a4] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [80] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [94] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
        Kernel modules: sdhci_pci

03:00.2 SD Host controller [0805]: JMicron Technology Corp. Standard SD Host Controller [197b:2391] (rev 30) (prog-if 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:168b]
        Flags: fast devsel, IRQ 17
        Memory at d6002000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: [a4] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [80] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [94] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Kernel modules: sdhci_pci

03:00.3 System peripheral [0880]: JMicron Technology Corp. MS Host Controller [197b:2393] (rev 30)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:168b]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
        Memory at d6001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: [a4] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [80] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [94] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Kernel driver in use: jmb38x_ms
        Kernel modules: jmb38x_ms

04:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:1461]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 19
        Memory at d5000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [60] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-15-17-ff-ff-24-14-12
        Capabilities: [170] Power Budgeting <?>
        Kernel driver in use: ath9k
        Kernel modules: ath9k

Does someone have an idea what could be wrong?[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size]

2

Hi
Just check it’s not blocked, from the install medium (or via ethernet) install rfkill;


rfkill list

Also check the hp-wmi modules are installed, does the backlight work Fn keys work etc?

I’ve had HP ProBook 4430s and 4440s systems which used the ath9k modules without problems.

3

Am Wed, 13 Jul 2016 18:46:01 GMT
schrieb KovuTN <KovuTN@no-mx.forums.microfocus.com>:

>
> Does someone have an idea what could be wrong?
>
>

Well, certainly not the driver as I have the exact same card working without
problems here.

02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Askey Computer Corp. Device [144f:7173]
Kernel driver in use: ath9k

A first (wild) guess, some rfkill switch activated?

/usr/sbin/rfkill list

AK

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
(R.J. Hanlon)

4

This is what rfkill says:

linux-xn60:~ # rfkill list
0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: yes
        Hard blocked: yes
1: hci0: Bluetooth
        Soft blocked: no
        Hard blocked: no
2: phy0: Wireless LAN
        Soft blocked: yes
        Hard blocked: yes
5

Sorry for double-posting, I couldn’t edit the old post anymore: although the the FN keys (backlight, volume etc.) work, the wireless button doesn’t. Tried to load the module, which happened, but without any effect.

linux-xn60:~ # modprobe hp-wmi
linux-xn60:~ # lsmod|grep wmi
hp_wmi                 16384  0 
sparse_keymap          16384  1 hp_wmi
rfkill                 28672  6 cfg80211,hp_wmi,bluetooth
wmi                    20480  1 hp_wmi
6

Hi, never had a ProBook 4535 but other HP/Compaqs showed a similar status when Windows was shutdown with WiFi switched off and the only remedy was firing up Win, making sure WiFi was switched on (often via a custom “HP Wireless Assistant”) and then reboot.
Hope This Helps.

7

Am Thu, 14 Jul 2016 18:56:01 GMT
schrieb KovuTN <KovuTN@no-mx.forums.microfocus.com>:

> Sorry for double-posting, I couldn’t edit the old post anymore: although
> the the FN keys (backlight, volume etc.) work, the wireless button
> doesn’t. Tried to load the module, which happened, but without any
> effect.
>
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> linux-xn60:~ # modprobe hp-wmi
> linux-xn60:~ # lsmod|grep wmi
> hp_wmi 16384 0
> sparse_keymap 16384 1 hp_wmi
> rfkill 28672 6 cfg80211,hp_wmi,bluetooth
> wmi 20480 1 hp_wmi
> --------------------
>
>

Disclaimer:

This is just a wild guess.

As root run:

modprobe -rv ath9k

modprobe -v ath9k nohwcrypt

Now have a look at rfkill output again and try to unblock it via wireless key if
necessary and see if that works now.

If there is no change, have a look at the UEFI/BIOS settings if there is some
option like “Wireless always on” or similar.

In a nutshell, your wireless card is hardware blocked, normally rfkill can not
unblock this as it is a tool for soft(ware) blocking a device.

There are also cases, where some (undocumented, non-standard) way of blocking
the device in Windows (or when shutting down Windows) is deactivating wireless
in a way linux can not unblock it.

If so, you’re screwed unless you have some Windows installed and running to get
rid of this.

AK

–
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
(R.J. Hanlon)

8

Am Thu, 14 Jul 2016 19:27:19 GMT
schrieb AK <Akoellh@no-mx.forums.microfocus.com>:

> As root run:
>
> modprobe -rv ath9k
>
> modprobe -v ath9k nohwcrypt
>

Damn, make that

modprobe -rv ath9k

modprobe -v ath9k nohwcrypt=1

–
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
(R.J. Hanlon)

9

Sorry for the late reply (it’s been a busy week for me), I thank you for all the answers/tips.

I’ve tried everything to get it working, but the onboard wifi interface stays blocked. I even installed an old copy of Win 7 (without activating and internet), to see if Windows manages to solve the problem (which wasn’t the case, not even with HP’s drivers). And the BIOS didn’t help either. All I managed to do there was ‘disabling’ wifi and bluetooth, which, strange enough, was still recognized under Linux and the corresponding modules were loaded.

What I did now was simply buying an Edimax USB-Wifi-Stick, which works like a charm, but I needed to blacklist the ath9k module, because Network-Manager kept using the blocked Atheros-Wifi.

Considering how well this aged laptop is doing with Open Suse Leap 42.1, it’s alarming how Windows 10 could practically ‘destroy’ the machine. It was slow, it couldn’t be put on standby/sleep, it often freezed, aged software and drivers were removed without any replacement available, and obviously, it even killed the wifi.

10

This may (or may not) be relevant.

One use found the following steps revived the wireless card. YMMV.

  • Shut down laptop
  • Remove power cable & battery
  • Press power switch for 30 sec
  • Attach power
  • Power up laptop without battery
  • Switch on wifi —it works
  • Now switch on the laptop with battery
11

Resetting the BIOS to default worked for another ProBook user as described here.