[pkg-wpa-devel] Bug#514653: Bug#514653: 'iw list' Loops Infinitely

[Kel Modderman]

On Wednesday 11 February 2009 03:53:11 Kel Modderman wrote:
> On Tuesday 10 February 2009 06:57:49 Leo L. Schwab wrote:
> > Package: iw
> > Version: 0.9.9-1
> > Severity: normal
> > 
> > 	The command 'iw list' appears to loop infintely on my machine.  It
> > will continuously print the info for phy0 until stopped by ^C.  This happens
> > whether the wireless kill switch is enabled or not.
> > 
> > 	The machine is a Thinkpad Z61t.  The interface is an Intel 3945,
> > driven by the stock iwl3945 driver (not the updated one found at
> > linuxwireless.org).
> > 
> > 	The info repeatedly printed by 'iw list' is as follows:
> > 
> > ----
> > Wiphy phy0
> > 	Band 1:
> > 		Frequencies:
> > 			* 2412 MHz [1]
> > 			* 2417 MHz [2]
> > 			* 2422 MHz [3]
> > 			* 2427 MHz [4]
> > 			* 2432 MHz [5]
> > 			* 2437 MHz [6]
> > 			* 2442 MHz [7]
> > 			* 2447 MHz [8]
> > 			* 2452 MHz [9]
> > 			* 2457 MHz [10]
> > 			* 2462 MHz [11]
> > 		Bitrates:
> > 			* 1.0 Mbps
> > 			* 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
> > 			* 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
> > 			* 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
> > 			* 6.0 Mbps
> > 			* 9.0 Mbps
> > 			* 12.0 Mbps
> > 			* 18.0 Mbps
> > 			* 24.0 Mbps
> > 			* 36.0 Mbps
> > 			* 48.0 Mbps
> > 			* 54.0 Mbps
> > 	Band 2:
> > 		Frequencies:
> > 			* 5180 MHz [36] (passive scanning, no IBSS)
> > 			* 5200 MHz [40] (passive scanning, no IBSS)
> > 			* 5220 MHz [44] (passive scanning, no IBSS)
> > 			* 5240 MHz [48] (passive scanning, no IBSS)
> > 			* 5260 MHz [52] (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
> > 			* 5280 MHz [56] (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
> > 			* 5300 MHz [60] (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
> > 			* 5320 MHz [64] (passive scanning, no IBSS, radar detection)
> > 			* 5745 MHz [149] (disabled)
> > 			* 5765 MHz [153] (disabled)
> > 			* 5785 MHz [157] (disabled)
> > 			* 5805 MHz [161] (disabled)
> > 			* 5825 MHz [165] (disabled)
> > 		Bitrates:
> > 			* 6.0 Mbps
> > 			* 9.0 Mbps
> > 			* 12.0 Mbps
> > 			* 18.0 Mbps
> > 			* 24.0 Mbps
> > 			* 36.0 Mbps
> > 			* 48.0 Mbps
> > 			* 54.0 Mbps
> > ----
> > 
> > 	This same info is printed out over and over until killed by ^C.
> > 
> > 	Please investigate this matter.
> > 
> > 					Schwab
> > 
> > -- System Information:
> > Debian Release: lenny/sid
> >   APT prefers unstable
> >   APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
> > Architecture: i386 (i686)
> > 
> > Kernel: Linux 2.6.26 (SMP w/2 CPU cores; PREEMPT)
> 
> 
> It needs a newer version of the Linux kernel. IIRC, 2.6.27 or above should
> be fine.

These are the commits which can fix the problem:

commit b46372710ab536c0967f76be5dc41341583d4a54
Author: Julius Volz <juliusv at google.com>
Date:   Tue Jul 8 14:02:19 2008 +0200

    net/wireless/nl80211.c: fix endless Netlink callback loop.

and

commit bba95fefb8e31f4799652666d05a4a9aad56e492
Author: Johannes Berg <johannes at sipsolutions.net>
Date:   Tue Jul 29 13:22:51 2008 +0200

    nl80211: fix dump callbacks

Thanks, Kel.