2.4Ghz Wifi Dropping with 2 SSID Active - Bug FS3904, Workaround needed

hdsn555 · January 10, 2022, 1:51pm

Hoping to pull on the community knowledge here, its my first post so apologies in advance if any of my terminology is wrong, I'm very much self taught.

I've been using OpenWRT on my Linksys WRT3200ACM since July '21. Its extremely stable since its initial setup (bar one user error issue.)

Last night I noticed an issue where my Sky Q box wasn't connected to the 2.4ghz WIFI band. I tried various things to resolve it, hard reset of box, reboot router etc. I then noticed none of my other devices would connect to it, and my smart home devices were also offline,

I couldn't figure the cause, so decided to create a backup of my router settings, and do a system restore. It turns out my something had gone wrong with my backup, so I had to do a fresh install.

Following me grabbing the latest firmware and doing a fresh install I set about reinstating my settings.

My Wi-Fi had previously been setup as follows:

1 x 5ghz with a unique SSID
2 x 2.4ghz both with a unique SSID 1 with WMM enabled, 1 without (this is for smart devices, following research on this forum aware there is an issue with the chipsets on these devices, that means WMM has to be disabled)

This has worked flawlessly since initial setup, until things went wrong last night. When configuring the settings again post fresh install, as soon as a add the second SSID the 2.4ghz Wi-Fi stops working. I can see that radio 1 (2.4ghz radio) starts showing the device 'is not active'

One SSID assigned.
can only embed one attachment>, so image removed. Image showed 1 SSID setup and running.

Two SSID assigned.

Prior to the Wi-Fi issue I've not made any configuration changes for some time, so I'm really drawing a blank here. I presumed a fresh install and configuration would resolve the issue, but it appears not. I can only think its a hardware issue at this point based on my layman's knowledge.

hdsn555 · January 10, 2022, 7:36pm

Anyone? I’ve attempted to contact linksys direct but they’ve told me as I’m using OpenWRT they can’t support.

anomeome · January 10, 2022, 7:47pm

FS3904 ?

hdsn555 · January 10, 2022, 8:50pm

Thanks for the link. That’s sounds exactly like my issue, what’s odd is that is has worked for so long to now throw an error.

I’ve never really done any setups via SSH, I note the posted ‘work around’ below:

“ I changed both BSSIDs and now it works correctly. I changed the U/L bit to L and started from 1 in the last nibble”

But I’m not sure how to do this, can this be done using Luci?

hdsn555 · January 10, 2022, 11:03pm

@yoeljacobsen I’ve seen you raised the issue relating to the multiple SSID bug, I too am experiencing this issue. Are you able to help a layman implement the work around, my smart home devices are currently offline as I can’t run my additional 2.4ghz network.

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 7:10am

How do I amend the BSSID using command line?

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 10:56am

I'm really struggling here, I've been unable to run the second SSID on my 2.4ghz radio due to the bug FS3904

My smart home devices have been offline for 2 days already, and cannot use the normal SSID on 2.4ghz due to them not being stable with WMM mode active. I'm really at the mercy of the community here.

What further information do I need to supply to get the relevant support?

anon89577378 · January 11, 2022, 11:17am

SSH in to the router and run cat /etc/config/wireless

Redact the passwords in the "option key" sections.

Post the results in "Preformatted text" (the icon hightlighted in red).

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 11:39am

Please see below, I've added the additional SSID on the 2.4ghz radio, but not commited the changes as it'll force my other 2.4ghz SSID offline.

config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '36'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option country 'FR'
        option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:32'
        option ssid '1NHHS8'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option key '***'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '11'
        option hwmode '11g'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:02:00.0'
        option htmode 'HT20'
        option cell_density '0'
        option country 'GB'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:31'
        option ssid '1NH248'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option key '***'
        option wmm '1'

config wifi-device 'radio2'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '34'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'platform/soc/soc:internal-regs/f10d8000.sdhci/mmc_host/mmc0/mmc0:0001/mmc0:0001:1'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio2'
        option device 'radio2'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid '1NHLS8'
        option wmm '0'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option key '**'

anon89577378 · January 11, 2022, 11:58am

I have 2 SSID's on 2.4 Ghz and don't have that issue. (running 21.02.1).

Both have unique BSSID's.

That appears to be the workaround mentioned in the bug report.

changed both BSSIDs and now it works correctly. I changed the U/L bit to L and started from 1 in the last nibble:

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
option device 'radio1'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option macaddr '62:xx:xx:xx:xx:61'
option ssid 'somename'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'somepassword'

config wifi-iface 'another_radio1'
option device 'radio1'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'anothername'
option encryption 'psk2'
option macaddr '62:xx:xx:xx:xx:62'
option key 'anotherpassword'

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 12:24pm

Thats the odd thing, mine has worked flawlessly since I initially started using OpenWRT last July, then two nights ago something changed, without me making any administrative changes to the router.

I assumed a fresh install would fix it, but it didnt.

I've committed the change to include the two SSID on 2.4ghz, and copied the output below.

How do I got about setting a unique BSSID for '1NHLS8' via SSH command?

config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '36'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option country 'FR'
        option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:32'
        option ssid '1NHHS8'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option key '***'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '11'
        option hwmode '11g'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:02:00.0'
        option htmode 'HT20'
        option cell_density '0'
        option country 'GB'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:31'
        option ssid '1NH248'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option key***'

config wifi-device 'radio2'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '34'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'platform/soc/soc:internal-regs/f10d8000.sdhci/mmc_host/mmc0/mmc0:0001/mmc0:0001:1'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet3'
        option device 'radio1'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid '1NHLS8'
        option encryption 'psk-mixed'
        option wmm '0'
        option key '***'
        option network 'lan'

anon89577378 · January 11, 2022, 12:30pm

Edit the wireless config file in /etc/config and change the MAC address (which is used for the BSSID).

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 1:45pm

I can see the following:

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
option ssid '1NHHS8'
option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:32'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
option ssid '1NH248'
option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:31'

However for my third SSID, 1NHLS8 this isn't a option macaddr entry in the config, so I simply need to add one in?
For example: option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:30' (based on 1st ending in 32, 2nd ending in 31)

config wifi-iface 'wifinet3'
option ssid '1NHLS8'

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 2:34pm

I've added option macaddr 'e8:9f:80:1b:10:30' to the third SSID, which is allowing the 2.4ghz radio to run, but I now cannot access my regular 2.4ghz SSID '1NH248'

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 4:38pm

Disabling the 3rd SSID (with the added mac address) restores access to the 2nd SSID.

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 7:47pm

Anyone? I really don’t know how to resolve this.

anomeome · January 11, 2022, 7:52pm

Not clear what you mean here, but if you are using the third radio be sure all are in agreement as to CC; since appears to be EU unit FR. See readme

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 7:56pm

I’m not using the 3rd radio. I realised as part of my troubleshooting I’d set up a ssid, but it was disabled. This has since been deleted.

I’ve had 3 SSID 1 5ghz, and 2 2.4ghz since July last year. Two night ago my 2.4ghz networks went down.

Following a fresh install on the latest firmware I’m still having an issue where If I add a second ssid to the 2nd radio. It deactivates both.

My symptoms are very reminiscent of FS3904 ? and I can’t seem to resolve it.

anomeome · January 11, 2022, 8:02pm

If this is an EU unit CC is FR, make the same or leave out entirely.. Some have also reported that removing all option macaddr works.

Edit; Not sure what is meant by latest, but use 21.x snapshot or master as there is a fix you probably want, but nothing to do with this fire fight.

hdsn555 · January 11, 2022, 11:28pm

I can confirm I'm running 21.02.1

I've installed the SFTP package so I can edit the wireless config file on my desktop.

I've manually changed my BSSID for 1NHLS8, meaning there shouldn't be a conflict. However whilst 1NH248 is showing as enabled. I simply cannot connect to it.

both 2.4ghz SSID enabled, not possible to connect to 1st SSID