Linksys EA4500v1 5GHz WiFi doesn't start

For Developers
1

Hi!
I've bought an old EA4500 and flashed with OpenWrt 18.06.1 r7258-5eb055306f .
Evertyhing seems to be OK but 5GHz WiFi is not available.

Please see kernel log regarding the network below

Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.info kernel: [    7.756116] Marvell TOPDOG(R) 802.11 Wireless Network Driver version 0.13
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.info kernel: [    7.762995] pci 0000:00:01.0: enabling device (0140 -> 0142)
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.err kernel: [    8.457883] ieee80211 phy0: Command RF_ANTENNA error 0x2
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.warn kernel: [    8.463254] ieee80211 phy0: failed to set # of RX antennas
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.err kernel: [    8.468793] ieee80211 phy0: Command RF_ANTENNA error 0x2
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.warn kernel: [    8.474144] ieee80211 phy0: failed to set # of TX antennas
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.info kernel: [    8.479663] ieee80211 phy0: 88w8366 v48, 20aa4b908873, STA firmware 4.1.0.3
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.info kernel: [    8.489559] pci 0000:00:02.0: enabling device (0140 -> 0142)
Sun Dec 30 13:52:42 2018 kern.err kernel: [    9.989396] ieee80211 phy1: Cannot start firmware

The 5GHz Wifi works correctly on stock firmware.
Do you have any idea how can I correct this error?
Thanks in advance.

2

Maybe try this driver? Limited to these channels, but better than no 5ghz wifi at all.

Note: Due to the unfortunate lack of DFS support in the current mwl8k driver, there are only four available channels in the 5GHz radio:

5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm)
5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm)
5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm)
5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm)

What drivers are actually loaded right now?
lspci -v And lsmod

3 
root@OpenWrt:~# lspci -v
-ash: lspci: not found
root@OpenWrt:~# lsmod
cfg80211              208896  2 mwl8k,mac80211
compat                 12288  3 mwl8k,mac80211,cfg80211
crc_ccitt              12288  1 ppp_async
gpio_button_hotplug    12288  0
ip_tables              20480  3 iptable_nat,iptable_mangle,iptable_filter
ip6_tables             20480  2 ip6table_mangle,ip6table_filter
ip6t_REJECT            12288  2
ip6table_filter        12288  1
ip6table_mangle        12288  1
ipt_MASQUERADE         12288  1
ipt_REJECT             12288  2
iptable_filter         12288  1
iptable_mangle         12288  1
iptable_nat            12288  1
mac80211              397312  1 mwl8k
mwl8k                  45056  0
nf_conntrack           61440 13 nf_conntrack_ipv6,ipt_MASQUERADE,xt_state,xt_nat,xt_conntrack,xt_REDIRECT,xt_CT,nf_nat_masquerade_ipv4,nf_conntrack_ipv4,nf_nat_ipv4,nf_nat,nf_flow_table,nf_conntrack_rtcache
nf_conntrack_ipv4      12288 12
nf_conntrack_ipv6      12288  6
nf_conntrack_rtcache   12288  0
nf_defrag_ipv4         12288  1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_defrag_ipv6         16384  1 nf_conntrack_ipv6
nf_flow_table          20480  2 xt_FLOWOFFLOAD,nf_flow_table_hw
nf_flow_table_hw       12288  1
nf_log_common          12288  2 nf_log_ipv4,nf_log_ipv6
nf_log_ipv4            12288  0
nf_log_ipv6            12288  0
nf_nat                 16384  4 xt_nat,nf_nat_redirect,nf_nat_masquerade_ipv4,nf_nat_ipv4
nf_nat_ipv4            12288  1 iptable_nat
nf_nat_masquerade_ipv4   12288  1 ipt_MASQUERADE
nf_nat_redirect        12288  1 xt_REDIRECT
nf_reject_ipv4         12288  1 ipt_REJECT
nf_reject_ipv6         12288  1 ip6t_REJECT
ppp_async              16384  0
ppp_generic            28672  3 pppoe,ppp_async,pppox
pppoe                  16384  0
pppox                  12288  1 pppoe
slhc                   12288  1 ppp_generic
tun                    28672  0
x_tables               20480 24 ipt_REJECT,ipt_MASQUERADE,xt_time,xt_tcpudp,xt_state,xt_nat,xt_multiport,xt_mark,xt_mac,xt_limit,xt_conntrack,xt_comment,xt_TCPMSS,xt_REDIRECT,xt_LOG,xt_FLOWOFFLOAD,xt_CT,iptable_mangle,iptable_filter,ip_tables,ip6t_REJECT,ip6table_mangle,ip6table_filter,ip6_tables
xt_CT                  12288  0
xt_FLOWOFFLOAD          8192  0
xt_LOG                 12288  0
xt_REDIRECT            12288  0
xt_TCPMSS              12288  4
xt_comment              8192143
xt_conntrack           12288 16
xt_limit               12288 20
xt_mac                  8192  0
xt_mark                 8192  0
xt_multiport            8192  0
xt_nat                 12288  0
xt_state               12288  0
xt_tcpudp               8192 12
xt_time                12288  0
4

Yep, 99% sure its using mwl8k

So the info i posted earlier still stands , try changing it to channel 36, 40, 44 or 48. And set to 20Mhz channel width, at least initially to see if it comes up.

5

Where can I change it?
There is no device wlan1:

6

Web interface > networj > wireless

Or from terminal:

vi /etc/config/wireless

The 5ghz wifi is probably named radio1

You should see an existing line option channel ‘Xx’. Change that . Save . Reboot.

7

There is no radio1.
ifconfig wlan1 up returns no such device
The only place when phy1 device appears is kernel log I've posted earlier

8

i'm not familar with your device - perhaps @wrtboy might know whats up here.

9

sorry i have sold my ea4500v1 last summer after moving to the wrt1900ac. i usually use the image builder once every few months for the ea4500v1 hence i have never used any of the prebuilds.

10

OK. Thanks! I'll try to build sth.
Maybe you have any old build to share?
I just want to check if any sign of wlan1 will appear.
I've tried all 17.xx and 18.xx prebuilds and on any I havent wlan1....

11

i think i may have an old build i can share. do you have a place for me to drop the file? pm me if needed.