Unable to connect to a specific SSID, sometimes

TomR · April 16, 2022, 10:01pm

Hi everybody,

I started to have an issue with one of WLANs on my Turris Omnia (Indiegogo version)

sometimes if a device connects it gets disconnected immediately, it reconnects, gets disconnected, … After some time the connection succeeds eventually
sometimes an already connected client just starts disconnecting/reconnecting without any obvious reason
turning the radio off/on on the client or just connecting to another WLAN and then back to the problematic one helps in most cases
it happens on 2.4 as well as 5 GHz radios

It’s more or less perfectly reproducible if the client roams over to another AP (OpenWRT 21.2) and then back. Another WLAN with the same config works without any issues. Both WLANs are configured on 2.4 and 5 GHz as well as on the other AP incl 802.11r.

If I face the issue, I can see the following (redacted):

/var/log/messages

2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: authentication OK (open system)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-AUTHENTICATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, OPEN_SYSTEM)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: authenticated
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: association OK (aid 1)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: associated (aid 1)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-ASSOCIATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: binding station to interface ‘wlan1-5’
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: event 1 notification
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: start authentication
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: unauthorizing port
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (2/4 Pairwise)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: sending 3/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (4/4 Pairwise)
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: AP-STA-CONNECTED XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: authorizing port
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX RADIUS: starting accounting session E3C542565C32124B
2022-04-16T19:57:54+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
2022-04-16T21:57:54+02:00 turris dnsmasq-dhcp[9039]: DHCPREQUEST(br-lan) xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T21:57:54+02:00 turris dnsmasq-dhcp[9039]: DHCPACK(br-lan) xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX XM9TPro
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: AP-STA-DISCONNECTED XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: event 3 notification
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: unauthorizing port
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: deauthenticated
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DEAUTHENTICATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, 3)
2022-04-16T19:57:56+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-5: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: authentication OK (open system)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-AUTHENTICATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, OPEN_SYSTEM)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: authenticated
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: association OK (aid 3)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: associated (aid 3)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-ASSOCIATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: binding station to interface ‘wlan1-24’
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: event 1 notification
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: start authentication
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: unauthorizing port
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (2/4 Pairwise)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: sending 3/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (4/4 Pairwise)
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: AP-STA-CONNECTED XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: authorizing port
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX RADIUS: starting accounting session 2C2B2FFE162BC042
2022-04-16T19:57:58+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)
2022-04-16T21:57:58+02:00 turris dnsmasq-dhcp[9039]: DHCPREQUEST(br-lan) xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T21:57:58+02:00 turris dnsmasq-dhcp[9039]: DHCPACK(br-lan) xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX XM9TPro
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: AP-STA-DISCONNECTED XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX WPA: event 3 notification
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.1X: unauthorizing port
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX IEEE 802.11: deauthenticated
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DEAUTHENTICATE.indication(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX, 3)
2022-04-16T19:58:00+02:00 turris hostapd: wlan1-24: STA XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX MLME: MLME-DELETEKEYS.request(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
… over and over again …

iw event

wlan1-5 (phy #0): unknown event 60
wlan1-5: new station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-5 (phy #0): unknown event 60
wlan1-5 (phy #0): unknown event 60
wlan1-5: del station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: new station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: del station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: new station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: del station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: new station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24 (phy #1): unknown event 60
wlan1-24: del station XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
…

I also ran a tcpdump and could see the client communicating on the network (ARP, DHCP, (M)DNS, HTTP, ICMP) before it’s connection closed. Just a few KB of data in both directions.

My config of the 2 WLANs (redacted - both SSIDs are just small caps ASCII letters):

/etc/config/wireless

config wifi-device ‘radio0’
option type ‘mac80211’
option channel ‘36’
option hwmode ‘11a’
option macaddr ‘XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX’
option country ‘CZ’
option log_level ‘0’

config wifi-iface ‘default_radio0’
option ifname ‘wlan1-5’
option device ‘radio0’
option network ‘lan’
option mode ‘ap’
option ssid ‘XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
option encryption ‘psk2+tkip+aes’
option key ‘XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
option isolate ‘1’
option ieee80211r ‘1’
option ft_over_ds ‘1’
option ft_psk_generate_local ‘1’
option mobility_domain ‘1234’

config wifi-iface ‘guest_radio0’
option ifname ‘wlan2-5’
option device ‘radio0’
option network ‘lan’
option mode ‘ap’
option ssid ‘YYYYYYYYYYYYY’
option encryption ‘psk2+tkip+aes’
option key ‘YYYYYYYYYYYYY’
option wmm ‘1’
option isolate ‘1’
option ieee80211r ‘1’
option ft_over_ds ‘1’
option ft_psk_generate_local ‘1’
option mobility_domain ‘5678’

config wifi-device ‘radio1’
option type ‘mac80211’
option channel ‘11’
option hwmode ‘11g’
option macaddr ‘XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX’
option htmode ‘HT20’
option country ‘CZ’
option log_level ‘0’

config wifi-iface ‘default_radio1’
option ifname ‘wlan1-24’
option device ‘radio1’
option network ‘lan’
option mode ‘ap’
option ssid ‘XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
option encryption ‘psk2+tkip+aes’
option key ‘XXXXXXXXXXXXX’
option wmm ‘1’
option isolate ‘1’
option ieee80211r ‘1’
option ft_over_ds ‘1’
option ft_psk_generate_local ‘1’
option mobility_domain ‘1234’

config wifi-iface ‘guest_radio1’
option ifname ‘wlan2-24’
option device ‘radio1’
option network ‘lan’
option mode ‘ap’
option ssid ‘YYYYYYYYYYYYY’
option encryption ‘psk2+tkip+aes’
option key ‘YYYYYYYYYYYYY’
option wmm ‘1’
option isolate ‘1’
option ieee80211r ‘1’
option ft_over_ds ‘1’
option ft_psk_generate_local ‘1’
option mobility_domain ‘5678’

Already tried to (without any success obviously):

drop 802.11r (and the other router)
disable radio0 / radio1
dropped the wireless config and regenerated it from scratch
use uncle Google of course

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this issue an/or how to further troubleshoot?

Thanks for any inputs
Tom

TomR · May 3, 2022, 2:36pm

Really nobody with any idea?

JardaB · May 3, 2022, 3:19pm

The general recommendation is to reset wifi in the reForis menu and new wifi settings.

My personal experience is, deleting most memorized wifi networks on clients will also change the behavior.

F.B · May 3, 2022, 3:24pm

If the situation will continue after You will try what @JardaB suggested, please, contact our Customer Support with logs: Support - Turris Documentation using:

tech.support@turris.cz.