Openwifi STATION mode doesn't work

[jsr-krush]

0. Could you send email to xianjun.jiao@ugent.be to introduce your self?

Done.

1. Our image is used directly or you build your own image?

Your image directly (openwifi-1.5.0-shahecheng)

2. What is your own modification?

None

3. Versions: OS, Vivado, openwifi/openwifi-hw repo branch and commit revision

N/A. Using provided image as-is.
Only modification to the image after flasihing is the specified step:
-> Copy files in BOOT/openwifi/board_name to the base directory of BOOT partition.

4. Board/hardware type

A: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB
B: ANTSDR e200

5. WiFi channel number

1

6. Steps to reproduce the issue, and the related error message, screenshot, etc

Just use standard provided scripts to set one unit in AP and the other unit in STA mode.

7. Describe your debug efforts by Linux native tools, such as tcpdump and "cat /proc/interrupts"

tcpdump, external laptop with wifi module in promiscuous mode (sniffer), dumping packets from the sdr driver ,etc.

8. Describe your debug efforts by: https://github.com/open-sdr/openwifi/blob/master/doc/README.md#Debug-methods

9. Any other thing we need to know for helping you better?

No

Problem

Openwifi doesnt work correctly when started in station mode and following instructions from the basic operations guide.

Test scenario

Hardware conditions
All tests repeated in the following hardware:

• ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB
• AntSDR E200

RF Conditions

• Using antennas
• Using direct connection TX->RX / RX->TX via cables with 20dB attenuators.

NOTE: All described tests are performed first with antennas, and next with direct connections (cables).

Test results

Test 1: Openwifi AP + Stations

• Device 1: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as ACCESS POINT.
• Device 2: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as as STATION
• Other devices: Laptops, phones, etc. as STATIONS

Results:

• Other devices (phones, laptos, etc) connect successfully to the AP and can ping each other and the AP without issues
• Device 2: Cannot even associate (or struggles for minutes) to the AP. If it manages to associate (rare) ping shows a lot of packet loss.
• Exchanging antennas for cables doesn't make any difference

Test 2: Openwifi AP + Stations

• Device 1: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as ACCESS POINT.
• Device 2: AntSDR e200 running openwifi 1.5.0 as as STATION
• Other devices: Laptops, phones, etc. as STATIONS

Results:

• Other devices (phones, laptos, etc) connect successfully to the AP and can ping each other and the AP without issues
• Device 2: Cannot even associate (or struggles for minutes) to the AP. If it manages to associate (rare) ping shows a lot of packet loss.
• Exchanging antennas for cables doesn't make any difference

Test 3: RPI 4 AP + Stations

• Device 1: RaspberryPI 4 as ACCESS POINT.
• Device 2: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as as STATION
• Other devices: Laptops, phones, etc. as STATIONS

Results:

• Other devices (phones, laptos, etc) connect successfully to the AP and can ping each other and the AP without issues
• Device 2: Cannot even associate (or struggles for minutes) to the AP. If it manages to associate (rare) ping shows a lot of packet loss.
• Exchanging antennas for cables doesn't make any difference

Test 4: RPI 4 AP + Stations

• Device 1: RaspberryPI 4 as ACCESS POINT.
• Device 2: AntSDR e200 running openwifi 1.5.0 as as STATION
• Other devices: Laptops, phones, etc. as STATIONS

Results:

• Other devices (phones, laptos, etc) connect successfully to the AP and can ping each other and the AP without issues
• Device 2: Cannot even associate (or struggles for minutes) to the AP. If it manages to associate (rare) ping shows a lot of packet loss.
• Exchanging antennas for cables doesn't make any difference

Test 5: Ad-hoc

• Device 1: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as AD-HOC
• Device 2: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as AD-HOC

Results:

• Works as expected using antennas (some expected loss when separating the 2 nodes.)
• Works as expected using cables.

Test 6: Ad-hoc

• Device 1: ADRV9361-Z7035 + ADRV1CRR-BOB running openwifi 1.5.0 as AD-HOC
• Device 2: AntSDR e200 running openwifi 1.5.0 as AD-HOC

Results:

• Works as expected using antennas (some expected loss when separating the 2 nodes.)
• Works as expected using cables.

Conclusion

• Openwifi image works fine as AP: tested with non openwifi stations.
• Openwifi image works fine as AD-HOC: Tested using only openwifi stations
• Openwifi DOES NOT WORK as STATION: Tested with openwifi AP and other external APS.

[jsr-krush]

Adding a note: Previous version of the image was used with same result. So not only 1.5.0 presents this issue.

[JiaoXianjun]

Thanks for reporting.
Will check internally.

[HavingaThijs]

I just tried the image openwifi-1.5.0-shahecheng on the ADRV9361-Z7035 as station, when using a ZCU102 as openwifi AP, operating on channel 1 (2.412GHz). It successfully connected in one go when using antennas, both boards around 30cm from each other. Ping packet loss is around 2%: 612 packets transmitted, 599 received, 2.12418% packet loss, time 8111ms.

Can you provide some logs when the station is trying to connect to the AP? What is the channel when using the RPI4 AP? The ADRV9361-Z7035 has very low transmit power in the 5GHz band.

It might be when using cables, a 20dB attenuator is not enough when connecting to a commercial AP, and it might require a bandpass filter or DC blocker.

You could try changing the receiver sensitivity and see if that helps: https://github.com/open-sdr/openwifi/blob/fe84a1d22e3821f79e998853f4cc31ecc2e9bc1c/doc/app_notes/frequent_trick.md#receiver-sensitivity-control