I am trying to set up an 5 GHz access point on a machine with an Atheros QCA6174A-equipped Wi-Fi card running CentOS 8.
However, all 5 GHz bands are blocked (no-IR flag set) for operation in AP mode (see output of iw list below). Interestingly, the iw reg get output does not indicate the prohibition of 5 GHz AP operation (see below).
The problem appears to be caused by the regionalization code 00 in the Wi-Fi module's firmware (see dmesg output), which to my understanding refers to a world region containing the minimum permissible set of regulations, thus excluding 5 GHz AP operation.
I've tried to set the region manually using iw reg set DE, which has no effect at all.
[1] seems to provide a solution requiring recompilation of the ath10k kernel module, which makes it ignore the regionalization flag in the firmware.
However, before starting to explore kernel module recompilation, I'd appreciate any feedback if this is indeed the correct direction to go.
Any other solution to overcome this problem would be appreciated.
Many thanks in advance!
Kernel Version: 4.18.0-147.5.1.e18_1.x86_64
Firmware Version: RM.4.4.1.c2-00057-QCARMSWP-1
[root@EMC EMC]# iw list
Wiphy phy0
max # scan SSIDs: 16
max scan IEs length: 195 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 16
max # match sets: 16
max # scan plans: 2
max scan plan interval: 7200
max scan plan iterations: 100
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports RSN-IBSS.
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
Device supports T-DLS.
Supported Ciphers:
* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
* CCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:4)
* CMAC (00-0f-ac:6)
* CMAC-256 (00-0f-ac:13)
* GMAC-128 (00-0f-ac:11)
* GMAC-256 (00-0f-ac:12)
Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* monitor
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
* P2P-device
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x19ef
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 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
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
Band 2:
Capabilities: 0x19ef
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
VHT Capabilities (0x339071b2):
Max MPDU length: 11454
Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
RX LDPC
short GI (80 MHz)
TX STBC
SU Beamformee
MU Beamformee
RX antenna pattern consistency
TX antenna pattern consistency
VHT RX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
VHT TX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 6.0 Mbps
* 9.0 Mbps
* 12.0 Mbps
* 18.0 Mbps
* 24.0 Mbps
* 36.0 Mbps
* 48.0 Mbps
* 54.0 Mbps
Frequencies:
* 5180 MHz [36] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5200 MHz [40] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5220 MHz [44] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5240 MHz [48] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5260 MHz [52] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5280 MHz [56] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5300 MHz [60] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5320 MHz [64] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5500 MHz [100] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5520 MHz [104] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5540 MHz [108] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5560 MHz [112] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5580 MHz [116] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5600 MHz [120] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5620 MHz [124] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5640 MHz [128] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5660 MHz [132] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5680 MHz [136] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5700 MHz [140] (30.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
* 5720 MHz [144] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5745 MHz [149] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5765 MHz [153] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5785 MHz [157] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5805 MHz [161] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5825 MHz [165] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5845 MHz [169] (30.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5865 MHz [173] (disabled)
Supported commands:
* new_interface
* set_interface
* new_key
* start_ap
* new_station
* set_bss
* authenticate
* associate
* deauthenticate
* disassociate
* join_ibss
* remain_on_channel
* set_tx_bitrate_mask
* frame
* frame_wait_cancel
* set_wiphy_netns
* set_channel
* set_wds_peer
* tdls_mgmt
* tdls_oper
* start_sched_scan
* probe_client
* set_noack_map
* register_beacons
* start_p2p_device
* set_mcast_rate
* connect
* disconnect
* channel_switch
* set_qos_map
* set_multicast_to_unicast
Supported TX frame types:
* IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
Supported RX frame types:
* IBSS: 0x40 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* managed: 0x40 0xd0
* AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
WoWLAN support:
* wake up on disconnect
* wake up on magic packet
* wake up on pattern match, up to 22 patterns of 1-134 bytes,
maximum packet offset 114 bytes
* wake up on network detection, up to 16 match sets
software interface modes (can always be added):
* monitor
valid interface combinations:
* #{ managed } <= 2, #{ AP, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 2, #{ P2P-device } <= 1,
total <= 4, #channels <= 1
* #{ managed } <= 2, #{ P2P-client } <= 2, #{ AP, P2P-GO } <= 1, #{ P2P-device } <= 1,
total <= 4, #channels <= 2
* #{ managed } <= 1, #{ IBSS } <= 1,
total <= 2, #channels <= 1
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
Device supports TX status socket option.
Device supports HT-IBSS.
Device supports SAE with AUTHENTICATE command
Device supports scan flush.
Device supports AP scan.
Device supports per-vif TX power setting
Driver supports full state transitions for AP/GO clients
Driver supports a userspace MPM
Driver/device bandwidth changes during BSS lifetime (AP/GO mode)
Device supports static SMPS
Device supports configuring vdev MAC-addr on create.
Device supports VHT-IBSS.
[root@EMC EMC]# iw reg get
global
country 00: DFS-UNSET
(2402 - 2472 @ 40), (6, 20), (N/A)
(2457 - 2482 @ 20), (6, 20), (N/A), AUTO-BW, PASSIVE-SCAN
(2474 - 2494 @ 20), (6, 20), (N/A), NO-OFDM, PASSIVE-SCAN
(5170 - 5250 @ 80), (6, 20), (N/A), AUTO-BW, PASSIVE-SCAN
(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (6, 20), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, PASSIVE-SCAN
(5490 - 5730 @ 160), (6, 20), (0 ms), DFS, PASSIVE-SCAN
(5735 - 5835 @ 80), (6, 20), (N/A), PASSIVE-SCAN
(57240 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 0), (N/A)
[root@EMC EMC]# dmesg | grep ath
[ 8.207772] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: pci irq msi oper_irq_mode 2 irq_mode 0 reset_mode 0
[ 8.435073] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: qca6174 hw3.2 target 0x05030000 chip_id 0x00340aff sub 1a3b:2260
[ 8.435077] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: kconfig debug 0 debugfs 1 tracing 0 dfs 0 testmode 0
[ 8.435784] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: firmware ver RM.4.4.1.c2-00057-QCARMSWP-1 api 6 features wowlan,ignore-otp,no-4addr-pad,raw-mode crc32 e061250a
[ 8.506337] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: board_file api 2 bmi_id N/A crc32 4ed3569e
[ 8.576387] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: unsupported HTC service id: 1536
[ 8.594085] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0: htt-ver 3.56 wmi-op 4 htt-op 3 cal otp max-sta 32 raw 0 hwcrypto 1
[ 8.651667] ath: EEPROM regdomain: 0x6a
[ 8.651669] ath: EEPROM indicates we should expect a direct regpair map
[ 8.651670] ath: Country alpha2 being used: 00
[ 8.651670] ath: Regpair used: 0x6a
[ 8.669958] ath10k_pci 0000:02:00.0 wlp2s0: renamed from wlan0
[root@EMC EMC]# lsmod | grep ath
ath10k_pci 45056 0
ath10k_core 450560 1 ath10k_pci
ath 36864 1 ath10k_core
mac80211 884736 1 ath10k_core
cfg80211 794624 3 ath,mac80211,ath10k_core
