Re: [ath11k] Roaming latency with Compex WLE300HX (QCN9074) — firmware/driver issue/Latency

[Aliliche Larbi]

Hello,

I noticed an error in my previous message regarding roaming latency
measurements sent : Tue Dec 9 10:25:01 PST 2025. Please see the
corrected information below.

The radio card is : Compex WLE3000HX

larbi.

Le mar. 9 déc. 2025 à 19:25, Aliliche Larbi <alilichelarbi at gmail.com> a écrit :
>
> Hello,
>
> I am experiencing persistent roaming latency with a Compex WLE300HX
> (QCN9074-based) Wi-Fi 6 PCIe card using the ath11k driver.
>
> I have a roaming test platform with multiple APs and controllable
> attenuators.
>
> The roaming test is performed between two 11a access points:
> - AP1 on channel 36
> - AP2 on channel 149
>
> Using Wireshark monitors, I measured the time between:
> 1) the last data packet on channel 36, and
> 2) the first data packet on channel 149.
>
> I tested four devices:
>
> 1. ACKSYS Railbox (WLE300HX), firmware QCN9074:
>    https://git.codelinaro.org/clo/ath-firmware/ath11k-firmware.git
>
> 2. 8devices Mango kit, CPU IPQ6018 + WLE300HX (QCN9074 firmware)
>
> 3. ACKSYS Airwave, CPU IPQ6018 + QCA firmware:
>    https://github.com/andreybondar59/firmware_qca-wireless
>
> 4. Moxa AWK-1161C, CPU IPQ6010, firmware unknown
>
> Roaming time (last data packet on ch36 → first data packet on ch149):
> - Moxa: ~104 ms
> - Railbox: ~180 ms
> - AirWave: ~104 ms
> - Mango: ~140 ms
>
> Wireshark measurement (last data packet ch36 → authentication response ch149):
> - Moxa: ~44 ms
> - Railbox: ~101 ms
> - AirWave: ~51 ms
> - Mango: ~100 ms
>
> I traced the Railbox using ftrace and extracted several WMI commands and
> their response times, from the last data packet on channel 36 until
> authentication success on channel 149:
>
> subif_start_xmit -> wmi_install_key_cmdid: 19.9 ms
> wmi_install_key_cmdid -> wmi_install_key_cmdid_response: 1.2 ms
> wmi_install_key_cmdid_response -> wmi_perr_delete_cmdid: 0.26 ms
> wmi_perr_delete_cmdid -> wmi_perr_delete_cmdid_response: 5 ms
> wmi_perr_delete_cmdid_response -> ath11k_mac_vdev_stop(): 0.5 ms
> ath11k_mac_vdev_stop() -> wmi_vdev_stop_cmdid: 19.3 ms
> wmi_vdev_stop_cmdid -> wmi_vdev_stop_cmdid_response: 0.27 ms
> wmi_vdev_stop_cmdid_response -> ath11k_wmi_vdev_start(): 0.03 ms
> ath11k_wmi_vdev_start() -> wmi_vdev_start_cmdid: 6.3 ms
> wmi_vdev_start_cmdid -> wmi_vdev_start_cmdid_response: 38.7 ms
> wmi_vdev_start_cmdid_response -> ieee80211_mgd_auth: 18.7 ms
> ieee80211_mgd_auth -> wmi_send_auth_req_cmdid: 5 ms
> wmi_send_auth_req_cmdid -> wmi_send_auth_req_cmdid_completed: 2.7 ms
> wmi_send_auth_req_cmdid_completed -> wmi_rx_auth_response: 1.39 ms
> wmi_rx_auth_response -> ieee80211_mark_sta_authenticated(): 3.57 ms
>
> Total: ~123 ms between the last packet on ch36 and authentication
> success on ch149
>
> Note: These timings are specific to the Railbox (QCN9074).
> The Airwave (IPQ6018 + QCA firmware) behaves differently; for instance,
> the vdev start command responds in ~10 ms on the Airwave firmware.
>
> Given this, it seems the QCN9074 firmware responds significantly slower.
>
> What are the differences between the WLE300HX QCN9074 firmware and the
> QCA firmware used on the Airwave device? Is there anything that can be
> tuned or configured to reduce roaming latency?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Larbi
> ------------------------------------------------------wireshark
> measures in ms--------------------------------------------------
> Event                         | MOXA         | RailboxV2 + WLE3000HX
>   |AirWave (New FW)     | Mango + WLE3000HX
> --------------------------+-------------------+--------------------------------------+-----------------------------+-------------------
> LAST DATA PACKET    | T0                | T0
>                 | T0                       | T0
>
> Disassociate                  | T0+{16}       | XX
>                       | Deauth XX          | XX
> Auth request                  | T0+{42}       | T0+{94;97}
>                   | T0+{48}               | T0+{96}
> Auth response               | T0+{44}       | T0+{98;101}
>                | T0+{51}               | T0+{99}
> Assoc request                | T0+{46}      | T0+{113;116}
>               | T0+{57}               | T0+{104}
> Assoc response             | T0+{51}      | T0+{115;118}
>             | T0+{58}               | T0+{106}
> EAPOL 1/4                    | T0+{61}       | T0+{123;126}
>                | T0+{67}               | T0+{113}
> EAPOL 2/4                    | T0+{64}      | T0+{142;144}
>                | T0+{73}               | T0+{124}
> EAPOL 3/4                    | T0+{67}      | T0+{145;147}
>                | T0+{76}               | T0+{125}
> EAPOL 4/4                    | T0+{68}      | T0+{148;151}
>                | T0+{78}               | T0+{129}
>
> LAST DATA PACKET    | T0+{104}    | T0+{177;197}
>      | T0+{104}             | T0+{140}