WLAN stops responding

[Jouni Malinen]

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 09:52:17AM +0100, Tomislav Par?ina wrote:

> On Ubuntu 9.10 server I have installed hostapd prom GIT (18. 02.
> 2010.). I'm using D-Link DWA-556 wireless network card with Atheros
> AR5008 chipset and I'm using ath9k driver.

Which kernel version are you using? Is ath9k from the same kernel or
compat-wireless?

> When I start hostapd client is able to ping the wireless nic of
> hostapd (AP). And as long as there is some communication, everything
> is working fine.
> 
> When there is no communication between the client and AP, after a
> minute or two I can't ping the AP anymore.

Which client device are you using? Have changed the station inactivity
timeout (ap_max_inactivity in hostapd.conf)? By default, it is five
minutes.

> Since at the beginning it's working and after some time of inactivity
> it fails, I assume it's a BUG. How can I troubleshoot this?

I would suggest running hostapd with verbose debugging (-ddt on command
line) and see whether something shows up at the point when the data
connection fails. hostapd should ping the station if it is inactive for
longer than ap_max_inactivity and assuming a response is received,
connection should be allowed to continue; if not, the station will be
disassociated. Either way, the station should be able to continue using
the connection (after reassociating in the latter case).

-- 
Jouni Malinen                                            PGP id EFC895FA