v2.01.7 build 4636

[tony]

The new release is available for download.

Change log:
http://www.star-os.com/release-notes/2.01.7-4636.txt

The new WRAP upgrade .bin is here, all others are available too.
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrw-2.01.7-4636.bin

Starutil v1.14 can be downloaded here:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/starutil-windows-1.14.zip
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/starutil-linux-1.14.tgz

www.star-os.com (http://www.star-os.com) has been updated to reflect the new version.

OEM releases will be available within 24 hours.

[phendry]

Is the change purely cosmetic?

[tony]

No, the problem was more than cosmetic. v1.01.4, 5 and 6 are effected.

[lonnie]

I have updated our backbone and the channel issue is indeed fixed. Anyone notice a speed boost?

[mp3turbo]

> atheros performance improvements

yeah, what kind of boost should be there? 50% or 1% ? :) What about Turbo modes?

[tony]

It may vary from system to system. The processing power of the WRAP is still a factor, but there should be some, even if just a slight improvement.

[tog]

I know it can be tough to dumb-down highly technical driver-related things, but would you be comfortable with quickly describing the change or changes?

This is a made-up example: Not like "changed polling timer from x to y" more like "I changed a polling timer, changed this, and changed that" or "enabled ip fast forwarding in Linux kernel" or some simple description like that.

[lonnie]

I did not think the change logs were all that technical. Mostly you should treat an update as something to do ONLY if:

1. You are having trouble.
2. You want a new feature.

[butchkemper]

I would like to see cummulative change logs. The latest release and associated changes should be listed first followed by the changes for the previous release.

Butch

[phendry]

I have updated our backbone and the channel issue is indeed fixed. Anyone notice a speed boost?

I noticed a boost with previous versions since the kernel was upgraded. Is there even more of a performance boost in this version or is that the performance boost you where talking about??

[tony]

The latest release has some Atheros improvements that should give a subtle boost in performance on some platforms.

[go.fast]

The latest release has some Atheros improvements that should give a subtle boost in performance on some platforms.

Which platforms, pc or wraps?
Thanks
George

[mlemmo]

I updated 1 of our many WRAP boards this evening, to the latest as I wanted to see if the Atheros improvements would help in our environment.

it comes up for 50-60 Sec and reboots.

CPU is at 100%, I cannot seem to change any setting in the few seconds I have SSH access to it. I see the config looks good and it shows it runnig the correct version.

I am not sure how to proceed as I updated the code using starutil and the .7 bin

I do have 10 or so layer 7 filters.

It was workng fairly well in AP bridge to ethernet mode before the update.
WRAP - Single Atheros - 2 ethernet (1 active ethernet)
any Ideas?

Thanks
-Mark

[ns-c0de]

Did you check the ping watchdog settings? They say there were some changes there, so it may behave differently than the older version.

[tony]

No, the ping watchdog has not been modified for several releases now.

mlemmo, can you tell me which release you installed into your system? It sounds like you may have upgraded with the wrong edition.

[yurtesen]

I have a wrap board which crashed after few hours after the upgrade. I dont know what happened to it (it is at a remote location) I am waiting for the service guys to go and reset it. However another wrap is working fine so far. The differences between those 2 are not much, both are dual cm9. But the one crashed has hotspot, eezee client, pppoe server, minor firewall aditions(1 rule), connection tracking setup.
I dont know if I am missing anything else but the differences are about that. The one which crashed was running for many many days without any problems and last uptime was 6 days before I upgraded, and it didnt even last 4hours as it seems after the upgrade.

[rasimoes]

When OEM versions will be available?

Thanks!

[tony]

We put off releasing the OEM editions until the last few problems with the latest release have been resolved.

[rasimoes]

OK, no problem...

Thanks!

[mlemmo]

Tony,

I downloaded and installed:

http://www.staros.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrw-2.01.7-4636.bin

was at 2.01.1

Tonight I am going to install unlicensed 2.01.1 and update to 2.01.7 on a fresh flash as I do not want to blow any more licenses.

Thanks

-Mark

No, the ping watchdog has not been modified for several releases now.

mlemmo, can you tell me which release you installed into your system? It sounds like you may have upgraded with the wrong edition.

[ianek]

For me the version is far better than 4590.
I made field update on WRAP boards and got like 30% speed boost on atheros and some clients told me also on intersil side....

Jan

[billr]

Mlemmlo says:

'''''''I updated 1 of our many WRAP boards this evening, to the latest as I wanted to see if the Atheros improvements would help in our environment.

it comes up for 50-60 Sec and reboots.

CPU is at 100%, I cannot seem to change any setting in the few seconds I have SSH access to it. I see the config looks good and it shows it runnig the correct version.'''''''

See my thread... http://forums.star-os.com/showthread.php?t=4086

I got exactly the same symptoms when I put non-WRAP edition on a WRAP borad. I am 99.9% sure you put the wrongf edition on. I really kicked myself - I had to rewrite the CF and got to the site (ok only a mile away but a hassle).

Mlemmo my friend it is for sure you put the wrong version on. It is **SO** itrritating but I bet many people here have done it in a moment of inattention..

My sympathies to you - it is so frustrating..

[ianek]

Hello,
i used WRAP edition, and have no sympoms like you are describing. My best uptime for the version 4636 is 7 days, so i hope no crash will be made in more time....
We are using wrap with 2 atheros and 1 ethernet for one main link , connected 4 clients and before i was able to get like 7-8 mbits from the link with 100% usage, but now the cpu came down to like 70%
Regards

Jan

[billr]

I think the whole issue is, a non-WRAP edition was loaded into a WRAP.

Just as I did a few weeks ago and I got **exactly ** the same problems.
And had to reload a new .raw onto a new CF card
It's not StarOS, just my mistake !!

Cheers.

[bwbboot]

It would be nice to get a warning message if you upgrade a WRAP edition to desktop version for example.

Bjorn.

[billr]

Yes - I totally agree...

At the stage before it writes to the flash.
Or when it asks 'do you want to retain your settings' (I bet someone has accidentally hit N to that one !!)

SO - a warning for incompatibility - or a check - OR AT LEAST - a message *** HAVE YOU UPLOADED THE RIGHT VERSION FOR YOUR BOARD ***
would be very nice..

A simple warning message and the ability to abort the upgrade must be fairly simple ??

Cheers all....

[lonnie]

I agree it would be nice. If only we have placed the version number where we could read it before it was written to the flash. Since we did not, it means we have to redesign the current upgrade process - and you guessed it - that is for v3 and the Vx.

[Steve]

One thing that I do is name the file for what it is. If its a Soekris image, I save it as Soekris_2_01_07. If its a Wrap image, its WRAP_2_1_07. Do it right when you download it. Saves a lot of grief.

[rbolduc]

One thing that I do is name the file for what it is. If its a Soekris image, I save it as Soekris_2_01_07. If its a Wrap image, its WRAP_2_1_07. Do it right when you download it. Saves a lot of grief.


Right On !!! I do the same because strrw-x.x.x and strr-x.x.x look way too much the same to me, So far I have never uploaded the wrong one


Reed

[Ultanium]

For the past few weeks with 4636, I have beeing seeing sporadic problems with associated clients not showing the ip address in the association list. I just started using the Ubiquiti cards on my wraps, and I have seen it occasionally with CM9's also. The subs are associated, but it seems like either arp is broken or maybe it is spanning tree. I am using one 400mw Atheros card powered down to 24db, bridged with one ethernet coming down the tower. The wraps have good 15v power supplies so I doubt it is a power issue. Sometimes, but not always, if I use the firewall script to deny about 10 subs, activating the script will make it start working. Other times I have to reboot, and reboot, and reboot to get it going again. I was thinking about downgrading back to previous version, because today it happened on 3 of my AP's over the course of 2 hours.... Is anyone else seeing this??

Tom

[gaf@bluerivernet.com]

I have a wrap base with an NB2511 on an Omni as the distribution system and a CM9 at Ch 40 (5200 ofdm) as the backhaul linking it to the headend wrap. I have three other wraps, all similarly configured. All of the NB2511's appear to drop clients from time to time. Sometimes rebooting the base helps, but, the last resort is rebooting the client.

The CM9 link is running 1.6 miles set at 12mbps has -88 signal. It runs the throughput test at 2100-2400 KB and pings 1.4ms with zero packet loss all day long...and then wham, out of the blue, 300ms latency - infinite, impossible to ssh into the StarOs. CPU is running near 100%. This goes on for about 1hr and then, quite again no issues for days.

There is no other visible 5.2-5.8 rf in the market, the client side has 17 clients on it.

I've checked the antennae and all are firmly anchored and not moving and there is no weather or wind involved...Sure would appreciate some thoughts!

GAF

[tog]

I don't know about the 100% CPU, but you can't run a stable 802.11a link at -88. You must not have clear line of sight if you have -88 at 1.6 miles.

You will see packet loss and latency spikes on a wireless link that is barely there like yours is. Even if it runs fine for 23 hours out of the day, it will probably give you those symptoms periodically. You need to fix something: more height, replace antenna/cable/radio, check aim, something.

I have had a WRAP board run at 100% CPU constantly for no particular reason, I replaced the WRAP and had no more problems after that.

[sten]

Often DoS or other network related incidents trigger similar problems.
802.11 wireless is sensitive to packets per second.
-88 is also too little imho.

[ianek]

Hello,
i have same problem that ultanium describing, the ip adresses are not showing good with wireless clients and they cannot comunicate with the atheros AP with 4636. Any suggestion other than downgrade ?

Jan

[Erroneous]

Hi
I'm having the same problem as ianek and ultanium
with 1 of my 4 Atheros cards
clients can see the signal, but cannot even connect to it
in the association list, they have no ip, and in the interface has no traffic
after waiting for a long time, it seems that it comes back to life and they can associate normally, but sometimes i have to wait for a long, long time
i'm using bridged system too

Ianek, the versions older than 4636 works normally with atheros?

Thanks
Robson

[ianek]

Hello,
seems 4590 is ok, i switched back on my 2.4 AP atheros wraps to 4590 . But when using atheros on 5ghz and intersil on other side as AP on 2.4g the 4636 seems to me stable and has better performance than 4590 .

Jan

[Erroneous]

Hi
tried
strs-2.01.5-4619
and
strs-2.01.6-4633

both have the same problem
no traffic on the interface :(

[tony]

Can you vefiy the IRQs assigned to your four Atheros cards?

[Erroneous]

Hey
here is my irq table
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/4595/irq1cp.jpg

the interface where this problem happens is wpci2
so i think irq sharing isn't the cause of this :(

[tony]

IRQ 12 is a cause for many people, as it is shared with the PS/2 mouse and USB. On some systems, this causes some of the cards to miss their IRQs which is not good. Can you verify that your USB is disabled, and if you have a PS/2 mouse, try detatching it and see if wpci2 starts behaving again.

[Erroneous]

Hi Tony
I have disabled the USB last month i guess (when we put down the box)
and i don't have anything connected on the card
no mouse and no keyboard

is there a way to change the irq of this card?

Thanks

[lonnie]

Can you block it in BIOS by assigning it to a legacy bus device?

[Erroneous]

Hi Lonnie
it's a bit difficult because i have more clients connected to another cards
so i'd have to put down the box to change this configs.
:(

[ianek]

Hello,
i dont think it will help, this same happening to me and the irq for card is different than for USB. I think it is issue with the new atheros driver modification, it also happening with one my wrap board which has no usb . I switched back to 4590 and seems to be ok .

Jan

[Erroneous]

Hi ianek
Tried with 4590 and i haven't had the same luck as you :(

here is how it stays in my association list
http://img281.imageshack.us/img281/1289/starosnoconnection7gl.jpg


i'm also having some problems with crashes
today my system suddenly crashed and i had to turn it off manually.

i'm almost getting mad :(

[go.fast]

Why are all your rates 2 and 1 megs?

[Erroneous]

Hi
when this problem occurs, they have this rate
when the interface is working normally they have higher rates.

[lonnie]

If you give me the public IP and password I will take a look.

[ninedd]

And why are all the IP's 0.0.0.0? Shouldn't this indicate that none of them are passing data...

[Erroneous]

Inet2000
That`s my main question
why they cannot pass data to the interface?
this is the problem we are talking about
no traffic on the interface, and they cannot show any IP (They all have fixed ips)

That's not client's problem, cause all of them are configured correctly.

At this moment, it came back to life and began to work (after 7 hours waiting)

Thanks
Robson

[rbolduc]

I would check to make sure you have the AP locked at 11mb and also turn off all atheros "features" lock ap to "b" only.. I had this problem when I was using hermes clients with an atheros AP, now I have all prisim 2511's (Tranzeo CPE-200's) and I have not had this problem since... Just a thought..

Reed

[Erroneous]

Changed this configurations now
and it had no effect
no traffic on the interface :(

[titan_wireless]

I had issues like you when I was bridging my devices also. Since I do not bridge devices and only use routing now, I do not see those issues anymore. Give routing a try if you have not yet. Bridging devices was never stable for me. Upgrading FW and trying different cards would always yield different results. Once I implemented routing I never had issues again.

[rafamous]

Is StarOS verson 2.01.6 available for download??
I would like to use the layer7 firewall option but read in a post that 2.01.7 does not support it and StarOS verson 2.01.6 does.

[tony]

Yes, 2.01.6 build 4633 is still live. You can substitute the version and build number in the download url on the downloads site to get the release you need.

The latest release with layer-7 support is v2.01.5, build 4619.

[rafamous]

That's it. Thanks for your help.

[wwalcher]

Tony and Lonnie,

I may have missed it, but I don't believe I have seen a definitive response from either of you on the problems a lot of us are having with the 4636 version. I know you guys have responded about some IRQ issues and Lonnie offered to look at someone's system, but I haven't seen a response as to confirming or denying the problem. I just had another call this morning from a customer who was offline. I realized his AP firmware was still on 4636 (I have changed my others to 4590). He was experiencing the common symptom - he was showing as connected on the AP with a good signal strength, but he could not get anywhere and I could not ping his radio. He had already rebooted his equipment, to no avail. I had to "Activate Changes" on the AP to get him back online. The AP is a Wrap and the radio was a CM9.

When I downgrade back to 4590, the problem goes away.

So, have you determined that there is a problem with 4636? If so, is there going to be a fix for 4636 soon, or are we going to have to wait for v3 to get any further resolution?

Thanks.

[tony]

What are your clients? One thing you must ensure, if using an Atheros AP for 11b clients, you must ensure the 11b clients support short preamble, or they will have connectivity issues. (this is 99.9% of the problems people are having with 11b client with Atheros APs). Most windows-based cards, and some 11b clients allow you to change them to short preamble.

StarVX supports long preamble (as of the v1.4 apConfig utility), as will V3 once it's released.

[wwalcher]

No, all my problems are with A and G clients, Wraps and non-Wraps.

[tony]

There are no know problems with the later releases regarding drop outs, or issues in G or A mode, especially not while acting as an AP.

Can you give me a quick rundown as to one of your clients that are having the most trouble, such as if security is used, the type of client (brand, hardware and firmware revision if StarOS).

[wwalcher]

There are no know problems with the later releases regarding drop outs, or issues in G or A mode, especially not while acting as an AP.

Can you give me a quick rundown as to one of your clients that are having the most trouble, such as if security is used, the type of client (brand, hardware and firmware revision if StarOS).

No security used
Clients:
Wrap/4636/CM9/802.11a
Wrap/4636/CM9/802.11g
WRT54g with Talisman 1.05 in G mode

[tog]

Have you tried replacing the AP?

I haven't seen it very often or anything but I have seen some weird stuff due to a misbehaving WRAP or radio. It goes away when I replace the hardware.

As part of the troubleshooting, it is worth swapping the entire WRAP/CM9 combo if you have not yet tried that. You can use starutil to back up the existing configuration and then restore it to the new unit...

I have something like 25 APs up and not a single one has ever required that kind of babysitting or exhibited that kind of behavior so it seems rather strange. Most of my APs and WRAP clients are running the latest StarOS build (4636) and almost all the APs have cheapie D-Link and Netgear as well as WRAP/CM9/StarOS clients on them.

[ianek]

Hello,
i noticed same problem, and i had to shut down my Staros routers based on Celeron 2ghz , standard intel chipsets. The computers started after some time locking up, changing ICQs and disabling didnt help as they were on bones i had to change them for mikrotik boards.
I have same problems with wrap boards 4636 versions, they after some time will loose IP adresses of clients, on a/b/g sides, it doesnt matter, only reboot will help. SO i switched back to 4590.
But with fast routers based on intel chipsets i'm not able to get the idea why they are locking up - tried versions from 4590 up and no luck. 1-3 days is maximum uptime .... I see the solution in V3 maybe .

Jan