RTL8188EE [10ec:8179] and RTL8723BE [10ec:b723] have MSI compatibility issue

Bug Description

Some RTL8188EE do have get any results when searching for wireless networks, need to enable MSI interrupt to get it work.

02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188EE Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:8179] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:197d]
Kernel driver in use: rtl8188ee
Kernel modules: rtl8188ee

The newest feedback: RTL8188EE [10ec:8179] and RTL8723BE [10ec:b723] have MSI compatibility issue, on some certain platforms they work fine with MSI but break connections without MSI, on some other certain platforms it's opposite.

So, will fallback to default pin-based and provide a kernel parameter to enable MSI.

enabling MSI interrupts support could fix this issue, have submitted a patch to upstream linux-wireless@

patches are verified positive with wireless-next

patches are merged by wireless-next

patches are merged by Linus tree, start backporting

2cddad3c737a35118151ec930fb43a710b3646d2
94010fa0dd07e8b904e7c6b6589f15573008ab15
2a54eb5e1476426ee639bbfbe179b52342a0d82c

and aa45a673b291fd761275493bc15316d79555ed55

Pull request sent to <email address hidden>

git://kernel.ubuntu.com/rtg/ubuntu-trusty.git rtl8188ee

Thanks to Gavin, he tested those 4 cherry-picks, positive.

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 3.13.0-24.46

---------------
linux (3.13.0-24.46) trusty; urgency=low

[ Andy Whitcroft ]

* [Config] d-i -- add nvme devices to block-modules udeb
- LP: #1303710

[ Paolo Pisati ]

* [Config] build vexpress a9 dtb
- LP: #1303657
* [Config] disable HVC_DCC
- LP: #1303657

[ Tim Gardner ]

* Release Tracking Bug
- LP: #1305158
* rebase to v3.13.9
* CONFIG_RTLBTCOEXIST=m
- LP: #1296591

[ Upstream Kernel Changes ]

* HID: Bluetooth: hidp: make sure input buffers are big enough
- LP: #1252874
* ACPI / video: Add systems that should favour native backlight interface
- LP: #1303419
* rds: prevent dereference of a NULL device in rds_iw_laddr_check
- LP: #1302222
- CVE-2014-2678
* x86/efi: Fix 32-bit fallout
- LP: #1301590
* drm/nouveau/devinit: tidy up the subdev class definition
- LP: #1158689
* drm/nouveau/device: provide a way for devinit to mark engines as
disabled
- LP: #1158689
* drm/nv50-/devinit: prevent use of engines marked as disabled by
hw/vbios
- LP: #1158689
* rtlwifi: btcoexist: Add new mini driver
- LP: #1296591
* rtlwifi: Prepare existing drivers for new driver
- LP: #1296591
* rtlwifi: add MSI interrupts mode support
- LP: #1296591
* rtlwifi: rtl8188ee: enable MSI interrupts mode
- LP: #1296591

[ Upstream Kernel Changes ]

* rebase to v3.13.9
-- Tim Gardner <email address hidden> 2014年4月04日 09:26:27 -0400

Sorry, but the bug still exists under kernel 3.13.0-24

see bugs:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1310512
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1268833

Having problems on 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64 Ubuntu with rtl8188ee as well, tried backports 3.14-1 & 3.15-rc-1 and both function a little better but still drop out a decent amount.. avg 30% packet loss..

still same issues on mainline 3.15.0-031500rc2-generic x86_64 as well for me, connects on unsecure networks fine but has a lot of packet loss & drops connection randomly.

@d3m4n please tracking your issue on Bug #1310512, and try the kernel in #19, thanks

@adam, sry i actually caved this last hour and switch internal minipci out for a different model =) to be honest i was not a fan of the realtek rtl8188ee anyways and am having no issues with the ralink rt5390 =)

now, what to do with the auxiliary ufl port... hmm, im thinking ufl-rpsma for external antenna mod =) hehehe =)

thanks for the help though, i might try that out if i need to revert back for some reason, or if i change the other machine i stole it from over to linux as well.

reopen this bug since the patch was reverted.

will backport a patchset to fix this, which adds msi bool parameter to rtl8188ee and rtl8723be module but not sets msi as default.

@Adam i use RTL8723BE on Lenovo B5400.
How can I help to catch this error?

the new patchset has been submitted to kernel-team@

the patchset is in trusty-next

Fixed in kernel 3.13.0-30.54

Tips for RTL8188EE [10ec:8179] and RTL8723BE [10ec:b723] users: those hardware modules have MSI compatibility issue, on some certain platforms they work fine with MSI but break connections without MSI, on some other certain platforms it's opposite. You could try to toggle its module parameter "msi"

This bug is awaiting verification that the kernel in -proposed solves the problem. Please test the kernel and update this bug with the results. If the problem is solved, change the tag 'verification-needed-trusty' to 'verification-done-trusty'.

If verification is not done by 5 working days from today, this fix will be dropped from the source code, and this bug will be closed.

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you!