ath5k - strange regulatory domain change

[Chris Clayton]

Hi,

Because of some problems with my Belkin Wireless G card  (model
F5D7010) and the rt61pci driver, I've started to use a "no-name" card
that is supported by the ath5k driver.

A problem is that I have come across is that for some reason the CN
regulatory domain is being set automatically. This doesn't happen with
the Belkin (rt61) card. I have the following line in
/etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf to set the regulatory domain to GB:

options cfg80211 ieee80211_regdom=GB

Output from dmesg when the ath5k card is inserted is:

pcmcia_socket pcmcia_socket0: pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0
pci 0000:03:00.0: reg 10 32bit mmio: [0x000000-0x00ffff]
cfg80211: Calling CRDA for country: GB
cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: GB
        (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
        (2402000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5250000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5490000 KHz - 5710000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2700 mBm)
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: PCI INT A -> Link[LNKD] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: registered as 'phy0'
ath: EEPROM regdomain: 0x809c
ath: EEPROM indicates we should expect a country code
ath: doing EEPROM country->regdmn map search
ath: country maps to regdmn code: 0x52
ath: Country alpha2 being used: CN
ath: Regpair used: 0x52
phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'
cfg80211: Calling CRDA for country: CN
ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2417 chip found (MAC: 0xf0, PHY: 0x70)
cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: CN
        (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
        (2402000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 3000 mBm)
NET: Registered protocol family 17
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:1f:33:80:09:44
wlan0: authenticated
wlan0: associate with AP 00:1f:33:80:09:44
wlan0: associate with AP 00:1f:33:80:09:44
wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:1f:33:80:09:44 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=2)
wlan0: associated

The "problem" doesn't happen with kernel 2.6.30.4:

pcmcia_socket pcmcia_socket0: pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0
pci 0000:03:00.0: reg 10 32bit mmio: [0x000000-0x00ffff]
cfg80211: Calling CRDA for country: GB
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: PCI INT A -> Link[LNKD] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
ath5k 0000:03:00.0: registered as 'phy0'
cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: GB
        (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
        (2402000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5250000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2000 mBm)
        (5490000 KHz - 5710000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (N/A, 2700 mBm)
phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'
ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2417 chip found (MAC: 0xf0, PHY: 0x70)
NET: Registered protocol family 17
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:1f:33:80:09:44
wlan0: authenticated
wlan0: associate with AP 00:1f:33:80:09:44
wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:1f:33:80:09:44 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=2)
wlan0: associated

I am running the latest -git kernel:

[chris:~/kernel/linux-2.6]$ git describe
v2.6.31-rc5-246-g90bc1a6

.config is attached.

Of course, I could set the reg domain in /sbin/ifup when configuring
the interface, but that would be papering over the cracks.

Happy to provide additional diagnostics or test patches.

Thanks

Chris

-- 
No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which
so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn - Doctor Samuel
Johnson

Attachment: .config
Description: Binary data