RPi 3 - Very poor wifi performance

[chrisoh]

The latest rpi-update kernel now disables power saving by default. If you have had issues, the please remove any current workarounds and try the rpi-update firmware/kernel and report if it works for you.

Usual caveats apply - rpi-update firmware/kernel is for testers and new bugs are possible.

Thanks for the heads up. As you appear to be working on the WiFi atm, I was wondering if you any thoughts on the WiFi + SSH problems described in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=138631 ?

[DougieLawson]

The latest rpi-update kernel now disables power saving by default. If you have had issues, the please remove any current workarounds and try the rpi-update firmware/kernel and report if it works for you.

Usual caveats apply - rpi-update firmware/kernel is for testers and new bugs are possible.

Hi Dom, is that also included in BRANCH=next and the 4.4.4 stuff?

[dom]

Hi Dom, is that also included in BRANCH=next and the 4.4.4 stuff?

It is now (and also includes the bump to 4.4.5).

[DougieLawson]

Thank you. I can see a time in the near future where eight out of ten pis get rebooted.

[dchao99]

Hi Dom, is that also included in BRANCH=next and the 4.4.4 stuff?

It is now (and also includes the bump to 4.4.5).

Hi Dom,
I've update the firmware to 4.1.19.
The power management for brcm43430 seems to be off by default. Since the WiFi seems to be more stable now.
But as soon as I plug in my external USB SSD to the USB port. My WiFi connection becomes very unstable again (huge ping delays to huge # of dropped packets). I thought it might be a power issue, so I powered the SSD from a separate power supply, but the issue's still there.
Could there be a conflict between the brcm43430 SDIO and USB mass storage device driver?

[DougieLawson]

Have you added

Code: Select all

max_usb_current=1

to your /boot/config.txt?

[dom]

Thanks for the heads up. As you appear to be working on the WiFi atm, I was wondering if you any thoughts on the WiFi + SSH problems described in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=138631 ?

As far as wifi/bluetooth goes, I just build the firmware. @PhilE may know more and he has some bugtrack tickets open with Broadcom, but he's currently off sick.

[chrisoh]

Thanks for the heads up. As you appear to be working on the WiFi atm, I was wondering if you any thoughts on the WiFi + SSH problems described in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=138631 ?

As far as wifi/bluetooth goes, I just build the firmware. @PhilE may know more and he has some bugtrack tickets open with Broadcom, but he's currently off sick.

Ok, thanks for the clarification, hope he's feeling better soon.

[jbeale]

By the way, just got my new Pi 3. Wifi works fine so far. However I notice that 'iwconf" reports Tx-Power is 1496 dBm. That is an awfully large number, my calculator gives up after 10^99 ...I think there is at least a decimal point missing somewhere?

[dchao99]

Have you added

Code: Select all

max_usb_current=1

to your /boot/config.txt?

Yes, I have.
I think the USB on the RPi3 is hardwired to give you 1.2A now.

[dom]

I think the USB on the RPi3 is hardwired to give you 1.2A now.

Correct 1.2A is the default and max_usb_current has no effect on Pi3.

[toadstool]

Being the OP, I'd just like to report that with the latest Raspbian updates (including the Wi-Fi power-management off) solves the issue for me. Thanks to all involved for the solution.

Still, there is some strange behaviour with the on-board Wi-Fi interface - for example, if I ping the RPi 3 and then run either a git clone or pull or an apt-get update or anything that involves download traffic via SSH to the Pi, the ping latency drops from ~4.5 ms to ~1.5 ms - its as though the more you use it, the faster it gets! (Now wouldn't it be cool if that was true > infinity)

[cyberstorm5]

I've been struggling with this all weekend, never suspected it was an issue with my Pi3. Then I bought a second one, had the same issue. They both show the same boot error messages above. I returned both of them. Will wait till these early issues are resolved. I'm fine with my Pi2 for now.

[ddurdle]

I just got my pi3 last weekend and getting started during the week. I usually find it faster to setup things by ssh from another machine.

I'm finding it very sluggish over wifi. There are long pauses. It is in the same room as me and I can see the green light flashes and then I get a response back. If I type commands on the keyboard and screen directly attached, there is no slowness.

Sometimes commands are not even relayed back to my ssh. For instance, I'm typing poweroff and hit enter and none of this is relayed back to the display but I can see the command immediately getting executed on the device as the attached screen quickly shows the shutdown is underway.

[ddurdle]

My wifi latency/packet loss issue (only when using with SSD plugged in) was resolved by switching to a smaller micro usb cable used to power the pi 3.

[MaxK1]

My wifi latency/packet loss issue (only when using with SSD plugged in) was resolved by switching to a smaller micro usb cable used to power the pi 3.

I assume you mean shorter?

[dchao99]

My wifi latency/packet loss issue (only when using with SSD plugged in) was resolved by switching to a smaller micro usb cable used to power the pi 3.

I have been using the official 12W PSU. It has improved the WiFi performance dramatically, but it's not perfect (compared to my Edimax USB dongle, which can tolerant most good USB chargers). IME, it's *critical* to use the very best PSU for Pi3 if you want to run WiFi as well, which means the only the official Raspberry PSU will do it.

[ddurdle]

My wifi latency/packet loss issue (only when using with SSD plugged in) was resolved by switching to a smaller micro usb cable used to power the pi 3.

I have been using the official 12W PSU. It has improved the WiFi performance dramatically, but it's not perfect (compared to my Edimax USB dongle, which can tolerant most good USB chargers). IME, it's *critical* to use the very best PSU for Pi3 if you want to run WiFi as well, which means the only the official Raspberry PSU will do it.

Unfortunately this kills applications where the device is embedded and powered off battery or some other driver board, like a laptop/lapdock/pi-top.

[mosespi]

2.5A is the recommended supply for the Pi 3 because..

Pi 3.. takes 1.3A
Pi 3 USB ports.. *CAN* take 1.2A

So if you have nothing (or something small) on the USB ports, your requirement now becomes 1.3A for the Pi.

None of this precludes any embedded, battery or driver board applications, I'm not sure why one would think that. Might need a slightly bigger battery or supply/driver, but we also talking about a more capable computer as well.

Regards,
-Moses

[MaxK1]

Where did you see 1.3A for the pi3?

[gregeric]

Here: viewtopic.php?p=916705#p916705

It's more of a "can take" rather than a "does take", that 1.3A coming from max'ed out GPU & arm cores, running camera, WiFi etc - not your typical usage.

[ddurdle]

2.5A is the recommended supply for the Pi 3 because..

Pi 3.. takes 1.3A
Pi 3 USB ports.. *CAN* take 1.2A

So if you have nothing (or something small) on the USB ports, your requirement now becomes 1.3A for the Pi.

None of this precludes any embedded, battery or driver board applications, I'm not sure why one would think that. Might need a slightly bigger battery or supply/driver, but we also talking about a more capable computer as well.

Regards,
-Moses

I didn't say anything about bigger battery. I'm talking about solutions people drafted based on supplying power over a single USB to the board from a hub (such in a pi-top or lapdock solution). In my lapdock solution, it's not a challenge to provide a second source.

In your own words, if the requirement is 1.3 minimum then a single USB source won't suffice.

In my case above, I was using two cables and one of the cables was causing the wifi problems. Replaced the cable and now I don't have wifi issues. Anyone in the same boat and convinced they have enough power supply should ensure their cables are not culprit. Naturally if you are using the official power supply adapter and cable provided, you are good. But in custom builds, you may be drawing off different power sources and most likely using different cabling. Cabling that worked with pi/pi2 but don't assume will work with pi3.

[mosespi]

Here: viewtopic.php?p=916705#p916705

It's more of a "can take" rather than a "does take", that 1.3A coming from max'ed out GPU & arm cores, running camera, WiFi etc - not your typical usage.

You are right.. both of those should have been "can take". From test results I have seen, the 3 may just work with some workloads on a nice 'stiff' 1A supply. Still waiting for mine here in the U.S to try it out.

Regards,
-Moses

[jdkullmann]

I've just replaced my P2 with a P3 (with a 5v 2.4a PS) and wifi is at about 1.2MB/sec if I rsync to it while it runs at about 12MB/sec to an MBair on same wifi. I don't think the wifi slowness is a PS issue

[gregeric]

The WiFi throughput & range (~30Mbps here) may be compromised on account of the on-board ceramic antenna - if this were a phone they'd have had free reign to specify size & location of that part, usually ending up off the main PCB & away from other high frequency signals. But as this is a bare SBC it had to be squeezed onto the main PCB. It will be interesting to see how adding a UFL socket & external antenna improve things.