Bug 1032962

Summary: nl80211: Failed to set interface wlp0s6 into AP mode
Product: [Fedora] Fedora Reporter: IPl <pleningeri>
Component: hostapdAssignee: John W. Linville <linville>
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: unspecified    
Version: 19CC: dcallagh, itamar, linville, negativo17, pleningeri
Target Milestone: ---Flags: pleningeri: needinfo-
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: i686   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Story Points: ---
Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: 2015-01-05 15:29:51 UTC Type: Bug
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description IPl 2013-11-21 10:09:17 UTC 
Description of problem:
After execution "sudo hostapd /etc/hostapd.conf" displaying text:
"nl80211: Failed to set interface wlp0s6 into AP mode" and
"nl80221 driver initialization failed"

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
hostapd 2.0-4.fc19

How reproducible:

Steps to Reproduce:
1. sudo ifconfig wlp0s6 192.168.150.1
2. sudo service dnsmasq restart
3. sudo sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
4. sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o em1 -j MASQUERADE
5. sudo hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

Actual results:
nl80221 driver initialization failed

Expected results:


Additional info:

hostapd.conf :
#
# This will give you a minimal, insecure wireless network.
# 
# DO NOT BE SATISFIED WITH THAT!!!
#
# A complete, well commented example configuration file is
# available here:
#
#	/usr/share/doc/hostapd-2.0/hostapd.conf
#
# For more information, look here:
#
#	http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation/hostapd
#

ctrl_interface=/var/run/hostapd
ctrl_interface_group=wheel

# Some usable default settings...
macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0

# Uncomment these for base WPA & WPA2 support with a pre-shared key
wpa=2
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
wpa_pairwise=TKIP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP

# DO NOT FORGET TO SET A WPA PASSPHRASE!!
wpa_passphrase=YourPassPhrase

# Most modern wireless drivers in the kernel need driver=nl80211
driver=nl80211

# Customize these for your local configuration...
interface=wlp0s6
hw_mode=g
channel=6
ssid=mamutek
=============================================================================
hostapd messages :
random: Trying to read entropy from /dev/random
Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
ctrl_interface_group=10 (from group name 'wheel')
nl80211: interface wlp0s6 in phy phy0
rfkill: initial event: idx=0 type=1 op=0 soft=0 hard=0
nl80211: Using driver-based off-channel TX
nl80211: Add own interface ifindex 3
nl80211: Set mode ifindex 3 iftype 3 (AP)
nl80211: Setup AP - device_ap_sme=0 use_monitor=0
nl80211: Subscribe to mgmt frames with AP handle 0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame type=0xb0 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame type=0x0 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame type=0x20 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame type=0xa0 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame type=0xc0 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame type=0xd0 nl_handle=0x8854368
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Register frame command failed (type=208): ret=-114 (Operation already in progress)
nl80211: Register frame match - hexdump(len=0): [NULL]
nl80211: Failed to set interface wlp0s6 into AP mode
netlink: Operstate: linkmode=0, operstate=6
nl80211: Set mode ifindex 3 iftype 2 (STATION)
nl80211 driver initialization failed.
=============================================================================
lspci :
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8378 [KM400/A] Chipset Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237/VX700 PCI Bridge
00:06.0 Network controller: Ralink corp. RT3060 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R
00:0f.0 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:10.0 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.1 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.2 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.3 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.4 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 86)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 ISA bridge [KT600/K8T800/K8T890 South]
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 78)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation NV44A [GeForce 6200] (rev a1)
=============================================================================
iw_list:
Wiphy phy0
	max # scan SSIDs: 4
	max scan IEs length: 2257 bytes
	Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
	Device supports RSN-IBSS.
	Supported Ciphers:
		* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
		* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
		* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
		* CCMP (00-0f-ac:4)
	Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
	Supported interface modes:
		 * IBSS
		 * managed
		 * AP
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * WDS
		 * monitor
		 * mesh point
	Band 1:
		Capabilities: 0x172
			HT20/HT40
			Static SM Power Save
			RX Greenfield
			RX HT20 SGI
			RX HT40 SGI
			RX STBC 1-stream
			Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
			No DSSS/CCK HT40
		Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
		Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 2 usec (0x04)
		HT RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7, 32
		TX unequal modulation not supported
		HT TX Max spatial streams: 1
		HT TX MCS rate indexes supported may differ
		Bitrates (non-HT):
			* 1.0 Mbps
			* 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
			* 6.0 Mbps
			* 9.0 Mbps
			* 12.0 Mbps
			* 18.0 Mbps
			* 24.0 Mbps
			* 36.0 Mbps
			* 48.0 Mbps
			* 54.0 Mbps
		Frequencies:
			* 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm)
			* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
	Supported commands:
		 * new_interface
		 * set_interface
		 * new_key
		 * start_ap
		 * new_station
		 * new_mpath
		 * set_mesh_config
		 * set_bss
		 * authenticate
		 * associate
		 * deauthenticate
		 * disassociate
		 * join_ibss
		 * join_mesh
		 * set_tx_bitrate_mask
		 * frame
		 * frame_wait_cancel
		 * set_wiphy_netns
		 * set_channel
		 * set_wds_peer
		 * probe_client
		 * set_noack_map
		 * register_beacons
		 * start_p2p_device
		 * set_mcast_rate
		 * connect
		 * disconnect
	Supported TX frame types:
		 * IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
		 * P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
	Supported RX frame types:
		 * IBSS: 0x40 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * managed: 0x40 0xd0
		 * AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
		 * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
		 * P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
	software interface modes (can always be added):
		 * AP/VLAN
		 * monitor
	valid interface combinations:
		 * #{ AP, mesh point } <= 8,
		   total <= 8, #channels <= 1
	HT Capability overrides:
		 * MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
		 * maximum A-MSDU length
		 * supported channel width
		 * short GI for 40 MHz
		 * max A-MPDU length exponent
		 * min MPDU start spacing
	Device supports TX status socket option.
	Device supports HT-IBSS.
	Device supports low priority scan.
	Device supports scan flush.
	Device supports AP scan.
Comment 1 Dan Callaghan 2014-02-22 09:22:21 UTC 
The actual error from hostapd "nl80211: Failed to set interface wlp0s6 into AP mode" is unfortunately not too helpful and doesn't indicate what actually failed. I was getting this error when NetworkManager was running and trying to manage the wireless interface. You could try stopping NetworkManager before starting hostapd, and see if that makes a difference.

You could also try strace'ing the hostapd process when it starts, to see if that gives any hints.
Comment 2 John W. Linville 2014-12-19 19:50:53 UTC 
Does this issue persist?  Have you turned-off NetworkManager as suggested in comment 1?
Comment 3 Itamar Reis Peixoto 2014-12-28 16:28:55 UTC 
the root cause is wpa_supplicant, for some reason it appears to lock the wifi dongle,  hostapd works after killing wpa_supplicant,
Comment 4 John W. Linville 2015-01-05 15:29:51 UTC 
OK...hostapd and wpa_supplicant both play similar roles and are not going to be compatible with running on the same device at the same time.  In fact, they are even part of the same larger codebase...

I'm going to close this on the assumption that comment 3 is correct.