WiFi/Bluetooth no longer working

Hi folks,

I’m seeking for help in how to debug the following problem:

For a few weeks now, WiFi and Bluetooth isn’t working anymore on my L5. It does not show up in the header bar. In gnome-settings the WiFi menu is gone. Bluetooth is still there, but it says “no bluetooth found”.

sudo nmcli device status does not show any device of type wifi. I’m using the SparkLAN card. Also it does not appear in the

output of lsusb.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 2020:2060 Qualcomm, Incorporated Qualcomm CDMA Technologies MSM
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:4041 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) Hub and media card controller
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:2640 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

The last time I know surely that WiFi worked is around 2025-04-08 20:24 CEST. At this time I connected via SSH-over-WiFi to my L5.

I found some “strange” brcmf logging entries in the syslog:

"brcmf logging entries
Apr 08 20:34:01 claudii systemd[1]: Stopping Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver...
Apr 08 20:34:01 claudii systemd[1]: bluetooth-brcmfmac.service: Succeeded.
Apr 08 20:34:01 claudii systemd[1]: Stopped Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver.
Apr 08 20:52:39 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: F1 signature read @0x18000000=0x1042aae8
Apr 08 20:52:39 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio for chip BCM43752/2
Apr 08 20:52:39 claudii kernel: brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio.purism,librem5r4.bin failed 
with error -2
Apr 08 20:52:40 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_process_txcap_blob: no txcap_blob available (err=-2)
Apr 08 20:52:40 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43752/2 wl0: Jul 13 2020 18:32:45 version 18.35.387.2
3.7 (b328500@shgit) (wlan=r880297) FWID 01-f50fdff0
Apr 08 20:52:40 claudii NetworkManager[600]: <info>  [1744138360.4005] rfkill56: found Wi-Fi radio killswitch (at /sys/devices/plat
form/soc@0/30800000.bus/30b50000.mmc/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:0001/mmc1:0001:1/ieee80211/phy27/rfkill56) (driver brcmfmac)
Apr 08 20:52:40 claudii systemd[1]: Starting Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver...
Apr 08 20:52:41 claudii systemd[1]: Started Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver.
Apr 08 20:52:42 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy27: brcmf_p2p_create_p2pdev: timeout occurred
Apr 08 20:52:42 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy27: brcmf_cfg80211_add_iface: add iface p2p-dev-wlan0 type 10 failed: err=-5
Apr 08 20:55:48 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: F1 signature read @0x18000000=0x1042aae8
Apr 08 20:55:48 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio for chip BCM43752/2
Apr 08 20:55:48 claudii kernel: brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio.purism,librem5r4.bin failed with error -2
Apr 08 20:55:52 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_process_txcap_blob: no txcap_blob available (err=-2)
Apr 08 20:55:52 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43752/2 wl0: Jul 13 2020 18:32:45 version 18.35.387.23.7 (b328500@shgit) (wlan=r880297) FWID 01-f50fdff0
Apr 08 20:55:52 claudii NetworkManager[592]: <info>  [1744138552.7764] rfkill4: found Wi-Fi radio killswitch (at /sys/devices/platform/soc@0/30800000.bus/30b50000.mmc/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:0001/mmc1:0001:1/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill4) (driver brcmfmac)
Apr 08 20:55:53 claudii systemd[1]: Starting Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver...
Apr 08 20:55:53 claudii systemd[1]: Started Bluetooth attachment for brcmfmac driver.
Apr 08 20:55:55 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy0: brcmf_p2p_create_p2pdev: timeout occurred
Apr 08 20:55:55 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy0: brcmf_cfg80211_add_iface: add iface p2p-dev-wlan0 type 
10 failed: err=-5
Apr 08 21:00:01 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:01 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:01 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:03 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:03 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:03 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_dpc: sdio ctrlframe tx failed err=-110
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy0: brcmf_proto_bcdc_query_dcmd: brcmf_proto_bcdc_msg failed w/status -110
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: ieee80211 phy0: brcmf_cfg80211_dump_station: BRCMF_C_GET_ASSOCLIST failed, err=-110
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:06 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_dpc: failed backplane access over SDIO, halting operation
Apr 08 21:00:08 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:08 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:08 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:08 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:08 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:10 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:10 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -110
Apr 08 21:00:10 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:12 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_kso_control: max tries: rd_val=0x0 err=0
Apr 08 21:00:12 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:12 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:12 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame
Apr 08 21:00:12 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_dpc: sdio ctrlframe tx failed err=-110
[a lot of those messages until]
Apr 08 21:51:40 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: F1 signature read @0x18000000=0x1042aae8
Apr 08 21:51:40 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio for chip BCM43752/2
Apr 08 21:51:40 claudii kernel: brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio.purism,librem5r4.bin failed with error -2
Apr 08 21:51:41 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_htclk: HT Avail timeout (1000000): clkctl 0x50
Apr 08 21:51:43 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_htclk: HT Avail timeout (1000000): clkctl 0x50
Apr 08 21:51:47 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: F1 signature read @0x18000000=0x1042aae8
Apr 08 21:51:47 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio for chip BCM43752/2
Apr 08 21:51:47 claudii kernel: brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43752-sdio.purism,librem5r4.bin failed with error -2
Apr 08 21:51:48 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_htclk: HT Avail timeout (1000000): clkctl 0x50
Apr 08 21:51:49 claudii kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_htclk: HT Avail timeout (1000000): clkctl 0x50

I did some system updates around that time.

Installation/updates around that time
Start-Date: 2025-04-08  00:21:54
Commandline: apt full-upgrade
Requested-By: purism (1000)
Upgrade: libfreetype6-dev:arm64 (2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u2), vim-gui-common:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), tzdata:arm64 (2025a-0+deb11u1, 2025b-0+deb11u1), librem5-base-defaults:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), libcap2-bin:arm64 (1:2.44-1, 1:2.44-1+deb11u1), vim:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), xxd:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), vim-gtk3:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), vim-common:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), libfreetype6:arm64 (2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u2), gir1.2-flatpak-1.0:arm64 (1.10.8-0+deb11u2, 1.10.8-0+deb11u3), librem5-base:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), libcap2:arm64 (1:2.44-1, 1:2.44-1+deb11u1), libcap-dev:arm64 (1:2.44-1, 1:2.44-1+deb11u1), librem5-gnome-base:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), vim-tiny:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), librem5-dev-tools:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), vim-runtime:arm64 (2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u1, 2:8.2.2434-3+deb11u3), librem5-gnome-phone:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), libopenjp2-7:arm64 (2.4.0-3, 2.4.0-3+deb11u1), librem5-non-gnome:arm64 (66pureos1~byz2, 66pureos1~byz3), librabbitmq4:arm64 (0.10.0-1, 0.10.0-1+deb11u1), libfreetype-dev:arm64 (2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.10.4+dfsg-1+deb11u2), firefox-esr:arm64 (128.8.0esr-1~deb11u1, 128.9.0esr-1~deb11u1)
End-Date: 2025-04-08  00:24:22

Start-Date: 2025-04-08  18:21:13
Commandline: apt full-upgrade
Requested-By: purism (1000)
Upgrade: libgs9-common:arm64 (9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u9, 9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u10), ghostscript:arm64 (9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u9, 9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u10), libgs9:arm64 (9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u9, 9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u10)
End-Date: 2025-04-08  18:21:20
System boots in this time frame:
2025-04-08 00:28:10 CEST
2025-04-08 20:55:46 CEST
2025-04-08 23:39:41 CEST

Has someone ideas how to debug/investigate this problem?

I still have my old Redspine Signals WiFi M2 card, maybe I insert it again to “test” if the SparkLAN M2 module is broken or so.

Thanks in advance
Jonathan (jonsger)

2 Likes

Try toggling the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth hardware kill switch first.

Use Jumpdrive to image the eMMC drive to a backup and then reflash, ideally back to what you originally flashed? (You can restore the backup after this test. Or not, depending on the outcome.)

You haven’t explicitly said whether you are using byzantium or crimson.

Check the firmware jail? (This kind of assumes that you know what it looked like when things were working.)

USB wouldn’t be relevant for the WiFi, as it should be being accessed via SDIO.

2 Likes

Try toggling the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth hardware kill switch first.

I have done this multiple times. It does not help.

1 Like

Okay, try your suggestion next: