[Soekris] WiFi card failures in 4526's

[Jim Cromie]

Nate Nielsen wrote:
> Joshua ChaitinPollak wrote:
>   
>> First off, does the Soekris have a temperature sensor or CPU  
>> throttling ablities? 
>>     
>
> Yup.
>
>   
>> How would I go about accessing that information  
>> via Linux?
>>     
>
> It's an LM75 chip. I believe there are various drivers and patches for
> Linux.
>
>   

Im unaware of an LM-75 on-board (the net4801).  Can you dig up a reference ?
The 4801 has a pc87366, which has temp monitor ckts.
Linux has pc8736x driver for its capabilities:

soekris:~# sensors
pc87366-isa-6620
Adapter: ISA adapter
avi0:      +3.01 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +3.01 V)
VCORE:     +1.99 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +3.01 V)
VCC:       +4.96 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +6.03 V)
VPWR:     +11.40 V  (min =  +5.93 V, max = +28.02 V)
+12V:     +11.74 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max = +14.46 V)
-12V:     -12.97 V  (min = -60.61 V, max =  -2.76 V)
GND:       +0.00 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +3.01 V)
Vsb:       +3.28 V  (min =  +3.00 V, max =  +3.59 V)
Vdd:       +2.93 V  (min =  +3.00 V, max =  +3.59 V)       ALARM
Vbat:      +3.01 V  (min =  +2.40 V, max =  +3.01 V)
AVdd:      +3.28 V  (min =  +3.00 V, max =  +3.59 V)
Temp:        +99 C  (low  =    +0 C, high =  +125 C)
Critical:   +126 C

Theres more here, including the /etc/sensors.conf that I borrowed
(and tweaked).  Brix, can you add your sensor readings to your web-page ?
(Mine has a low Vdd, which might corrupt some readings (temp, hopefully)


http://dev.gentoo.org/~brix/papers/net4801/net4801.html#sect-kernel-temp-volt


> <snip>
>
>   
>> Currently, the cards and mounted in the slot directly above the AMD  
>> chip, although I have suggested moving the cards to the other slot.  
>> The cards are rated at a max of 70 degrees Celsius, which sounds  
>> reasonable, but we haven't done any temperature testing yet.
>>     
>
> :) Even if it doesn't ruin the card, the Atheros chipsets (from
> experience) won't perform properly if the temperature is over 55 for
> extended periods of time. That's measured from the Soekris onboard
> temperature sensor.
>
>   

FWIW, the PC-87366 is directly under the mini-PCI slot, so its 
temp-reading should be
relevant to wifi performance at temp.  The CPU is not under the 
mini-PCI, so shouldnt
contribute as much heat to the wifi-card as the devices 'trapped' 
underneath it.
At the margin, you might be able to lower temp a bit by using eth1,2 in 
preference to eth0,
probably moreso if you add some vents.


> Cheers,
> Nate
>