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PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Speeds

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codeChris
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Joined: 2015-03-22 08:01
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PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Speeds

#1 Post by codeChris »

For the past few months I have been tirelessly trying to get my Asus PCE-AC68 to run with my custom Debian 7 with kali-linux-full installed. I feel i have tried everything (5 or 6 times), and I am very close to the solution. I just need a separate set of eyes. I'm running ESXi 5.1 with Windows Server 2008 R2 to manage my domain controllers, active directory, and IIS server. Everything is running smoothly except for my penetration testing suite. I can get the device to enumerate and even show up on iwconfig, but I cannot get it to enter monitoring mode. I am almost sure it is a modprobe issue.

Here is some common output:
lspci:

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root@debwkstation01:~/Documents# lspci -nn | grep 0280
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation Device [14e4:43a0] (rev 03)
iwconfig

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root@debwkstation01:~$  iwconfig 
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth1      IEEE 802.11abg  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=200 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          
teredo    no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

ifconfig:

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root@debwkstation01:~$ sudo ifconfig 
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0c:29:29:85:0b  
          inet addr:10.xx.xx.xx  Bcast:10.xx.xx.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::20c:29ff:fe29:850b/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:53044 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:27796 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:54247384 (51.7 MiB)  TX bytes:2980840 (2.8 MiB)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:75611 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:75611 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:12946459 (12.3 MiB)  TX bytes:12946459 (12.3 MiB)

teredo    Link encap:UNSPEC  HWaddr 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00  
          inet6 addr: fe80::ffff:ffff:ffff/64 Scope:Link
          inet6 addr: 2001:0:53aa:64c:84f:4316:b344:b18e/32 Scope:Global
          UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST  MTU:1280  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:500 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:144 (144.0 B)
lsmod:

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root@debwkstation01:~$  lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
i2c_smbus              12595  0 
vsock                  37705  0 
fuse                   52176  3 
tun                    17868  2 
ppdev                  12651  0 
lp                     12797  0 
bnep                   17288  2 
rfcomm                 28626  0 
bluetooth             103791  10 rfcomm,bnep
nfnetlink_log          12909  0 
nfnetlink              12786  1 nfnetlink_log
binfmt_misc            12813  1 
uinput                 12991  1 
nfsd                  173901  2 
nfs                   265953  0 
nfs_acl                12463  2 nfs,nfsd
auth_rpcgss            32143  2 nfs,nfsd
fscache                31978  1 nfs
lockd                  61373  2 nfs,nfsd
sunrpc                148000  6 lockd,auth_rpcgss,nfs_acl,nfs,nfsd
loop                   17810  0 
dm_crypt               18039  0 
joydev                 17010  0 
vmwgfx                 84772  1 
ttm                    47786  1 vmwgfx
drm                   146387  3 ttm,vmwgfx
parport_pc             22036  1 
psmouse                59609  0 
evdev                  17225  8 
serio_raw              12803  0 
coretemp               12770  0 
vmw_balloon            12542  0 
wl                   6071235  0 
parport                31254  3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev
processor              27565  0 
i2c_piix4              12480  0 
i2c_core               19116  3 i2c_piix4,drm,i2c_smbus
thermal_sys            17752  1 processor
vmci                   54724  1 vsock
ac                     12552  0 
power_supply           13283  1 ac
container              12525  0 
button                 12817  0 
cfg80211              113445  1 wl
rfkill                 18516  3 cfg80211,bluetooth
shpchp                 26717  0 
ext4                  307029  1 
crc16                  12327  2 ext4,bluetooth
jbd2                   56426  1 ext4
mbcache                12938  1 ext4
dm_mod                 57386  1 dm_crypt
microcode              17558  0 
vmxnet                 21880  0 
vmw_pvscsi             17289  0 
vmxnet3                35628  0 
sr_mod                 17468  0 
cdrom                  34813  1 sr_mod
sg                     21476  0 
ata_generic            12439  0 
sd_mod                 35425  3 
usbhid                 31554  0 
hid                    64284  1 usbhid
crc_t10dif             12332  1 sd_mod
uhci_hcd               22337  0 
crc32c_intel           12659  0 
aesni_intel            17913  0 
aes_i586               16647  1 aesni_intel
aes_generic            32970  2 aes_i586,aesni_intel
cryptd                 14125  1 aesni_intel
floppy                 48125  0 
ehci_hcd               39631  0 
usbcore               104555  4 ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd,usbhid
usb_common             12338  1 usbcore
e1000                  80417  0 
ata_piix               25271  0 
libata                125014  2 ata_piix,ata_generic
mptspi                 17753  2 
scsi_transport_spi     19198  1 mptspi
mptscsih               22334  1 mptspi
mptbase                52037  2 mptscsih,mptspi
scsi_mod              135081  8 mptscsih,scsi_transport_spi,mptspi,libata,sd_mod,sg,sr_mod,vmw_pvscsi
interfaces:

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# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth1
allow-hotplug eth1
iface eth1 inet dhcp

auto wlan0
allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
blacklist.conf:

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root@debwkstation01:~$ ls /etc/modprobe.d/
alsa-base-blacklist.conf   fbdev-blacklist.conf
alsa-base.conf             kali-blacklist.conf
blacklist.conf             nvidia-kernel-common.conf
blacklist-libnfc.conf      open-vm-tools-dkms.conf
bonding.conf               radeon-kms.conf
dkms.conf                  vmware-tools.conf
root@debwkstation01:~$ vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
#blacklist wl
I have installed so many drivers...so many restarts...I just need a little help. :cry: Thanks in advance.

codeChris
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Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

codeChris wrote:Debian 7 with kali-linux-full installed.
What does this mean?

I can't find a "kali-linux-full" package in the Debian repositories...
https://packages.debian.org/search?keyw ... ection=all

Maybe you should ask here instead:
https://forums.kali.org/
deadbang

v&n
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Joined: 2015-02-04 02:57

Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#3 Post by v&n »

codeChris wrote:

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root@debwkstation01:~$  lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
....
wl                   6071235  0 
....
....

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....
root@debwkstation01:~$ vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
#blacklist wl
Why have you blacklisted the wl driver when it is the only one that seems to support your card? And as evident from lsmod, it seems to be loading anyway (unless you loaded it manually later, which could be a reason for problems in some cases).<-- (obsolete)
Sorry, missed that it was commented out in the blacklist file. But still it seems you have probably tried other drivers without realizing that the sta driver is the only one that supports this card.

I don't trust the sta driver with high speeds, but you don't seem to have much options available at this time. As for monitor mode, have you seen this discussion yet? - http://askubuntu.com/questions/155528/w ... eless-card
Last edited by v&n on 2015-03-25 05:18, edited 1 time in total.

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codeChris
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Location: US

Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#4 Post by codeChris »

@head_on_a_stick: Debian with Kali = I installed Debian 7, and then I added the Kali distros to my sources. Then:

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sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade && sudo apt-get autoclean
Then I installed kali-linux-full:

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sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-headers-generic linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make build-essential -y && sudo aptitude install kali-linux-full -y 
Then I cleaned up (ensuring that I did not overwrite my Debian kernel with Kali) with:

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sudo apt-get remove --purge $(dpkg -l 'linux-image-*' | sed '/^ii/!d;/'"$(uname -r | sed "s/\(.*\)-\([^0-9]\+\)/\1/")"'/d;s/^[^ ]* [^ ]* \([^ ]*\).*/\1/;/[0-9]/!d')
Rebooted and viola! Debian with Kali. No errors. So I don't think it's a Kali Forum issue...

I recently patched my old cfg80211 and replaced my wl.ko with a hybrid patch -

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rmmod wl.ko && rmmod cfg80211

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make API=CFG80211
make install
modprobe wl
modprobe cfg80211

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echo "blacklist ssb" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf && echo "blacklist bcma" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf && echo "blacklist b43" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf && echo "blacklist brcmsmac" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
which now gives me a wlan0 interface listed as 80211ac instead of 80211abg - (small miracles..); however, I still cannot get the device to go into monitor mode..

I receive this error:

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# iwconfig wlan0 mode monitor
Error for wireless request "Set Mode" (8B06) :
    SET failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.
So I tried to use the b43 driver:

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rmmod wl && modprobe b43
... but this didn't show up anything in my iwconfig :cry: womp womp...

more info:

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# lspci -vnn -d 14e4:
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:85df]
	Physical Slot: 160
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18
	Memory at d2400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
	Memory at d2600000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2M]
	Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [68] Vendor Specific Information: Len=44 <?>
	Capabilities: [ac] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [13c] Device Serial Number 54-a0-00-ff-ff-00-00-00
	Capabilities: [150] Power Budgeting <?>
	Capabilities: [160] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [1b0] Latency Tolerance Reporting
	Capabilities: [220] #15
	Kernel driver in use: wl
	Kernel modules: wl
Any ideas??
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Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#5 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

codeChris wrote:@head_on_a_stick: Debian with Kali = I installed Debian 7, and then I added the Kali distros to my sources.
Kali is based on Debian Testing so you should probably read this:
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian ... nkenDebian
deadbang

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Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#6 Post by codeChris »

@head_on_a_stick: I cannot thank you enough for the link you provided. Considered an SME in and Sr Architect in my field, I am astounded at just how 'amatuer' earlier poorly formed habits hinder my work. . .
You are spot on, and did so with candor and a coach method.

I realize I have been doing so much wrong, and have many habits to fix. All my VMs are aparently FrankenDebians... :oops:

Thank you for the insight. I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to add you as a friend. If you would make the time, I would love to pick your brain.

Cheers,

Chris
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Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#7 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

You are most welcome, glad I could help :)

If you need to use the Kali tools, I have had good results running a live Kali system with persistence from a USB stick.
http://docs.kali.org/downloading/kali-l ... ersistence
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Re: PCE-AC68 : cannot put into monitor mode or achieve AC Sp

#8 Post by magnumb »

Were you able to get monitor mode working with the AC68?

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