[gentoo-user] ath5k and laptop cpu frequency scaling

[Paul Hartman]

I switched from madwifi-ng to ath5k when I switched from kernel 2.6.28
to 2.6.29 and my wifi speed is unusably slow when the CPU speed is
scaled down. I am talking about trying to ssh into my laptop taking
literally MINUTES to respond when it is running at 800MHz but being
instant when it is running at 2000MHz. If I am emerging or doing
anything to run the CPU, the wifi speed is fine. When I am
interactively using the laptop it's not as much of an issue because
the laptop itself is perfectly normal in its responsiveness, but the
wifi practically dies when the CPU slows down. I tried with cpudyn and
without (using kernel ondemand governor).

Is anyone else using ath5k on a laptop and having this problem? I
don't know if it is the wifi driver, the kernel, or something else. I
did about 3 months worth of updates all at once, so that makes it a
nice big mess for isolating the cause. :)

Thanks,
Paul