topic Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30 in Networking

CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Magnus2 — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:09:42 GMT

Subject: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability Caused by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug (WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)) - Requires Urgent Fix

Dear ASUS Support/Development Team,

I am writing to report a recurring and critical stability issue in my AiMesh network, which appears to be directly caused by a fundamental bug in the Broadcom Wi-Fi kernel driver, particularly affecting client memory management (SCB). This issue causes the entire network to suffer significant slowdowns and, eventually, instability, requiring a daily reboot.

1. Hardware and Firmware:

Main Router: RT-BE92U
AiMesh Node: RT-BE92U
Firmware Version: [Latest 3.0.0.6] (The issue persists across multiple recent versions).

2. The Core Problem:

The issue manifests as a frequent, repeatable kernel error that occurs primarily when modern clients (especially Apple devices, which use aggressive power-save modes like APSD) attempt to disconnect or go into deep sleep due to inactivity.

The specific error is WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30), which indicates a memory management failure in the Station Control Block (SCB) within the Broadcom kernel code.

3. Log Evidence from Router (Main Unit - [ROUTER_IP]) and AiMesh Node ([NODE_IP]):

The problem is triggered on both the main router and the AiMesh node, across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands:

Date & Time	Location	Log Snippet	Interpretation
Nov 9 00:30:17	Main Router	kernel: WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)	The critical kernel error.
Nov 9 00:30:17	Main Router	wl1.3: Deauth_ind [CLIENT_MAC_A], reason: Disassociated due to inactivity (4)	The error is directly preceded by a client disconnecting due to inactivity, linking the bug to power-save management (APSD).
Nov 3 23:17:24	AiMesh Node	kernel: === MLO ERROR [wlc_ap_process_assocreq] Assoc processing failure... status 30 ===	Crucial finding: This error directly implicates the Multi-Link Operation (MLO) logic, which is part of the Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) implementation in the Broadcom driver.
Nov 5 09:49:29	AiMesh Node	kernel: WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)	Shows the bug is widespread across the network.

4. Troubleshooting & Technical Findings:

Through extensive testing, we have determined:

Bug Scope: The bug affects all wireless interfaces (wl0, wl1, wl2) and occurs regardless of whether the network uses WPA2 or WPA3 security.
Client Trigger: The bug is most frequently triggered by modern clients that heavily rely on advanced power-save features (like Apple iPhones, Watches, and Apple TV 4K).
Root Cause Hypothesis: The bug lies in the Broadcom kernel code's handling of:
- A) Multi-Link Operation (MLO) / Wi-Fi 7
- B) WMM Automatic Power Save Delivery (APSD), or similar features that manage client state when an inactive device disconnects. The driver fails to correctly clear the Station Control Block (SCB) memory, leading to kernel instability.

5. Implemented Workaround:

Since full network stability cannot be maintained, the only viable workaround is to schedule frequent reboots to clear the corrupted kernel state before stability degrades entirely.

Temporary Workaround: Daily/Near-daily scheduled reboots (e.g., Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat @ 02:30 AM).

6. Call to Action:

This is not a configuration issue; it is a deep-seated kernel bug in the Broadcom Wi-Fi driver code used by your high-end routers.

We request that ASUS/Broadcom prioritize and issue a firmware fix that addresses the core WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30) bug, especially in relation to MLO/Wi-Fi 7 and power-save delivery logic.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this critical stability issue.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 02:14:21 GMT

I can confirm I see this same error in my GT-BE98 Pro main logs.

System:

GT-BE98 Pro with MLO GT-BE98 Pro and BE96U mesh nodes.

However, the error is not causing appreciable slowdown or a need to reboot my system.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Magnus2 — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:56:35 GMT

Hi Alex, yeah, 95% of the occurances don't cause the Kernel panic or slowdowns but eventually mine crashes, can take a day, can take 2 weeks.

Update:

Test 1: Disabling Wi-Fi 7 Mode (MLO)

Result: Reduced frequency of the error, but the bug persisted.

Test 2: Disabling WMM Automatic Power Save Delivery (APSD)

Action Taken: WMM APSD was disabled on all bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) on Nov 10th @ 12:48 PM CET.
Result: Failed Overnight. The network ran stable for nearly 12 hours, which is a significant improvement over previous tests. However, the critical error finally recurred just after midnight:
- Nov 11 00:30:33 on the AiMesh Node
- The trigger was a de-authentication from an Apple TV 4K

Conclusion: Disabling APSD extended stability but did not eliminate the core memory/SCB bug. This strongly suggests the issue is a fundamental flaw in the Broadcom kernel code itself, likely relating to the 6 GHz band's interaction with the AiMesh architecture and/or power management.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:55:12 GMT

I disabled 5GHz Control Channel DFS and gained more performance. This might give your system some more stability in the meantime.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

jzchen — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:30:33 GMT

Finally found a moderator id! Please, please check on this thread @Aureliannn_ASUS

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

VolkovRA — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:26:59 GMT

I'm confirming serious WiFi stability problems on my RT-BE86U running firmware 3.0.0.6.102_39112-g7a02961_1472-g67069_BB0B.

Starting this morning, WiFi has become extremely unstable. Sometimes individual clients disconnect randomly, other times the entire WiFi goes down and restarts, causing all connected devices to drop simultaneously. Wired connections remain perfectly stable with no issues.

The router had been working relatively well for several weeks prior to this (with only occasional individual device disconnections). I suspect this may have started after an automatic firmware update (auto-update was enabled in the web interface).

What I've already tried without success:

Separating 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs
Disabling 5GHz band completely
Disabling WiFi 7 features
Factory reset multiple times
Nothing has resolved the issue!

I'm very frustrated with this situation and need help urgently.

Critical errors from system logs indicating driver/hardware issues:

Mass client disconnections:

wlceventd: Disassoc [MAC addresses], reason: Disassociated because sending station is leaving (or has left) BSS (8)

This occurs repeatedly when WiFi interfaces restart.

Wireless driver crashes and memory leaks:

wl0: Memory leak of bytes 2048
wl0: Memory leak of bytes 512

Indicates serious driver instability.

Constant wireless interface restarts:

rc_service: notify_rc restart_wireless
kernel: wl_module_init / wl_pktfwd_sys_init

The system is constantly restarting wireless services.

Driver communication errors:

Get event_msgs error (-40)
Get event_msgs error (-19)
failed to set WLC_E_CAC_STATE_CHANGE bit

Driver components cannot communicate properly.

Packet forwarding issues:

dhd_pktfwd_lut_lkup: pool 1 and unit 15 mismatched

Hardware packet processing failures.

Interface registration problems:

wfd_unregisterdevice Nothing to unregister ifidx X wfd_idx X
Wowl not supported (-23)

Wireless interface management failures.

Technical analysis of the logs suggests:

Wireless drivers (wl0, wl1) are crashing and restarting repeatedly
Memory leaks in the Broadcom wireless drivers
Hardware/DMA communication failures
Possible firmware corruption or hardware degradation

Urgent questions:

Where can I download previous stable firmware versions?
Is there a known issue with this firmware version?
Are there any emergency fixes or patches available?
Could this indicate hardware failure?

The router is essentially unusable for wireless connectivity in its current state. Any immediate assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

jzchen — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:39:00 GMT

One workaround mentioned by @Magnus2 is to schedule a reboot bi-daily (M, W, F, Su)
Also there is ASUSwrt-Merlin firmware available. I suggest the release version, not the currently available beta: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Magnus2 — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:26:48 GMT

I hear that Merlin uses the exact same Wifi drivers as it is ASUS / Broadcom proprietary so I wouldn't expect any radical improvements by switching to ASUSWRT_Merlin.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

jzchen — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:56:59 GMT

Yes WiFi seems untouchable. Sorry I did not think of that. All I wanted was PSC on on 6 GHz-1 and off on 6 GHz-2 and I was informed it is not possible...

EDIT: GPL is _39099, which may include newer drivers...

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

CatS1 — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:15:06 GMT

I think I might have a similar problem to yours:

I bought the BQ16 BE25000 on 11 of August 2025, with the app I created a main, an IOT and a guest network with the default settings coming with the app "asusrouter" as I am not an IT PRO.

Everything worked perfectly till October 20th 2025 (around this date there was the problem with the amazon webservices...). From that date on my IOT devices started to disconnect randomly and to reconnect it took them hours. The wireless adapter of theses devices were manufactured in 2021 and only support 2.4 ghz bands.

In the logs there were loads of same error codes as you describe:

- WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Then I upgraded to the latest firmware 3.0.0.6.102_37026, did factory reset and recreated my 3 networks but as there was problems I created them like this:

- Main network: only 5 and 6 ghz, wifi 7 on (without 2.4 ghz band)

- Iot network only 2.4 ghz, WPA/WPA2 personal

- Guest network only 2.4 and 5 ghz

It worked some days and now it happens again, with following error codes:

- Nov 19 09:03:17 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(656): wl2.1: Deauth_ind E4:AA:EA:1D:3A:49, status: 0, reason: Unspecified reason (1), rssi:0

Nov 19 09:03:17 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(696): wl2.1: Auth E4:AA:EA:1D:3A:49, status: Successful (0), rssi:0

Today I opened a case at Asus support I hope they can solve the case or I will have ton negociate that they take the BQ16 back as it is really not the easy working mesh system they advertise.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Uncle_Entropy — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:40:52 GMT

Seems like AiProtection might compound the problem also

For now I really have no choice but to disable 6ghz on the affected nodes in order to achieve stability.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:14:11 GMT

In the meantime, try turning off 5GHz DFS Control Channel for more stability. (Settings>WiFi>Wireless Settings>Advanced Settings) This may resolve the IOT disconnects.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:22:49 GMT

Check that Ai Protection is updated to the latest version and getting daily updates. Sometimes this hangs. Also, turn off the Control Channel DFS switch in Settings.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

VolkovRA — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:01:28 GMT

I've upgraded to the Merlin firmware 3006.102.5. While it hasn't resolved all the issues, it has helped significantly. The router is now much more stable—clients are rarely kicked off the network, and some connections remain stable for over 24 hours.

It's important to note that the stock Asus firmware also worked fine at first. I'll be monitoring whether the Merlin firmware degrades over time in the same way.

I'm particularly impressed with the enhancements in Merlin, such as the more advanced web interface settings for VPN and the ability to use more than one OpenVPN client simultaneously (if I understand correctly). So far, I'm very pleased with this firmware; it's a significant improvement over the stock version.

I do have one concern: has anyone performed a security audit of the Merlin firmware for trojans or backdoors? I wouldn't want my device to become part of a botnet for DDoS attacks.

The following is a brief comparison and observation of the results after switching to Merlin, not a full-scale investigation.

Resolved Issues:

No Memory Leaks: Previous critical wl0: Memory leak of bytes 2048 errors have been eliminated.
No Complete WiFi Crashes: Wireless services remain running without requiring full restarts.
No DMA/Hardware Failures: Previous packet forwarding and hardware communication errors have been resolved.
Stable Driver Communication: Errors like Get event_msgs error (-40) no longer appear.

Persisting WiFi Issues:

Issue Type Frequency Impact

Client Deauthentications	High	Multiple clients affected
MLO Association Failures	Medium	WiFi 7 functionality impaired
Packet Delay Spikes	High	Network performance degradation
Driver Error -30	High	Core WiFi stability

Detailed Log Examples:

Mass client deauthentication: wlceventd: multiple Deauth_ind with reason: Unspecified reason (1)
MLO Association failures: kernel: === MLO ERROR [wlc_ap_process_assocreq] Assoc processing failure status 30
Packet delay instability: acsd: wl0 received event: tx pkt delay suddenly jump
Core driver errors: kernel: WLX_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)

New Issues Specific to Merlin:

CSIMON Re-initialization: Repeated CSIMON[1.1.1] Initialization messages.
M2M Registration Conflicts: Constant M2M usr already registered warnings.
Queue State Dumping: Frequent puq_idx active lmidx tid txmode status outputs.
Power Management Cycling: Regular SUSPQEQ/CHNSUP_STATUS state changes.

Comparative Analysis:

Metric Original ASUS FW Merlin 3006.102.5

Memory Leaks	Critical	Resolved
Full WiFi Crashes	Multiple daily	Eliminated
Client Stability	Unusable	Improved but unstable
MLO Functionality	Not tested	Failing
Driver Errors	Multiple types	Reduced to -30 only

Potential Solutions to Try:

Disable MLO features in the wireless settings.
Use a fixed channel selection instead of auto-channel.
Increase the DTIM Interval to 3 or higher.
Disable WMM APSD if it’s enabled.
Test with WiFi 6/6E mode only (disable WiFi 7 features).

Outstanding Questions:

Are there any MLO stability patches for the Broadcom drivers?
What is the resolution for the WLX_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30)?
What are the optimal settings for the RT-BE96U with Merlin firmware?
How should Channel State Information (CSI) monitoring be configured?

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Uncle_Entropy — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:55:31 GMT

I live next to an Air Force Base so I've been reluctant of messing with DFS, but trying now

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

CatS1 — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:15:00 GMT

Many thanks for your answers! For info, Asus contacted me today and I sent them the "Administration Feedback" from the router page, I hope they will solve the issue.
Regarding your advice,
- I checked the Ai Protection which, it is updated. I will later try to disable it.
- if I am right, as all of my IOT devices are on a separate 2.4 GHz IOT network, disabling DFS on the 5 GHz network will not help much? Also
- I live on the countryside where next neighbors are 500 meters away
- I never had any devices disconnecting from the main 5 GHz/ 6GHz network.
- in the system logs I don't see any "DFS Events"

What I feel to be very strange is that for some reason, the errors I had in the system logs changed from WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error (-30) to
wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(656): wl2.1: Deauth_ind E4:AA:EA:1D:3A:49, status: 0, reason: Unspecified reason (1), rssi:0
wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(696): wl2.1: Auth E4:AA:EA:1D:3A:49, status: Successful (0), rssi:-51

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:13:06 GMT

The switch only turns off channels that require DFS intervention. In other words, your router won't use channels used for radar. This frees system resources in your router which helps stability.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:22:22 GMT

Don't disable the Ai Protection. It provides needed system stability. Disabling the Control Channel switch only limits the channels used by your router - preventing the use of DFS which kicks in anytime radar is active on a channel used by radar systems. This frees up system resources.

It appears ASUS is working in the background with silent router update changes. They have this ability.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:43:02 GMT

The current factory ASUS firmware works with the BE96U. You must factory reset the main and any meshed units to defaults and don't use any saved configuration.

The needed changes are turning off the 5GHz Control Channel so DFS is not needed. Also, make sure Ai Protection is properly updating and network authentication is at default WPA/WPA3-Personal with WPA Encryption at AES.

MLO downhaul and fronthaul are now functional if set up correctly.

Re: CRITICAL: Kernel Panics/Instability by Broadcom Wi-Fi Driver Bug WLC_SCB_DEAUTHORIZE error -30

Alex52 — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:06:26 GMT

The reason you don't need DFS channels on your router.

Dynamic Frequency Selection ties up system resources and slows router functions. There are enough non-DFS channels that don't require your router to use channels that coexist with radar channel frequencies. The only beneficial scenario would be in a crowded Wi-Fi environment where all non-DFS channels are experiencing heavy interference from other routers. WIFI 7 actually helps alleviate such interference - so, no need to turn off WiFi 7. Just don't change the current default security ASUS has their current firmwares adjusted to.