dawn constantly crashing on openwrt

[github-k8n]

While investigating why DAWN has been so unreliable (sometimes roaming works fine, sometimes it just doesn't work), i noticed that the dawn process seems to crash/stop and then probably get restarted after a few seconds.

This is on OpenWrt 25.12.0-rc4 with dawn 2025.11.07~7414c34a-r1

I did check the logs when that happens but there is no specific log entry when it happens (these are the logs leading up to the crash, collected with
while true; do ps |grep -v grep | grep -q dawn || logread -e dawn;sleep 1;done

Thu Feb 12 08:49:04 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 08:49:04 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 08:49:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:701)...
Thu Feb 12 08:49:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:679)...
Thu Feb 12 08:49:44 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:701)...
Thu Feb 12 08:49:44 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:688)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:13 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:1441)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:13 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:1408)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:29 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:2296)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:29 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:2319)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:57 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1196)...
Thu Feb 12 08:50:57 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 08:51:21 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 08:51:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 08:52:46 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (dawn_uci.c:484)...
Thu Feb 12 08:52:47 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@datastorage.c:835)...
Thu Feb 12 08:52:52 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:2319)...
Thu Feb 12 08:52:52 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:2296)...
Thu Feb 12 08:53:13 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 08:53:13 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@ubus.c:352)...
Thu Feb 12 08:55:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:707)...
Thu Feb 12 08:55:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:688)...
Thu Feb 12 08:56:19 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 08:56:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 08:56:47 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:1441)...
Thu Feb 12 08:56:47 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:1408)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:44 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:45 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:46 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:48 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:54 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 08:57:54 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 08:59:07 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:2296)...
Thu Feb 12 08:59:07 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:2319)...
Thu Feb 12 08:59:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 08:59:52 2026 daemon.info dawn: Client 3C:E9:F7:FD:9C:8D: Kicking as no active transmission data for client, and / or limit of 0 is OK.
Thu Feb 12 08:59:58 2026 daemon.info dawn: Client 3C:E9:F7:FD:9C:8D: Kicking as no active transmission data for client, and / or limit of 0 is OK.
Thu Feb 12 09:00:11 2026 daemon.info dawn: Client 3C:E9:F7:FD:9C:8D: Kicking as no active transmission data for client, and / or limit of 0 is OK.
Thu Feb 12 09:00:14 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:00:14 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:01:38 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:02:54 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:03:36 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:875)...
Thu Feb 12 09:04:39 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:872)...
Thu Feb 12 09:05:18 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:05:18 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:05:18 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:05:56 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:2296)...
Thu Feb 12 09:05:56 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:2319)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:05 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:05 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:05 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:42 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:315)...
Thu Feb 12 09:06:42 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:22 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:23 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:24 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1073)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:28 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:29 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:29 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:31 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:31 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:33 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:34 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:35 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:36 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:36 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:36 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:37 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:39 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:875)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:39 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:872)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:39 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:39 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:41 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:42 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:43 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:07:46 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:08:03 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (msghandler.c:451)...
Thu Feb 12 09:08:10 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:380)...
Thu Feb 12 09:08:14 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:508)...
Thu Feb 12 09:08:21 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:705)...
Thu Feb 12 09:08:21 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:682)...
Thu Feb 12 09:09:00 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (datastorage.c:1196)...
Thu Feb 12 09:09:00 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (M@msghandler.c:154)...
Thu Feb 12 09:09:11 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: attempted to register memory already registered (X@ubus.c:2296)...
Thu Feb 12 09:09:11 2026 daemon.warn dawn: mem-audit: Releasing memory we hadn't registered (ubus.c:2319)...

I am using the following config (with different server_ip entry on the APs):

config local
	option loglevel '0'

config network
	option broadcast_ip '192.168.1.255'
	option broadcast_port '1025'
	option tcp_ip '0.0.0.0'
	option tcp_port '1026'
	option network_option '0'
	option shared_key 'Niiiiiiiiiiiiick'
	option iv 'Niiiiiiiiiiiiick'
	option use_symm_enc '0'
	option collision_domain '-1'
	option bandwidth '-1'
	option server_ip '192.168.1.1'

config hostapd
	option hostapd_dir '/var/run/hostapd'

config times
	option con_timeout '60'
	option update_client '1'
	option remove_client '15'
	option remove_probe '10'
	option remove_ap '460'
	option update_hostapd '10'
	option update_tcp_con '10'
	option update_chan_util '5'
	option update_beacon_reports '20'

config metric 'global'
	option min_probe_count '3'
	option bandwidth_threshold '0'
	option max_station_diff '1'
	option kicking '1'
	option kicking_threshold '20'
	option deny_auth_reason '1'
	option deny_assoc_reason '17'
	option min_number_to_kick '3'
	option chan_util_avg_period '3'
	option set_hostapd_nr '2'
	option duration '100'
	option rrm_mode 'pat'
	option use_station_count '0'
	option eval_probe_req '0'
	option eval_auth_req '0'
	option eval_assoc_req '0'

config metric '802_11g'
	option chan_util '0'
	option chan_util_val '140'
	option ht_support '0'
	option initial_score '0'
	option low_rssi '0'
	option low_rssi_val '-50'
	option max_chan_util '0'
	option max_chan_util_val '170'
	option no_ht_support '0'
	option no_vht_support '0'
	option rssi '0'
	option rssi_center '-78'
	option rssi_val '-10'
	option rssi_weight '4'
	option vht_support '0'

config metric '802_11a'
	option chan_util '0'
	option chan_util_val '140'
	option ht_support '0'
	option initial_score '40'
	option low_rssi '0'
	option low_rssi_val '-65'
	option max_chan_util '0'
	option max_chan_util_val '170'
	option no_ht_support '0'
	option no_vht_support '0'
	option rssi '0'
	option rssi_center '-77'
	option rssi_val '-10'
	option rssi_weight '10'
	option vht_support '0'

[oxavelar]

Does the issue go away with bumping this to something like 10?

option update_client '1'

[github-k8n]

I am now using mdns again and not setting fixed server_ip as i anyways would not be able to set this up with fixed IPs if i understood the config correctly.
See the following issue (I have 1 router + 4 APs, thus would have to set 4 other IPs on each device... ):
#236

It seems to work right now but i really would prefer to have a way to specify the other devices and not have to rely on mdns.