RFC: Future plans for bcm43xx-softmac

RFC: Future plans for bcm43xx-softmac

[Larry Finger]

I think we have a plan for the future of bcm43xx-softmac once the bcm43xx-mac80211 version goes into
mainline. Unfortunately it cannot just be abandoned as there will be no support for 802.11b-only
devices in bcm43xx-mac80211.

The steps to be done are as follows:

1. Change the namespace from bcm43xx to bcm4301. This will both reflect the purpose of the changed
driver as well as prevent namespace collisions with the bcm43xx-mac80211 version in case both are
built into the kernel.

2. Modify bcm4301 to use mac80211 rather than softmac. Although this process has the potential for
introducing bugs into what is currently the stable version, it does allow the abandonment of softmac
with its deficiencies, many of which are essentially uncorrectable.

3. The PCI-ids recognized by bcm4301-mac80211 will be restricted to the 802.11b-only devices and the
configuration information will be modified.

Step 1 will be completed very soon and the appropriate patches will be submitted to Linville's
wireless-dev tree.

I will be working on step 2 in the coming months and will submit those patches to the list for
comments and testing. When ready, they too will be submitted to Linville. Once bcm43xx-mac80211 goes
into mainline, the step 3 patches will be submitted.

Please comment on this plan.

Thanks,

Larry

Re: RFC: Future plans for bcm43xx-softmac

[Michael Buesch]

On Friday 23 March 2007 18:37, Larry Finger wrote:
> I think we have a plan for the future of bcm43xx-softmac once the bcm43xx-mac80211 version goes into
> mainline. Unfortunately it cannot just be abandoned as there will be no support for 802.11b-only
> devices in bcm43xx-mac80211.
> 
> The steps to be done are as follows:
> 
> 1. Change the namespace from bcm43xx to bcm4301. This will both reflect the purpose of the changed
> driver as well as prevent namespace collisions with the bcm43xx-mac80211 version in case both are
> built into the kernel.
> 
> 2. Modify bcm4301 to use mac80211 rather than softmac. Although this process has the potential for
> introducing bugs into what is currently the stable version, it does allow the abandonment of softmac
> with its deficiencies, many of which are essentially uncorrectable.
> 
> 3. The PCI-ids recognized by bcm4301-mac80211 will be restricted to the 802.11b-only devices and the
> configuration information will be modified.
> 
> Step 1 will be completed very soon and the appropriate patches will be submitted to Linville's
> wireless-dev tree.
> 
> I will be working on step 2 in the coming months and will submit those patches to the list for
> comments and testing. When ready, they too will be submitted to Linville. Once bcm43xx-mac80211 goes
> into mainline, the step 3 patches will be submitted.
> 
> Please comment on this plan.

I ACK this as-is.

-- 
Greetings Michael.

Re: RFC: Future plans for bcm43xx-softmac

[Stefano Brivio]

On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:37:51 -0500
Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net> wrote:

> I think we have a plan for the future of bcm43xx-softmac once the
> bcm43xx-mac80211 version goes into mainline. Unfortunately it cannot just
> be abandoned as there will be no support for 802.11b-only devices in
> bcm43xx-mac80211.
> 
> The steps to be done are as follows:
> 
> 1. Change the namespace from bcm43xx to bcm4301. This will both reflect
> the purpose of the changed driver as well as prevent namespace collisions
> with the bcm43xx-mac80211 version in case both are built into the kernel.

I'm quite sure you know, bcm4301 isn't the only 802.11b-only device.
There's bcm4303 too. Anyway, naming the driver bcm4301 sounds reasonable to
me.

> Please comment on this plan.

ACK.


--
Ciao
Stefano

Re: RFC: Future plans for bcm43xx-softmac

[Larry Finger]

Stefano Brivio wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:37:51 -0500
> Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net> wrote:
> 
>> I think we have a plan for the future of bcm43xx-softmac once the
>> bcm43xx-mac80211 version goes into mainline. Unfortunately it cannot just
>> be abandoned as there will be no support for 802.11b-only devices in
>> bcm43xx-mac80211.
>>
>> The steps to be done are as follows:
>>
>> 1. Change the namespace from bcm43xx to bcm4301. This will both reflect
>> the purpose of the changed driver as well as prevent namespace collisions
>> with the bcm43xx-mac80211 version in case both are built into the kernel.
> 
> I'm quite sure you know, bcm4301 isn't the only 802.11b-only device.
> There's bcm4303 too. Anyway, naming the driver bcm4301 sounds reasonable to
> me.

Yes, but bcm430x would have been more confusing as the 4306 and 4309 are covered by V4 firmware.
Other choices such as bcm43xx-old, etc. seemed a little clumsy.

Larry