Re: b43 scans wifi networks with old firmware only.

[Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>]

On 11/03/2011 05:37 PM, Rafał Miłecki wrote:
> 2011/11/3 Larry Finger<Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>:
>> On 11/03/2011 06:21 AM, Roman V.Leon. wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello Gents.
>>> I have problem with b43 driver 5.100.138, it's not scanning networks for
>>> unknown reason. I have broadcom wifi card PCIID is 14e4:4315, linux kern
>>> ver. is 3.0. When i'm trying to launch iwlist scan, i'm getting "no scan
>>> results".
>>>
>>> for example:
>>> sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
>>> sudo iwlist wlan0 scan
>>>      No scan results.
>>>
>>> With the older driver 5.10.56.2808, i see normal scan results. If you need
>>> any more information, i will send.
>>
>> The condition you report is known. Broadcom changed the TX/RX header
>> structure with firmware versions greater than 600, as shown by a 'dmesg |
>> grep firmware'. Those changes are not implemented in b43 until kernel 3.2.
>>
>> These numbers are not b43 driver numbers, nor are they firmware numbers
>> reported by b43. They are the versions of Broadcom drivers.
>>
>> If you look at
>> http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#firmwareinstallation, you
>> will see that firmware should be extracted from Broadcom driver 5.100.138
>> "if you are using kernel 3.2 or newer". For older kernels you should extract
>> firmware from the 5.10.56.27.3 of the Broadcom proprietary driver. Of
>> course, 5.10.56.2808 will also work.
>>
>>   You could also get those changes by employing a bleeding-edge version of
>> compat-wireless. In that case, firmware from 5.100.138 would work.
>
> Should we/can we send patch for at least 3.0.x and 3.1.x kernels
> adding error on loading too new firmware?

I think adding an error would have been appropriate. We certainly cannot prevent 
versionitis; however, getting a patch into those kernels that is not in mainline 
might be a problem.

Larry