Re: [PATCH] wifi: mwifiex: Restore USB8897 chipset support

Brian Norris
2023-12-06T19:13:47Z

(Altering CC list; sorry, I didn't notice the RESEND at first)

On Wed, Dec 06, 2023 at 11:12:02AM -0800, Brian Norris wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 05, 2023 at 10:02:37PM +0100, Alex Bee wrote:
> > This patch restores USB8897 support which was removed with
> > Commit 60a188a2715f ("mwifiex: remove USB8897 chipset support")
>
> Did you look at the reason for that removal?
>
> "if both mwifiex_pcie and mwifiex_usb modules are enabled by user,
> sometimes mwifiex_usb wins the race even if user wants wlan interface to
> be on PCIe and USB for bluetooth. This patch solves the problem."
>
> That sounds like a legitimate problem, even if the solution isn't
> perfect. Do you have any alternatives?
>
> I don't have such hardware, so I don't know its behaviors nor can I test
> it. But it'd be nice if we could differentiate USB-only vs PCIe+USB
> somehow.
>
> > There are quite some devices which use this chipset with USB interface.
> > The firmware still exits in linux upstream firmware repo and this simple
> > patch is all what is required to support it in upstream linux (again).
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Alex Bee <knaerzche@gmail.com>
> > ---
> > Recently I upstreamed support for Geniatec XPI-3128 SBC which actually
> > has one any of those boards soldered to the onboard USB Host controller.
> > Geniatech has some boards [0], [1], [2] (maybe more) which have this
> > variant soldered the same way. (optional)
> > I've also read that "Xbox Wireless adapter for Windows" uses this chipset
> > (unverified).
> > I've also CC'ed Ganapathi Bhat who last updated the firmware for SDIO and
> > PCIe variant of this chipset: It would be great if the firmware
> > for USB variant could get an update too, as the one which we currently
> > have is quite old - version 15.68.4.p103, while other have some 16.*
> > firmware.
>
> The old maintainers here seem to have gone AWOL, so I wouldn't hold my
> breath on getting any support from them.
>
> Brian
>
> > [0] https://www.geniatech.com/product/xpi-3288/
> > [1] https://www.geniatech.com/product/xpi-imx8mm/
> > [2] https://www.geniatech.com/product/xpi-s905x/
> >
> > drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/Kconfig | 4 ++--
> > drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/usb.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
> > drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/usb.h | 3 +++
> > 3 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>