Re: [PATCH net-next v2 1/2] dt-bindings: net: airoha: npu: Add EN7581-7996 support

[Krzysztof Kozlowski <krzk@kernel.org>]

On 14/01/2026 11:09, Christian Marangi wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 10:26:33AM +0100, Krzysztof Kozlowski wrote:
>> On 14/01/2026 10:01, Lorenzo Bianconi wrote:
>>>> On Tue, Jan 13, 2026 at 09:20:27AM +0100, Lorenzo Bianconi wrote:
>>>>> Introduce en7581-npu-7996 compatible string in order to enable MT76 NPU
>>>>> offloading for MT7996 (Eagle) chipset since it requires different
>>>>> binaries with respect to the ones used for MT7992 on the EN7581 SoC.
>>>>>
>>>>> Signed-off-by: Lorenzo Bianconi <lorenzo@kernel.org>
>>>>> ---
>>>>>  Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/airoha,en7581-npu.yaml | 1 +
>>>>>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
>>>>>
>>>>> diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/airoha,en7581-npu.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/airoha,en7581-npu.yaml
>>>>> index 59c57f58116b568092446e6cfb7b6bd3f4f47b82..96b2525527c14f60754885c1362b9603349a6353 100644
>>>>> --- a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/airoha,en7581-npu.yaml
>>>>> +++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/airoha,en7581-npu.yaml
>>>>> @@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ properties:
>>>>>    compatible:
>>>>>      enum:
>>>>>        - airoha,en7581-npu
>>>>> +      - airoha,en7581-npu-7996
>>>>
>>>> This does not warrant new compatible. There is some misunderstanding and
>>>> previous discussion asked you to use proper compatible, not invent fake
>>>> one for non-existing hardware.  Either you have en7996-npu or
>>>> en7581-npu. Not some mixture.
>>>
>>> Hi Krzysztof,
>>>
>>> We need to specify which fw binaries the airoha NPU module should load
>>> according to the MT76 WiFi chipset is running on the board (since the NPU
>>> firmware images are not the same for all the different WiFi chipsets).
>>> We have two possible combinations:
>>> - EN7581 NPU + MT7996 (Eagle)
>>> - EN7581 NPU + MT7992 (Kite)
>>>
>>> Please note the airoha NPU module is always the same (this is why is just
>>> added the -7996 suffix in the compatible string). IIUC you are suggesting
>>> to use the 'airoha,en7996-npu' compatible string, right?
>>
>> No. I am suggesting you need to describe here the hardware. You said
>> this EN7581 NPU, so this is the only compatible you get, unless (which
>> is not explained anywhere here) that's part of MT799x soc, but then you
>> miss that compatible. Really, standard compatible rules apply - so
>> either this is SoC element/component or dedicated chip.
>>
>>
> 
> Hi Krzysztof,
> 
> just noticing this conversation and I think there is some confusion
> here.
> 
> The HW is the following:
> 
> AN/EN7581 SoC that have embedded this NPU (a network coprocessor) that
> require a dedicated firmware blob to be loaded to work.
> 
> Then the SoC can have various WiFi card connected to the PCIe slot.
> 
> For the WiFi card MT7996 (Eagle) and the WiFi card MT7992 (Kite) the NPU
> can also offload the WiFi traffic.
> 
> A dedicated firmware blob for the NPU is needed to support the specific
> WiFi card.
> 
> This is why v1 proposed the implementation with the firmware-names
> property.
> 
> v2 introduce the compatible but I feel that doesn't strictly describe
> the hardware as the NPU isn't specific to the WiFi card but just the
> firmware blob.
> 
> 
> I still feel v1 with firmware-names should be the correct candidate to
> handle this.

Yes. What you plug into PCI is not a part of this hardware, so cannot be
part of the compatible.

> 
> Hope now the HW setup is more clear.
> 


Best regards,
Krzysztof