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Date:      Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:54:46 -0500
From:      grarpamp <grarpamp@gmail.com>
To:        freebsd-net@freebsd.org
Cc:        swhetzel@gmail.com
Subject:   Re: bwi vs. bwn
Message-ID:  <AANLkTimEfgceT6fKCPWXZix8f6AMhKEby=XabM4rDJ5%2B@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1102181002580.41737@wonkity.com>
References:  <AANLkTi=nz4pC1GbGdG=HY51CkR45=Ox%2BMQmtW%2BNHEDo7@mail.gmail.com> <alpine.BSF.2.00.1102181002580.41737@wonkity.com>

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>> I have a BCM94312MCG, which driver should I choose and why?
>> The man pages are nearly identical.
>
> The FreeBSD bwn and bwi modules seem to be equivalent to the Linux
> b43 and b43legacy drivers.  This page may or may not help:
> http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43

I'll see if I can find somewhere that relation between the two sets.
The kernel may say something when detected/loaded. I guess only my
first question about which of bwi/bwn to use applies to FreeBSD,
and the other ones to the b43 guys. But I think I've got it below...

>> Can the newer upstream firmware at openwrt be used with bwn-firmware-kmod?
>>  http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.3.tar.bz2

I played with this, the answer is not yet. fwcutter does not yet
know how to chop up the included objects. Between the two, the
objects have the same version string (author possibly neglected to
change) and are different sizes, hashes, etc.

# 4.150.10.5
 879467 Jan  6  2008 broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5/driver/wl_apsta.o
1194265 Jan  6  2008 broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5/driver/wl_apsta_mimo.o
 880539 Jan  6  2009 broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.3/driver/wl_apsta.o
1195329 Jan  6  2009 broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.3/driver/wl_apsta_mimo.o
# 4.174.64.19
9900134 Feb 19  2009 broadcom-wl-4.178.10.4/linux/wl_apsta.o

>> Where did the firmware blobs in the above file come from, here?

I now think the firmware blobs are fully proprietary (coming from
the OEM), and are being cut up based on some hardware hacking. And
that I'm likely missing the distinction between that firmware being
needed in all cases, and then choosing which driver you want on top
of that from amongst the (b43/kernel.org)/FreeBSD driver projects
and broadcom-wl.

>> http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php

Doesn't FreeBSD have some sort of ndiswrapper function for this?

Seems in the future I should give my money to Atheros instead :)



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