Re: Re-distributable 88w8335 Firmware?

[Julian Calaby]

On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 15:13, Dan Williams <dcbw@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Wed, 2010-11-24 at 14:55 +1100, Julian Calaby wrote:
>> On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 14:31, Dan Williams <dcbw@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> > On Sat, 2010-11-20 at 11:29 +1100, Julian Calaby wrote:
>> >> If we cannot obtain proper firmware files, the very least Marvel could
>> >> do would be to bless the *BSD Malo driver's firmware files (obtainable
>> >> here: http://www.nazgul.ch/malo/malo-firmware-1.4.tgz - see
>> >> http://www.unix.com/man-page/freebsd/4/MALO/ for more info) with a
>> >> proper re-distributable license.
>> >>
>> >> In terms of the actual chipsets in question, I'm referring to the
>> >> 88w8335, 88w8338, and 88w8385 chipsets. I believe Marvel refers to
>> >
>> > Note that the 8385 shouldn't be included in this list, since it's a
>> > FullMAC chip, is handled already by the 'libertas' kernel driver, and
>> > we've already got firmware for its CF & SDIO variants in linux-firmware
>> > along with the 8388, 8682, 8686, and 8688.
>>
>> That'll teach me to not do all the research on this =)
>>
>> I pulled that number from the Malo firmware archive linked above.
>> (Malo claims to only work with 8335s, but yeah) I'm guessing that if
>> that firmware file is used, it'd be for a PCI variant of the 8385
>> chipset (given that such a thing exists) and that isn't supported by
>> the "libertas" driver.
>
> Malo supports the PCMCIA/CF variant of the 8385; not a PCI variant
> AFAICT.  I know of no PCI variant for the 8385, just CF, SDIO, and GSPI.
> But I find it curious that malo supports 8335+8385, given that the
> firmware interface of the 8385 and the 8335 are so different.  Unless
> they have special firmware, the 8385 is a fullmac device, while the 8335
> is a softmac device.  Enough differences exist that I'd expect them to
> be driven by separate drivers, otherwise the code would be quite ugly.
> Which is why we didn't try to shoehorn the 8335 or TopDog stuff into
> libertas.

You clearly know a hell of a lot more about the ins and outs of Marvel
chipsets that I do. =)

I stand corrected.

So, to amend my previous request: We're after firmware for the softmac
88w8335 chipset *only*.

Though it may be nicer if Marvell were to bless Malo's firmware
package (linked above) as this contains firmware for the PCI 88w8335,
USB 88w8338 and a file which claims to be for the PCMCIA/CF 88w8385.

Thanks,

-- 
Julian Calaby

Email: julian.calaby@xxxxxxxxx
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