[Commotion-dev] Fwd: [PATCH] ath10k: don't advertise IBSS iftype for 10.x

[Ben West]

The unfortunate detail is that adhoc mode is not especially favored by many
commercial vendors (Qualcomm included), and a prevailing opinion among them
is that the IEEE 802.11 spec for adhoc in particular is inadequate for
modern implementation.  Indeed, in lieu of the electromagnetic calisthenics
involved in doing MIMO under 802.11ac (use which channels? why, ALL of
them!), they readily can jump to the conclusion including adhoc support
would result in sufficient performance, so they won't do it.


On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 3:09 PM, Griffin Boyce <griffin at cryptolab.net>
wrote:

> Yes, it seems quite strange that they would shoot themselves in the foot
> like that. I'm withholding judgment in the absence of more information.
>
> ~ Griffin
>
>
> On July 26, 2014 5:54:45 PM EDT, Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net> wrote:
>>
>> It's odd then that IBSS-related patches have submitted to ath10k this
>> year:
>> http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail/ath10k/2014-February/001159.html
>>
>> Likewise, the ath10k driver page doesn't mention the absence of
>> IBSS/adhoc support (which one would expect to be a rather large omission
>> worth pointing out):
>> http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath10k
>>
>> Looks like the difference arose b/w versions 999.999.0.x and 10.1.x of
>> the (closed-source?) firmware:
>> http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath10k/firmware
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 26, 2014 at 3:54 PM, Josh King <jking at opentechinstitute.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> No, not yet. Mostly just being facetious. However, I am hoping that this
>>> isn't a trend for the next generation of wifi chipsets going forward.
>>>
>>> On 07/26/2014 11:30 AM, Griffin Boyce wrote:
>>> > *snicker*
>>> >
>>> > Now, now, let's not let our emotions get the better of us. I'm sure
>>> that
>>> > the other Aetheros chipsets are plenty good ;)
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On July 25, 2014 10:21:24 PM EDT, Josh King
>>> > <jking at opentechinstitute.org> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >     *Flips table*
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >     On July 25, 2014 7:53:12 PM EDT, Will Hawkins
>>> >     <hawkinsw at opentechinstitute.org> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >         It looks like the ath10k does not support IBSS.
>>> >
>>> >         Will
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >         -------- Original Message --------
>>> >         Subject: [PATCH] ath10k: don't advertise IBSS iftype for 10.x
>>> >         Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:58:09 +0200
>>> >         From: Michal Kazior <michal.kazior at tieto.com>
>>> >         To: ath10k at lists.infradead.org
>>> >         CC: linux-wireless at vger.kernel.org, Michal Kazior <
>>> michal.kazior at tieto.com>
>>> >
>>> >         The 10.x firmware does not support IBSS mode at
>>> >         all. It can't beacon and it crashes when trying to
>>> >         scan.
>>> >
>>> >         Signed-off-by: Michal Kazior <michal.kazior at tieto.com>
>>> >         ---
>>> >          drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/mac.c | 3 ++-
>>> >          1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>> >
>>> >         diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/mac.c
>>> >         b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/mac.c
>>> >         index 3f9afaa..5122d1b 100644
>>> >         --- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/mac.c
>>> >         +++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/mac.c
>>> >         @@ -4700,7
>>> >         +4700,6 @@ int ath10k_mac_register(struct ath10k *ar)
>>> >
>>> >           ar->hw->wiphy->interface_modes =
>>> >            BIT(NL80211_IFTYPE_STATION) |
>>> >         -  BIT(NL80211_IFTYPE_ADHOC) |
>>> >            BIT(NL80211_IFTYPE_AP);
>>> >
>>> >           if (test_bit(ATH10K_FW_FEATURE_WMI_10X, ar->fw_features)) {
>>> >         @@ -4770,6 +4769,8 @@ int ath10k_mac_register(struct ath10k
>>> *ar)
>>> >            ar->hw->wiphy->iface_combinations = ath10k_if_comb;
>>> >            ar->hw->wiphy->n_iface_combinations =
>>> >             ARRAY_SIZE(ath10k_if_comb);
>>> >         +
>>> >         +  ar->hw->wiphy->interface_modes |= BIT(NL80211_IFTYPE_ADHOC);
>>> >           }
>>> >
>>> >           ar->hw->netdev_features = NETIF_F_HW_CSUM;
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Sent from my tracking device. Please excuse brevity and cat photos.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Josh King
>>> Lead Technologist
>>> The Open Technology Institute
>>> http://opentechinstitute.org
>>> PGP Fingerprint: 8269 ED6F EA3B 7D78 F074 1E99 2FDA 4DA1 69AE 4999
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Commotion-dev mailing list
>>> Commotion-dev at lists.chambana.net
>>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-dev
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> --
> Sent from my tracking device. Please excuse brevity and cat photos.
>



-- 
Ben West
http://gowasabi.net
ben at gowasabi.net
314-246-9434
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