On Fri, 2006-12-08 at 01:03 -0500, Alex Deucher wrote: > On 12/7/06, Dan Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Thu, 2006-12-07 at 12:32 -0500, Alex Deucher wrote: > > > I just wanted to check on the status of the libertas driver from > > > Marvell for the OLPC project. I haven't really been able to find out > > > > The driver needs quite a bit of love. It's only been used for embedded > > devices so far and has quite a few NDIS-isms sprinkled throughout. It's > > also something like 30,000 LoC, which is completely bogus. There's no > > reason it should be that large given that it's a FullMAC-type part. > > > > We're slowly working on cleaning it up for submission to the kernel. > > That process will probably take until after the holidays. We are > > removing unused code/defines, cleaning up WEXT compliance, making > > operations like association and scanning asynchronous, converting > > private IOCTLs to debugfs, fixing the power-saving code, and adding > > draft 802.11s wireless mesh functionality to the firmware and the > > driver. > > > > Are you developing a device based on the 8388? AFAIK, the chip does not > > appear in any consumer devices that are generally available to the > > public, and certainly isn't sold to Linksys or DLink for consumer USB > > dongles. It does show up in embedded situations like the Nokia N80 > > mobile phone and a few other small gadgets like that. > > > > > much about this driver other than the commits to the olpc and > > > infradead libertas git trees. The olpc laptop uses the usb interface > > > > Correct; the 8388 module is connected directly to the USB traces coming > > out of the 5536 Geode companion chip on the OLPC motherboard. > > > > > and that seems to be what is supported at the moment (although some > > > comments in the code allude to pci and sdio interfaces as well). Does > > > > Yes; the part evidently has other interface variants, though code for > > those variants was not provided in the initial driver sources which > > Marvell GPL-ed in April. > > > > > anyone know what the plan is for merging this driver into mainline? > > > What about pci support? Did Marvell donate any code for the PCI > > > interface? If not how hard would it be to add PCI support? I > > > > No code for PCI was donated, and we don't have any 8388 PCI cards at > > OLPC. > > > > > requested databooks from Marvell months ago, but never got anywhere. > > > I'd like to see better support for this chip and would be willing to > > > help out. Any updates would be much appreciated. > > > > Be aware that I _think_ there are a few chips in the Libertas line; we > > are using the 8388. The current driver only supports that specific > > part. > > > > That said, if you've got hardware, we'd love patches, certainly accept > > patches that provided PCI support and fixed bugs in the driver. We may > > also be able to provide USB 8388 reference dongles for people willing to > > help out with the development of the driver. > > > > Yes, that appears to be the case. I just wasn't sure how > similar/dissimilar they are. I have a 11ab:1fa7 on my motherboard, > and I've seen quite a few Marvel chips floating around on cardbus and > pci cards. I'm hoping the cores are pretty similar and one could just > add some pci glue to make the olpc driver work. Does anyone at the > olpc have any contacts at Marvell that could clarify the situation or > might know if they are willing to release the code for the pci > variants, etc.?
What's the numbers on the chip? We know that the _8338_ part (which may/may not be part of the Libertas family, we're not sure) doesn't work, and that's shipping on USB dongles from Linksys. If you could get a bit more info off the surface of the chip, that would help. The 8338 part, for example, has a different firmware load sequence and a different sized RAM than the 8388 which we're using, and is incompatible with the current driver. Dan > Thanks, > > Alex > > > Cheers, > > Dan > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > Alex > > > > > > PS, please CC: me on replies as I'm not on this list. - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe netdev" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
