> which is expected as firmware != kernel module Woops.
> to check, does `sudo dmesg | grep rtl8723` (without `) show the chip being > initialised? No, but at least wired ethernet works: # dmesg|grep -i rtl [ 14.614875] dwmac-sun8i 1c30000.ethernet eth0: PHY [stmmac-0:01] driver [RTL8211E Gigabit Ethernet] (irq=POLL) FWIW: # uname -a Linux <snipname> 5.10.0-3-arm64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.13-1 (2021-02-06) aarch64 GNU/Linux # uname -srvpio Linux 5.10.0-3-arm64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.13-1 (2021-02-06) unknown unknown GNU/Linux Comparing the two above, is an "unknown" a minor bug in uname, or user error? Poking around some, it seems some rtl8723bs things are there: :/lib/modules/5.10.0-3-arm64# grep -i rtl8723bs * grep: kernel: Is a directory modules.alias:alias of:N*T*Crealtek,rtl8723bs-btC* hci_uart modules.alias:alias of:N*T*Crealtek,rtl8723bs-bt hci_uart modules.dep:kernel/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/r8723bs.ko: kernel/net/wireless/cfg80211.ko kernel/net/rfkill/rfkill.ko grep: modules.dep.bin: binary file matches modules.order:kernel/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/r8723bs.ko # ls -F kernel/net/wi* kernel/net/wimax: wimax.ko kernel/net/wireless: cfg80211.ko lib80211_crypt_ccmp.ko lib80211_crypt_tkip.ko lib80211_crypt_wep.ko lib80211.ko > Boot Armbian again and look at the Linux kernel dmesg output to see which firmware is being loaded. Try to find that in Debian using apt-file. > Can you check if armbian has the same kernel image? # uname -a Linux <snipname> 5.10.12-sunxi64 #21.02.1 SMP Wed Feb 3 20:42:58 CET 2021 aarch64 GNU/Linux # uname -srvpio Linux 5.10.12-sunxi64 #21.02.1 SMP Wed Feb 3 20:42:58 CET 2021 unknown unknown GNU/Linux Armbian does the "unknown" thing too. # dmesg|grep -i rtl8723bs [ 8.093365] RTL8723BS: module init start [ 8.093383] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs v4.3.5.5_12290.isthisaserialnumber [ 8.093387] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs BT-Coex version = isthisaserialnumber [ 8.186225] RTL8723BS: rtw_ndev_init(wlan0) [ 8.197672] RTL8723BS: module init ret =0 [ 9.376310] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: loading rtl_bt/rtl8723bs_fw.bin [ 9.387212] bluetooth hci0: Direct firmware load for rtl_bt/rtl8723bs_fw.bin failed with error -2 [ 9.387236] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: firmware file rtl_bt/rtl8723bs_fw.bin not found >>>[ 69.493525] rtl8723bs: acquire FW from file:rtlwifi/rtl8723bs_nic.bin [ 72.976787] RTL8723BS: rtw_set_802_11_connect(wlan0) fw_state = 0x00000008 [ 73.111432] RTL8723BS: start auth [ 73.113961] RTL8723BS: auth success, start assoc [ 73.118152] RTL8723BS: rtw_cfg80211_indicate_connect(wlan0) BSS not found !! [ 73.118179] RTL8723BS: assoc success [ 73.122495] RTL8723BS: send eapol packet [ 73.128246] RTL8723BS: send eapol packet [ 73.128600] RTL8723BS: set pairwise key camid:4, addr:ab:cd:ef:gh:ij:kl, kid:0, type:AES [ 73.129380] RTL8723BS: set group key camid:5, addr:ab:cd:ef:gh:ij:kl, kid:2, type:TKIP plus, success: [ 73.129523] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready So Bluetooth isn't so happy, but at least Wifi is. That (>>> above) FW file was found in Debian too, or at least a file by the same name (original post): /usr/lib/firmware/rtlwifi/rtl8723bs_nic.bin > the modern 'rtl8xxxu' that only supports USB style devices, and a cleaned-up > version of the driver that is in staging, named 'rtlwifi' that also lacks > support for rtl8723bs but supports some similar devices. This is a "hat" type small (SDIO?) Wifi/BT card plugged onto the board, not a USB device, and the Pine A64+ hardware is dated March 21, 2016. Is there something I can (reasonably) do to help move this module thing along, or is the best advice to just wait more patiently? On a related topic, what would it take to make the Pine Debian installs more nicely packaged, like the Raspbian installs? (Thanks, Gunnar!) Thanks RobJE, Paul Wise, and Arnd Bergmann!
