Package: linux-2.6
Version: 2.6.30-1
Severity: wishlist
Tags: patch
Hi
I am currently packaging [1], [2] the OpenFWWF (GPL2) [3] firmware for
core revision 5 Broadcom AirForce wlan chipsets [4], while the most
important patches to support OpenFWWF have already been merged for 2.6.30,
b43: Add fw capabilities 403a3a136122457165321e90b7569a321cc9ac12
has only been merged mainline yesterday [5].
I would really appreciate if you could consider adding that patch to the
next 2.6.30 kernel upload for Debian (I am using it successfully since
kernel 2.6.29), as it would make packaging openfwwf significantly easier
and avoid ugly upgrade handling.
To explain the reasoning for my request (an overview is presented at [6]),
as of now OpenFWWF doesn't support hardware encryption and QoS yet, which
are available in the proprietary Broadcom firmware (b43-fwcutter/
non-free), while b43 (until 2.6.30-git9) enables both on default, making
b43 to failing to authentificate and resulting numerous PHY resets
and firmware crashes/ restarts (potential log spam). While it is possible
to force b43 into disabling both features through a modprobe.d override
[7], this would only be required until kernel 2.6.31 enters the archive and
present some problems with the upgrade handling (introducing
/etc/modprobe.d/openfwwf.conf as a Debian conffile for ~3 months and
subsequently removing it) and additionally hard-disables QoS even in case
OpenFWWF and the proprietary firmware (b43-fwcutter/ non-free) are
coinstalled (since kernel 2.6.30, b43 first probes ${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43/,
before falling back to ${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43-open/, provided by OpenFWWF).
Assuming this patch would be merged into 2.6.30-2, this would not affect
compatibility with previous kernels, because ${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43-open/
is ignored until kernel 2.6.30 and therefore isn't eligible to the
described problems (only 2.6.30-1 would be).
openfwwf and b43-asm (its build-dependency), as a dfsg-free firmware for,
many devices covered by b43 are basically ready and only pending your
decision, as this patch has already been merged upstream for 2.6.31, it
only applies to kernel 2.6.30. Backports to lenny's 2.6.26 are not
reasonable (as it would require installing openfwwf under
${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43/ in conflict with b43-fwcutter/ non-free and the
modprobe overrides at [7]), while it would be compatible lenny-and-a-half,
assuming b43: Add fw capabilities is present.
Regarding DebianKernelPatchAcceptanceGuidelines:
- Security Fixes: FAIL
- Driver Fixes: depending on the interpretation, it was meant
to go into
2.6.30, but fell through the
cracks and basically makes a new feature
of 2.6.30 (transparent OpenFWWF
compatibility) work for the first
time and would allow to operate
these devices solely with packages
from main, once openfwwf enters
the archive.
- Stability Fixes: FAIL
- New features: YES, strictly speaking
- Out-of Tree Drivers: NO
- My favourite patch-set: NO, single patch already merged upstream
I am aware that this patch is borderline following these patch acceptance
guidelines, but hope that you might consider it nevertheless.
A short word regarding the current state of OpenFWWF, for core revision 5
devices [4], it is mostly stable, but as a reverse engineering efforts
there may be still unknown corner cases and behaviour under (articifically)
high package pressure is said to be still slightly erratic (I haven't been
able to observe such issues myself) and a decent replacement for the
proprietary firmware. core revision 6-10 devices are likely to work, but
might expose several problems in practice and are not claimed to be
supported upstream yet. core revision =11 devices do not work yet. I am
personally using this patch successfully since early 2.6.29 kernels on
BCM4306 (rev 5 core) in STA and AP modi, BCM4318 (rev 9 core) works, but
not perfectly and I have positive feedback from BCM4311/1 (rev 5 core) and
BCM4318 (rev 5 core) users.
Potential real world compatibility scenarios:
- for users who have the proprietary firmware installed already, this patch
is basically a no-op, because ${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43/ is always preferred
by b43.
- users with kernel = 2.6.29 and only openfwwf installed won't experience
any change, their b43 module ignores ${FIRMWARE_DIRS}/b43-open/
(openfwwf) - recent compat-wireless snapshots contain this patch already.
- users with vanilla 2.6.30 or linux-2.6 2.6.30-1 and _only_ openfwwf
installed, are not able to get a connection with b43 and openfwwf and do
experience numerous PHY resets and firmware restarts (triggered by the
netdev watchdog), manifesting itself in syslog/ kern.log (not rate
limited).
