[LEDE-DEV] [RFC 2/3] ipq: Don't force selection of the IPQ4019 firmware.

[Christian Lamparter]

On Friday, November 3, 2017 8:15:00 PM CET Ben Greear wrote:
> 
> On 11/03/2017 05:58 PM, Christian Lamparter wrote:
> > On Friday, November 3, 2017 5:05:39 PM CET greearb at candelatech.com wrote:
> >> From: Ben Greear <greearb at candelatech.com>
> >>
> >> This will allow us to select the CT IPQ4019 firmware instead if
> >> desired.
> >>
> >> Signed-off-by: Ben Greear <greearb at candelatech.com>
> >> ---
> >>  package/firmware/ipq-wifi/Makefile | 2 +-
> >>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> >>
> >> diff --git a/package/firmware/ipq-wifi/Makefile b/package/firmware/ipq-wifi/Makefile
> >> index aec8bf2..31d0fbf 100644
> >> --- a/package/firmware/ipq-wifi/Makefile
> >> +++ b/package/firmware/ipq-wifi/Makefile
> >> @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ define Package/ipq-wifi-default
> >>    SUBMENU:=ath10k IPQ4019 Boarddata
> >>    SECTION:=firmware
> >>    CATEGORY:=Firmware
> >> -  DEPENDS:=@TARGET_ipq806x +ath10k-firmware-qca4019
> >> +  DEPENDS:=@TARGET_ipq806x
> > Hm, this would break the WIFI in the default configuration for the
> > FritzBox 4040 image. Currently it only has a dependency on the
> > ipq-wifi-fritz4040. (So it will end up without a firmware-5.bin)
> >
> > Please also note that the ipq-wifi boards need to overwrite the
> > board-2.bin provided by the ath10k-firmware-qca4019(-ct) packages.
> > So switching (or up-/downgrading) these wifi-firmwares will always
> > require the (manual) reinstallation of the ipq-wifi board
> > (if available).
> 
> Maybe have the custom board.data file named slightly differently
> and then have an early fixup script to copy it into the proper place
> on first boot?  And, we could hack the driver to look for a custom
> board-2.bin first and just install both board-x.bin images.
Depends, can you convince the ath10k upstream to do that?
> 
> And, can we have the IPQ boards select the stock 4019 firmware by default
> but still allow it to be de-selected so CT firmware can be selected?
>
> Or if not, then I can call my firmware something different, and have my
> driver look for it before the firmware-5.bin.

I think there's a another way to do this. But it will require to break with
the existing convention of adding the board-2.bin that comes with the
firmware repository to the ath10k-firmware-qca4019 file.

This way, the custom board-2.bin will stay in place when you switch/update
the firmware-5.bin. 

(The board-2.bin for the reference boards can simply be packaged just like
one of the ipq-wifi board firmwares). And furhtermore, you could provide a
"easy to use/install" custom ipq-wifi.ipk for the board-2.bin you currently
host on your webside.

Regards,
Christian