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

[Ben Greear]

On 11/04/2017 08:14 AM, Christian Lamparter wrote:
> 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?

Upstream is unlikely to accept such a patch, but I can at least
patch my driver, and we can patch lede's 'upstream' driver too if
we need to.

We can also have a ath10k-pre-startup.sh that copies a custom board
file into place when starting LEDE, with no driver modifications needed
at all.  I think several targets do something like this already by grabbing the board file
from a flash location on the AP, for instance.

>>
>> 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.

That seems fine to me.  Then targets could select a custom board file or
a stock board file, independent of the firmware and driver.

>
> (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.

The only board-2.bin that I (might?) have on my web site is one modified for
some newer 9984 NICs from Compex.  The 'ath10k-ct' firmware target just uses the
default board-2.bin file from upstream.

I guess someone could host/build ath10k-ct firmware ipks, but I think that might
be more useful for some more standard LEDE build-farm to host since the goal is to
have all of this in LEDE anyway.

Thanks,
Ben

-- 
Ben Greear <greearb at candelatech.com>
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com