Add wireless devices to X86 Openwrt install

I wonder if this is the right driver..
It's not USB.
If I'm confusing that last like to have anything to do with USB..

'[    8.521099] RTL8723BS: module init start
[    8.521263] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs v4.3.5.5_12290.20140916_BTCOEX20140507-4E40
[    8.521501] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs BT-Coex version = BTCOEX20140507-4E40
[    8.521773] RTL8723BS: module init ret =0
[    8.522589] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8xxxu'

I think that's something else.

How are you guys coming up with what module is correct.
first one suggested rtl8xxxu
And then rtl8723bs

But what I have (lspci) is rtl8723be.

Thanks.

Captains log: supplemental
RTL8723BE Firmware module - For Developers - OpenWrt Forum

Package list works better once I have openwrt configured with a nameserver. :slight_smile:

I said:

Neither rtl8xxxu, nor rtl8723bs - rtl8723be:

$ /sbin/modinfo rtl8723be | grep -e ^firmware -e ^description -e ^alias
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8723befw_36.bin
firmware:       rtlwifi/rtl8723befw.bin
description:    Realtek 8723BE 802.11n PCI wireless
alias:          pci:v000010ECd0000B723sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
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OK so I picked a more difficult wireless device then?
Good for learning right?
And no included in the package repository.
Any hints on how I can get the module working/present on my device?
Where do I get it, will it have to be manually compiled etc?
I don't care about reliability or complete funtionality right now.
Just want to try it and go through the learning process.
Thanks.

correct.
you already found the other thread bout the module :wink:

This is where my skillset and experience level drop off.
But interest level is very high.

I don't yet understand what to do next.
If the binary drivers/modules are available or if they can only be compiled/created from source.
And then of course I don't know how to do that yet either.
I hope to be able to figure this out.

Try a different card, one that is directly supported. Atheros chips are well supported.

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I will do that but I also want to play with and learn a bit about going through the process of getting my own driver on there etc. etc.
Some of what I want to accomplish in the future will require me to be much more familiar with the building blocks and how it all fits together.
Maybe I need to start a new thread around that problem card in the dev forum?
I'd like to learn how to do some of that stuff.

Packaging up rtl8723be as part of the mac80211 source should be relatively straight forward, as would be adding a package for its required firmware. Especially with x86_64, which is unbrickable by design, so you can work on it at your pace, without a risk of damaging anything.

Any pointers to where I should start on this?
I am very interested in learning and can figure about anything out.
Is there an ordered guide that might step me through this?
Do I need to go at this as a developer (versus a user) and start asking questions there?
Or is there an easy way to get and build the module I need and install it in place?
Then how do you install the module assuming I have it built for the matching kernel etc?
I have a very high level basic understanding and do not understand any of the specifics or how to
go about doing this.

Not in any hurry.
But not understanding where to begin.

Should I go about this as if I just want to obtain a missing wireless driver?
Or do I need to learn how to build my own entire openwrt from source and go about it that way to get the missing driver/module.

Repeating myself here- I don't know how to put the module in place and make it load once I have it.
I imagine I could try and reference a working system to see how this is put in place and how it gets loaded on the system etc.

Long term I definitely want to learn how to build openwrt and individual drivers that I want to play around with.

I have very little programming experience but this is the thing that would make me learn.
I have a very large interest in openwrt and how to put all of the pieces together for enjoyment.

Look through the mac80211 commit history for other wireless driver additions, e.g.:

I looked..
So I would have to learn how to work with patches?
Right now I don't have the slightest idea on how to do this.
But want to know.
I don't understand if this means patch a working system of if this means
I need to build an entire openwrt x86 install from scratch/source and somehow include
patches.

To give you an idea where I'm at I don;t even know exactly what "mac80211" is.

So I'm reading up.
https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/mac80211

It looks like it is the deal that does 802.11 in software/CPU instead of in hardware on the card.
I kind of knew that was out there but didn't know exactly how & where.
So I am making progress.

mac80211, in this context, refers to the source package name containing the backports wireless stack- and drivers, the (newer) source from which (almost-) all wireless drivers are built against the (older) kernel. Yes, changing package/kernel/mac80211/ and rebuilding the whole firmware image 'until it works' is effectively what you'd end up doing, once you have it working, you can submit a patch.

Either way, don't expect wonders with Realtek wireless - it's not going to be great.

Not looking for wonders...
Just looking to get some experience.
I donl't yet understand what backports are. or "how to rebuild a whole firmware image".
Or how I could try that.

https://backports.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page

1 Like

Thanks..
Reading a bunch now.
This will probably take me a year to actually get familiar..
And understand all of the pieces.
It's one thing to just build it but its another when something fails and what do do next.
And being lost when it happens.
Versus knowing what's going on and how it all works.
I've built and used Linux software for many years not knowing or really having a clue how it all works or fits together.
Most of the development terminology is foreign to me despite having used it for a long time and being comfortable around it.