• Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Hi,

for 8.09, there is the kmod-b43 package. See:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/kamikaze/8.09/brcm47xx/packages/

but for 8.09.1 and also for 8.09.2 there is no kmod-b43 package. See:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/kamikaze/8.09.1/brcm47xx/packages/
http://downloads.openwrt.org/kamikaze/8.09.2-RC2/brcm47xx/packages/

What happened!?
I need b43 for my wrt54gl.

2 Reply by Dogge

  • Dogge
  • Guest

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Read the release notes...

  • Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 4

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

To answer myself:
b43 has been dropped from 8.09.1 and beyond - and probably it returns in 8.09.2, or maybe not?

Well, I tried 8.09, and the 2.6 based released is much slower than the 2.4 based release.
I think, b43 is not that good.

  • dev0
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-04
  • Posts: 10

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

I'm a bit confused right now. I was going to update from 8.09 to 8.09.1 there just now on my WRT54G 1.1 and was looking for some information beforehand when I found this thread. Do I understand correcly, that 8.09.1 is missing the wifi drivers for WRT54GL?

  • Registered: 2009-01-05
  • Posts: 41

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Yes the driver has been removed. The change can been seen here: https://dev.openwrt.org/changeset/15966/branches/8.09/package/b43

The b43 folder has not reappeared in the 8.09 branch as of yet. So I don't think it will be back in future 8.09 releases.

  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 6

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Pitty. I hoped kmod-b43 was getting back in 8.09.2.
On some devices it worked so why dump it al together ?

2.6 kernel is way better for usb devices.

  • Registered: 2009-08-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but how can I use my Wrt54G with the new releases if the driver is not present?

  • Registered: 2009-03-18
  • Posts: 378

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

you need to use the brcm-2.4 branch

  • Registered: 2009-08-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Is possible to install the driver after the installation of the latest release?

  • Registered: 2008-04-10
  • Posts: 61

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

As long as you stick to the brcm-2.4 branch you'll get the b43 driver with it.  This gives you kernel 2.4.? instead of 2.6.? and the only downside I'm aware of is the USB support suffers in 2.4

  • Treq
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Fetsund, Norway
  • Registered: 2007-01-30
  • Posts: 9

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

Almost.
If you choose the brcm-2.4 branch, you get the original, proprietary and binary-only Broadcom driver for your Broadcom WiFi. Since this driver is binary-only and can not be recompiled, it only works with Linux kernel 2.4, for which it was originally shipped with by Linksys.

If you want to run newer Linux kernel 2.6, your only alternative is the open-source driver b43, which is more or less working. However this driver has not yet been deemed stable enough for "consumer" use, by the OpenWRT devs, so right now it is only available in trunk/bleeding-edge, and not in the stable 8.09.x series.

  • Registered: 2009-08-11
  • Posts: 14

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

I'm trying to use the mac80211 driver for my wrt54g ap. What is the difference between "broadcom" driver and "mac80211"?
My ap is working fine.
Thanks.

  • Registered: 2009-03-18
  • Posts: 378

Re: Why is b43 driver missing in recent releases?

eryter wrote:

I'm trying to use the mac80211 driver for my wrt54g ap. What is the difference between "broadcom" driver and "mac80211"?
My ap is working fine.
Thanks.

broadcom :
proprietary wl.o driver made by broadcom
kernel 2.4
works with proprietary interfaces nas, wl (or wlc)
stable in kamikaze 8.09.1


mac80211:
open source b43 driver based on the standard mac80211 stack also used by may other drivers
kernel 2.6
works with standard hostapd, wpa_supplicant, etc.
not included in kamikaze 8.09.1 but should work in trunk