Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 03:46:18 +0000 From: "Thomas Mueller" <mueller6724@bellsouth.net> To: freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: [rfc] removing the NDISulator Message-ID: <CB.9C.15942.A0898625@cdptpa-oedge02> References: <5265878B.1050809@yandex.ru> <201310212146.r9LLkqZ1044966@fire.js.berklix.net> <CAJ-VmomzydOD-M1oePMuqrgdBCFMTXKCZcGVwu%2BLFTnHTGg0Kw@mail.gmail.com> <CAF6rxg=H_zf2nBSreQqMUgG5kizvPaAeR5H0hVPmfcA661UMTQ@mail.gmail.com> <52684E48.20709@unsane.co.uk> <CAJ-VmokS-MniCLW2WSEqNxCOOqnY9Ko6p47rngWXabY9biBgPQ@mail.gmail.com>
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> The later driver model isn't supported by ndisulator. We'd have to
> implement all the newer NDIS stuff for wifi and ethernet.
> In the later NDIS layer the Microsoft Wireless Services implement a bunch
> of stuff that used to be up to the driver. Ie, the driver just exposed an
> ethernet "device" with some extra bits for wifi. Ie, the whole stack runs
> in the driver. That has changed.
...
> This is why I'd rather us bite the bullet now and deprecate it, versus have
> it in there and put in the work to upgrade it to handle NDIS 6.x drivers
> with the Microsoft wireless extensions stuff.
> -adrian
How much extra work would there be to update the ndis(ulator/wrapper)?
Would it be more than writing native FreeBSD drivers which might be ported
from NetBSD, OpenBSD and Linux?
What about cases where specifications might be a trade secret?
How difficult is it to port or write a wifi or Ethernet driver for FreeBSD?
I have no experience writing device drivers but have some experience with C and C++.
I notice NetBSD and OpenBSD have drivers for some chips that FreeBSD lacks.
I have motherboard (MSI Z77 MPOWER) with Realtek 8111E Ethernet that fails to
connect in FreeBSD or OpenBSD, OK with NetBSD-current and Linux, and
Atheros AR9271 onboard wifi: device athn is included in NetBSD (current only)
and OpenBSD.
Tom
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