Ha! broadcom wireless devices specs released.

[drag]

Hells bells, looks like broadcom released specs to it's wireless devices to make it easier to write drivers for Linux and other open source software. Should eventually reduce the need for ndiswrapper sucktactular driver dancing. So maybe in a few months I'll be able to get my 'apple airport extreme' 802.11g wireless adapter working on my ibook in Linux. Hrm. That should be nice.

edit:
Oops. It's all reverse engineered by the folks at http://linux-bcom4301.sourceforge.net/

Should eventually help with getting Linux support for x86 laptops. These broadcom bad boys are VERY common nowadays in new laptops. (I think)

Homepage to the Wiki containing specs..
http://bcm-specs.sipsolutions.net/

Here are the devices this paticular wiki covers:
http://bcm-specs.sipsolutions.net/Chipsets

Of course this is very new.. I don't beleive that much in the way of actual driver developement has taken place.

Maybe with the Ralink/rt2x00 guys working on porting their paticular driver over to the generic linux 802.11 stack it maybe help accelerate developement with these cards. Who knows.

 

[drag]

Oh.. here is the driver development page for it..
http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/

And for a bonus fully OSS drivers for atheros are close to being aviable...
http://www.selenic.com/pipermail/kernel-mentors/2005-August/000347.html

 

[phisrow]

Good news, good news. Pity it had to be done the hard way, and here's hoping that there won't be some sort of rediculous legal challenge mounted over some nonsense about "IP protection" and whatnot.

Cheers to the reverse engineers!

 

[bersl2]

Originally posted by: drag
edit:
Oops. It's all reverse engineered by the folks at http://linux-bcom4301.sourceforge.net/

Well, then it makes perfect sense that I didn't feel hell freeze over.

Broadcom. :roll:

 

[n0cmonkey]

Wow, that's pretty cool. Hopefully the OpenBSD guys pick this stuff up!

 

[n0cmonkey]

Looks like the open atheros drivers are using some OpenBSD code.

I'm glad someone else finally did it.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Looks like the open atheros drivers are using some OpenBSD code.

I'm glad someone else finally did it.

Well score another one for the quality over quantify (of features) camp.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Looks like the open atheros drivers are using some OpenBSD code.

I'm glad someone else finally did it.

Well score another one for the quality over quantify (of features) camp.

It's been disappointing that the other BSDs haven't picked it up. I figured they would have taken it before Linux. Oh well, maybe the Linux guys will send some code back and make it better for everyone. :beer:

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Looks like the open atheros drivers are using some OpenBSD code.

I'm glad someone else finally did it.

Well score another one for the quality over quantify (of features) camp.

It's been disappointing that the other BSDs haven't picked it up. I figured they would have taken it before Linux. Oh well, maybe the Linux guys will send some code back and make it better for everyone. :beer:

Maybe..

Right now I am using a FreeBSD-based (madwifi freebsd ieee80211x stack, I guess) Ural driver for my ralink rt2500usb (asus 80211g usb) setup, since the original linux drivers are based on the WindBlows ndis stuff (apparently) and are not endian safe. With kernel 2.6.14 I have to edit (as pure instructions from a patch submitted to debian mailing list) a couple source code files to get it to compile correctly.

The rewrite seems to coming along nicely though. The rt2x00 drivers (rt2400pci, rt2500pci, rt2500usb, rt2x00core modules) based use the linux kernel generic net ieee80211 stuff will actually now work now (even wap for some people) based on what phase of the moon is in when the nightly cvs tarball is built. That is endian safe and does compile nicely on my computer (have to remove the kernel/net/ieee80211/ modules to use the versions that come with the tarball to get them to load right), but unfortunately it doesn't seem to like my wireless setup.

I also just bought a new linksys router today to replace my aged and now decrypted (actually caught my cat sleeping on the motherboard inside the case more then once.. while it was running) ancient compaq crapfest with a floppy-based 2.2.x kernel ipchains firewall. This thing is a lot quieter (no fans).

It's a WRT54G one... A WRT54Gv4 specificly (wallmart is good for something after all), which is still based on Linux and that means I can use hacked 'firmware' (actually flash drive images) to install custom Linux stuff so that I can break FCC laws and do better network monitoring from it.. among other things. The most recent WRT54Gv5 switched to Vxworks in order to use smaller firmware sizes, smaller RAM sizes and save a bit of money (although supposedly it's buggy and locks up frequently), and is incompatable with the various Linux stuff for previous versions. So I figured it would be a good time to grab one before the new ones made it out to my neck of the woods. To keep the hackers happy Linksys has released a WRT54GL model that still runs Linux, which you can order off of the internet from a few places. Ironicly it also uses broadcom stuff (and always has as far as I know).

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: drag
Maybe..

Right now I am using a FreeBSD-based (madwifi freebsd ieee80211x stack, I guess) Ural driver for my ralink rt2500usb (asus 80211g usb) setup, since the original linux drivers are based on the WindBlows ndis stuff (apparently) and are not endian safe. With kernel 2.6.14 I have to edit (as pure instructions from a patch submitted to debian mailing list) a couple source code files to get it to compile correctly.

The rewrite seems to coming along nicely though. The rt2x00 drivers (rt2400pci, rt2500pci, rt2500usb, rt2x00core modules) based use the linux kernel generic net ieee80211 stuff will actually now work now (even wap for some people) based on what phase of the moon is in when the nightly cvs tarball is built. That is endian safe and does compile nicely on my computer (have to remove the kernel/net/ieee80211/ modules to use the versions that come with the tarball to get them to load right), but unfortunately it doesn't seem to like my wireless setup.

I also just bought a new linksys router today to replace my aged and now decrypted (actually caught my cat sleeping on the motherboard inside the case more then once.. while it was running) ancient compaq crapfest with a floppy-based 2.2.x kernel ipchains firewall. This thing is a lot quieter (no fans).

It's a WRT54G one... A WRT54Gv4 specificly (wallmart is good for something after all), which is still based on Linux and that means I can use hacked 'firmware' (actually flash drive images) to install custom Linux stuff so that I can break FCC laws and do better network monitoring from it.. among other things. The most recent WRT54Gv5 switched to Vxworks in order to use smaller firmware sizes, smaller RAM sizes and save a bit of money (although supposedly it's buggy and locks up frequently), and is incompatable with the various Linux stuff for previous versions. So I figured it would be a good time to grab one before the new ones made it out to my neck of the woods. To keep the hackers happy Linksys has released a WRT54GL model that still runs Linux, which you can order off of the internet from a few places. Ironicly it also uses broadcom stuff (and always has as far as I know).

I had an "emergency situation" where I didn't have time to make a wireless router, so I bought the same one you did. I didn't pay any attention to the version number, I just lucked out with a v4. It's been fine so far, but I plan on replacing it with something better (OpenBSD ) when I get time, money, and motivation.

The ral/ural stuff on OpenBSD has been working fine for a while. It's even reported to work on MacPPC hardware. I guess there aren't as many endian issues there.

 

[Panther505]

Originally posted by: drag


It's a WRT54G one... A WRT54Gv4 specificly (wallmart is good for something after all), which is still based on Linux and that means I can use hacked 'firmware' (actually flash drive images) to install custom Linux stuff so that I can break FCC laws and do better network monitoring from it.. among other things. The most recent WRT54Gv5 switched to Vxworks in order to use smaller firmware sizes, smaller RAM sizes and save a bit of money (although supposedly it's buggy and locks up frequently), and is incompatable with the various Linux stuff for previous versions. So I figured it would be a good time to grab one before the new ones made it out to my neck of the woods. To keep the hackers happy Linksys has released a WRT54GL model that still runs Linux, which you can order off of the internet from a few places. Ironicly it also uses broadcom stuff (and always has as far as I know).

I have heard that the V4 can have flashing issues too so be careful. Supposedly you can't backstep them enough to get OpenWRT on them. there is a thread on the Triangle Linux Users Group (trilug.org) mailing list that covers the details.

Panther505.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: Panther505

Originally posted by: drag


It's a WRT54G one... A WRT54Gv4 specificly (wallmart is good for something after all), which is still based on Linux and that means I can use hacked 'firmware' (actually flash drive images) to install custom Linux stuff so that I can break FCC laws and do better network monitoring from it.. among other things. The most recent WRT54Gv5 switched to Vxworks in order to use smaller firmware sizes, smaller RAM sizes and save a bit of money (although supposedly it's buggy and locks up frequently), and is incompatable with the various Linux stuff for previous versions. So I figured it would be a good time to grab one before the new ones made it out to my neck of the woods. To keep the hackers happy Linksys has released a WRT54GL model that still runs Linux, which you can order off of the internet from a few places. Ironicly it also uses broadcom stuff (and always has as far as I know).

I have heard that the V4 can have flashing issues too so be careful. Supposedly you can't backstep them enough to get OpenWRT on them. there is a thread on the Triangle Linux Users Group (trilug.org) mailing list that covers the details.

Panther505.

Ya... I don't think I am going to be flashing a upgrade any time soon. Not until I get a replacement or another wifi card that can do 'master mode' and make a nice Linux/OBSD AP. (still think these little 'soho' router things are a bit wimpy for my tastes)

However the nice thing about this mod: http://www.batbox.org/wrt54g-linux.html is that I doesn't make any changes to the hardware... it just loads up some extra tools and whatnot. Worst case with that batbox stuff is that you'd have to unplug it and plug it back in.

Of course I should of pointed out that a screwed up flash with OpenWRT or any other flash image will ruin your router. Also that the Linksys setup won't be the only thing that it will work with openwrt.. there are quite a few other models and stuff from other manufacturers.