[HN Gopher] FreeBSD Cope with WiFi Fuckup
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FreeBSD Cope with WiFi Fuckup
Author : yarapavan
Score : 38 points
Date : 2022-09-23 13:18 UTC (9 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (vermaden.wordpress.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (vermaden.wordpress.com)
| daneel_w wrote:
| OpenBSD is in the same situation, and it's particularly bad in
| the case of running the interface in HostAP mode (Wi-Fi access
| point). How I cope: a $30 Wi-Fi "range extender" whose hobbled
| firmware I supplanted with OpenWRT, now operating in bridged mode
| as an extension of my LAN.
| anthk wrote:
| OpenBSD's wifi support it's far better.
| daneel_w wrote:
| Maybe in a relative sense, but OpenBSD's Wi-Fi situation is
| poor. Period.
| paulcarroty wrote:
| FreeBSD Cope: writing drivers is boring, just install Linuxator
| for everything.
| toast0 wrote:
| Writing drivers is boring and shitty, especially when the
| hardware manufacturer won't give anybody actual documentation.
| If your choice is porting a Linux driver because it's the
| closest thing to documentation or just making the Linux driver
| run in the system with compat shims, then compat shims is the
| way.
| yjftsjthsd-h wrote:
| I wonder how hard it would be to port this to illumos. I think
| all the underlying technology is already there (bhyve, mostly),
| although I suspect the networking tools are different enough that
| that would require some work.
|
| Edit: I wrote this about wifibox, although reskimming over the
| page a lot of the rest of the advice really does work there as
| well. In broad strokes, this page really does amount to a list of
| ways to get Wi-Fi or at least network access if your operating
| system doesn't natively support the Wi-Fi card actually in your
| laptop. Even running Linux in a virtual machine with the hardware
| passed through would probably work on ex. Haiku just with the
| details changed.
| tialaramex wrote:
| > would probably work on ex. Haiku just with the details
| changed.
|
| Haiku doesn't have virtualization so you can't make this work.
| jopnv wrote:
| I can make up bad advice too. For example: forget about your wifi
| troubles, turn off your computer and go outside.
| yjftsjthsd-h wrote:
| What bad advice are you seeing here?
| striking wrote:
| Maybe GP is reacting strictly to the title and doesn't
| realize it's an article about _coping_ with FreeBSD 's WiFi
| issues.
| jopnv wrote:
| Anything other than "switch to another OS" is bad advice.
| smoldesu wrote:
| What's a suitable drop-in replacement for FreeBSD?
| rnd0 wrote:
| For wifi? Windows.
|
| /me takes tongue out of cheek
| giomasce wrote:
| A few years ago Linux used Windows drivers via ndiswrapper. Now
| BSD uses Linux drivers via virtualization. The circle of life.
| drewg123 wrote:
| FreeBSD used Windows NDIS binary drivers as well.
|
| The current way FreeBSD runs Linux drivers is by providing
| compat shims, not via any virtualization.
| cperciva wrote:
| Some people are running wifi via a Linux in bhyve (wifibox).
|
| Making it easier to port Linux drivers to run in native
| FreeBSD (via linuxkpi) is definitely a better route though.
| drewg123 wrote:
| Ah, I hadn't realized that (though I should have, I have
| passed devices through to bhyve as well).
|
| I actually think running RHEL binary drivers (where there
| is a defined KBI), might be the best route.
| dddddaviddddd wrote:
| Personally I find that wifibox is seamless, giving me modern
| 802.11ac speeds on my FreeBSD laptop. Not ideal, of course, but
| it removes a major pain point.
| dilippkumar wrote:
| Unrelated: What's the current state of FreeBSD on a laptop?
| What's the recommended hardware setup? Is it something I'd feel
| confident travelling with as my primary computing machine?
| vermaden wrote:
| It all depends on your needs.
|
| I am using FreeBSD on my desktops/laptops since about 2006.
|
| I work with Linux systems (mostly RHEL/SLES/Ubuntu) and some
| other UNIX systems daily and I still prefer to use FreeBSD
| for its features and simplicity. More about these here:
|
| - https://vermaden.wordpress.com/2020/09/07/quare-freebsd/
|
| You can use for example _ThinkPad X1 Carbon_ 6th edition for
| some more modern hardware. I really love this old 7-row
| classic ThinkPad keyboard so I use _ThinkPad W520_ from 2011
| (last one with such keyboard).
|
| Here is a list with FreeBSD laptops with various features
| tested:
|
| - https://wiki.freebsd.org/Laptops
|
| I write and maintain my own _' FreeBSD Desktop'_ series here:
|
| - https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/
|
| ... but there are plenty of other such guides - just type _"
| FreeBSD laptop"_ or _" FreeBSD desktop"_ to get more howtos.
|
| Regards.
| binkHN wrote:
| Yes, fast Wi-Fi is a challenge with the BSDs. That said, the
| venerable OpenBSD supports 11ac for some chipsets.
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(page generated 2022-09-23 23:01 UTC)