HEADS UP: iwlwifi firmware removed from main (stable/14 to follow), run fwget before updating

On Wed, 19 Mar 2025, Bjoern A. Zeeb wrote:

Hi,

before updating your system please run fwget(8) or build
wifi-firmware-iwlwifi-kmod (or the appropriate flavor) from ports if you
are using iwlwifi(4) or iwx(4).

You can do it any time as the extra firmware files will do no harm until
your next reboot at least.

As announced almost a month ago firmware just got removed from the src
repository main branch [1].  stable/14 will follow in a few days.

If you are using iwlwifi(4) you may get automatically upgraded to
HT and VHT support by the tunables the firmware installs along (if you
haven't done yourself in the last weeks already).
I wrote a summary for testing [2] the other day and the freebsd wireless
list is generally a good place to follow and the right place to follow
up.
The email may also help in case you face problems though I am fervently
working on solving open problems currently, so by the time you update
they may already be gone.. (famous last words).

[1] https://cgit.FreeBSD.org/src/commit/?id=558d638896239f9cd25b9d825ecfce62ec54681e
[2] https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-wireless/2025-April/003131.html

Lots of joy,
Bjoern

> I pushed an update to the iwlwifi firmware port today[1] and with the last
> release of FreeBSD 13 being out the door, 14.1-Release EoL end of this
> month passed and the packages for the updated port appearing I'll
>
> !!!
> 	remove iwlwifi firmware from src.git for main and stable/14
> 	some time early April.
> !!!
>
>
> * What you need to do?
>
> Please run fwget(8) to install the right firmware package for your chipset
> if you have not already and then pkg upgrades will provide updates as needed.
> You can do this today already as that won't change the status quo compared
> to what is in the tree.
>
>
> * Why is this happening?
>
> iwlwifi following rtw88 and rtw89 after a request from core to not add
> more binary blob wireless firmware into src.git  (accumulated firmware
> for a set of modern wireless drivers at that time would have been
> slightly over 100MB if I remember correctly with the amount increasing).
>
> As a result firmware was put into ports, broken down into flavors, added
> to fwget(8) to automatically install it, updated the port to no longer
> install kernel modules but firmware files on 14.2-R and later, enhanced
> the install media to contain firmware so wireless-only laptops could have
> connectivity with these drivers, and enhanced the installer to have a step
> to run fwget and install firmware into the new installation.  All of this
> shipped in 14.2-R already.
> Thanks to everyone who helped along these steps to make it all happen.
>
>
> * What's your bonus?
>
> If you have't already tried yourself, the updated port will also turn on
> HT and VHT by default for iwlwifi chipsets 22000, ax210, and bz (that's
> AX200 and newer) on both main and stable/14.
> Reports so far have been encouraging enough from some people who've been
> testing during the last weeks (the rough edges being sorted step but
> step now).  For more information about how to test, about older chipsets,
> or other drivers see the wireless mailing list archive[2] of this year
> and the FreeBSD Foundation Laptop Project on github [3] for links to the
> postings.
>
> Please follow up as appropriate on the wireless list.
>
>
> Lots of health and joy,
> Bjoern
>
>
> [1] 
> https://cgit.freebsd.org/ports/commit/?id=ef3fa2a325a592baa6573782a72cf0d833589ffa
> [2] https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-wireless/
> [3] https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/
>
>

-- 
Bjoern A. Zeeb                                                     r15:7