Re: Please test new drivers in main (iwlwifi, rtw88, rtw89)

On Thu, Oct 23, 2025 at 2:45 PM Bjoern A. Zeeb <bz@freebsd.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I put updated drivers based on Linux v6.17 (I skipped 6.14 for iwlwifi, and
> a previously prepared v6.16 for iwlwifi, rtw88, rtw89 [1]) so that it
> would only
> be one version change to merge in the hope to still get them into FreeBSD
> 15.0.
>
> The uphold was largely due to drm-kmod having conflicting changes in
> LinuxKPI and
> a new port release had to be rolled (with people on vacation).  By the
> time this
> was all sorted we found that nvidia was broken due to soem hand-rolled
> LinuxKPI
> PCI glue between native PCI and LinuxKPI PCI.  After that got fixed
> EuroBSDCon
> happened and I have since been on the road.
>
> I have done basic testing for all three drivers (iwlwifi, rtw88, rtw89)
> and got
> packets going with all of them;  I had 6.16 tested a lot more but being on
> the
> road I only have limited access to hardware and apparently unplugged some
> of my
> test lab at home for other work, which isn't helpful.
>
> I am planning to merge the drivers Sun/Mon to stable/15 as well so they
> could
> go into 15.0-BETA4 as well if I get at least a "good" from someone for
> iwlwifi
> and one for rtw89.
>
> iwlwifi has seen some rather large reshuffeling in 6.16/6.17 splitting up
> the
> mvm and the mld driver with the latter being the 11be supporting hardware
> like
> BE200 (which we supported for 1.5 years or so now as part of mvm).  In
> FreeBSD
> it still only presents itself as "if_iwlwifi" having it all on and
> included for
> now.
>
> If you want to test rtw88 it seems you can authenticate/associate but it
> may take
> some time so just let it sit (or restart wpa_supplicant after a minute)
> and see.
> I am working on that.  I did manage to assoc and pass packets.  I beleive
> the
> 8822BE ones might be worst and 8821C be a bit better, while 8822C probably
> just
> works?
>
> Firmware updates to ports will follow eventually but do not seem urgent.
>
>
> Please be preared to be able to roll-back in case you are hitting severe
> problems as I will be on the road next week and have a very high response
> time.  Let's just hope this won't happen :)
>
> Lots of joy,
> Bjoern
>
>
> [1] https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/86
>
> --
> Bjoern A. Zeeb                                                     r15:7
>

Bjoern, this repeats much of a private message as I decided to get this
into the thread. Excuse the repeated information.
Just updated my kernel to main-n281404-f1cb4e9962d7: Sat Oct 25 14:57:35
PDT 2025.

Boot was fine. For a change, the network start showed the interface coming
up and staying up instead of going UP, then DOWN and, after 3 por 4 seconds
going UP again. Only a single boot, so maybe it was a fluke.
Still see a couple of errors, but those are the same as always and seem to
not cause any issues.
starting wpa_supplicant.
iwlwifi0: lkpi_sta_scan_to_auth:2415: lvif 0xfffffe0162534000 vap
0xfffffe0162534010 iv_bss 0xfffffe0162542000 lvif_bss 0 lvif_bss->ni 0
synched 0, ni 0xfffffe0162616000 lsta 0xfffff8000326f800
iwlwifi0: lkpi_sta_a_to_a:2718: lvif 0xfffffe0162534000 vap
0xfffffe0162534010 iv_bss 0xfffffe0162542000 lvif_bss 0xfffff8000326f800
lvif_bss->ni 0xfffffe0162616000 synched 0
iwlwifi0: lkpi_iv_newstate: error 95 during state transition 2 (AUTH) -> 2
(AUTH)
Invalid TXQ id
iwl_mvm_tx_mpdu:1280: fc 0x00b0 tid 8 txq_id 65535 mvm 0xfffffe016202f588
skb 0xfffffe0162887a60 { len 30 } info 0xfffffe00eace9cc0 sta
0xfffff8000326f9c0 (see PR 274382)

Running very well, though still slow downloads.  I keep hoping for
something better.
-- 
Kevin Oberman, Part time kid herder and retired Network Engineer
E-mail: rkoberman@gmail.com
PGP Fingerprint: D03FB98AFA78E3B78C1694B318AB39EF1B055683