[RTEMS Project] #3222: libbsd: WiFi Support needs rc.conf integration

[RTEMS trac]

#3222: libbsd: WiFi Support needs rc.conf integration
--------------------------------------------+------------------------------
 Reporter:  Christian Mauderer              |       Owner:  Christian
                                            |  Mauderer
     Type:  enhancement                     |      Status:  accepted
 Priority:  normal                          |   Milestone:  Indefinite
Component:  network/libbsd                  |     Version:  5
 Severity:  normal                          |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  SoC, libbsd, WiFi, WLAN, large  |  Blocked By:
 Blocking:                                  |
--------------------------------------------+------------------------------
Description changed by Gedare Bloom:

Old description:

> Currently WLAN is still only poorly integrated into libbsd. A number of
> manual commands are necessary to create a WLAN device.
>
> FreeBSD supports rc.conf lines like the following one for setting up a
> WLAN device (see
> [https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=rc.conf&manpath=FreeBSD+12-current
> rc.conf(5) section ''network_interfaces'']):
>
> {{{
> wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
> ifconfig_wlan0="DHCP"
> }}}
>
> The rtems-libbsd should support this notation too.
>
> Problematic in this context is that all currently supported WLAN devices
> are USB devices. These devices need some time to enumerate or can even be
> hot plugged. Therefore they might not be available during the first
> parsing of rc.conf.
>
> We need a method to handle such hot plugged events. For that it will be
> necessary to keep relevant information from the rc.conf available.
>
> *Possible Approach*
> The way freebsd handles hot-plug events in general or network device
> events in special should be analyzed. If possible, a similar method
> should be implemented in rtems-libbsd.
>
> *Necessary Hardware*
> Some board which is supported in rtems-libbsd and has a (supported) USB
> host connection and a (supported) USB-WiFi? interface is necessary. A
> known working board is the Beagle Bone Black with a RTL8188 USB dongle.
> Some kind of hardware debugger (Segger J-Link, Flyswatter 2, something
> supported by OpenOCD, ...) is strongly recommended.
>
> *Related projects*
> #3223 will need some WiFi? related rc.conf integration too and maybe
> depends on some of the functionality here (creating interfaces).

New description:

 Currently WLAN is still only poorly integrated into libbsd. A number of
 manual commands are necessary to create a WLAN device.

 FreeBSD supports rc.conf lines like the following one for setting up a
 WLAN device (see
 [https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=rc.conf&manpath=FreeBSD+12-current
 rc.conf(5) section ''network_interfaces'']):

 {{{
 wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
 ifconfig_wlan0="DHCP"
 }}}

 The rtems-libbsd should support this notation too.

 Problematic in this context is that all currently supported WLAN devices
 are USB devices. These devices need some time to enumerate or can even be
 hot plugged. Therefore they might not be available during the first
 parsing of rc.conf.

 We need a method to handle such hot plugged events. For that it will be
 necessary to keep relevant information from the rc.conf available.

 **Possible Approach**
 The way freebsd handles hot-plug events in general or network device
 events in special should be analyzed. If possible, a similar method
 should be implemented in rtems-libbsd.

 **Necessary Hardware**
 Some board which is supported in rtems-libbsd and has a (supported) USB
 host connection and a (supported) USB-WiFi? interface is necessary. A
 known working board is the Beagle Bone Black with a RTL8188 USB dongle.
 Some kind of hardware debugger (Segger J-Link, Flyswatter 2, something
 supported by OpenOCD, ...) is strongly recommended.

 **Related projects**
 #3223 will need some WiFi? related rc.conf integration too and maybe
 depends on some of the functionality here (creating interfaces).

 **Skills**
 C and low-level programming skills are needed.

 This is a large project of hard difficulty.

--

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Ticket URL: <http://devel.rtems.org/ticket/3222#comment:7>
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