Re: Kernel device for iwlwifi in 13.3?

On Sun, 9 Jun 2024, Roger Marquis wrote:

> WITHOUT_WIRELESS=yes in /etc/src.conf didn't prevent the creation of
> iwlwifi .ko files (on 13.3-RELEASE).  Interestingly though, other
> WITHOUT_ settings did prevent the creation of their respective modules.
> Why the different behavior and can these modules can be simply deleted?

Because I missed that we have a kernel side knob as well?  Though please
read on...

I'll look into it if it is indeed so but on a quick glance in man
src.conf you would want WITHOUT_WIRELESS_SUPPORT.

man src.conf
      WITHOUT_WIRELESS
              Do not build programs used for 802.11 wireless networks;
              especially wpa_supplicant(8) and hostapd(8).  When set, these
              options are also in effect:

              WITHOUT_WIRELESS_SUPPORT (unless WITH_WIRELESS_SUPPORT is set
              explicitly)

      WITHOUT_WIRELESS_SUPPORT
              Build libraries, programs, and kernel modules without 802.11
              wireless support.


But neither of the WIRELESS[_SUPPORT] knobs seem to be applied anywahere in
sys/modules at this point, so iwlwifi is no special but all kernel wifi
modules would be built.

% grep -r WIRELESS sys/modules/
%

> Also wondering why there is no iwl* in /usr/src/sys/amd64/conf/* and
> what, if anything,

Because it is a non-essential driver to boot and so we only build it as
a module which is a continuation of that people once started in order to
get GENERIC size down.  The module will be loaded at run-time
automatically (in a default setup) if such a card is found in the system
and the driver will then automatically load its firmware (which will
hopefully eventually also not be in base anymore).

/bz

-- 
Bjoern A. Zeeb                                                     r15:7