Return-path: Received: from fmailhost05.isp.att.net ([207.115.11.55]:50759 "EHLO fmailhost05.isp.att.net" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1752205AbZE2VPK (ORCPT ); Fri, 29 May 2009 17:15:10 -0400 Message-ID: <4A20505D.40908@lwfinger.net> Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 16:15:09 -0500 From: Larry Finger MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Matthieu CASTET CC: linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: b43 vs b43legacy References: In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: Matthieu CASTET wrote: > > what's the difference between b43 and b43legacy ? > >>From a first point a view, it seems b43 is for core >= 5 and b43legacy for the > other. > There is also firmware difference : b43 need v4 and b43legacy need v3. The firmware difference is the primary one. > But v4 firmware seems to support core 4 (pcm4 & ucode4) and b43 code got some > support for old chips (<5). The Broadcom V4 drivers do have core 4 firmware embedded in them and it is extracted by b43-fwcutter; however, b43 will _NOT_ work with core 4 chips. The firmware loader will only find firmware for core 5 and later. On the other hand, core 5 devices have been tested with b43legacy. I have a local patch that I use to switch my 14e4:4312 device so that it uses b43legacy. This allows me to test any changes. > Is the split was made because nobody know how to use firmware v4 with core 4 or > because core 4 it so different from newer core. > In the latter case why code for older chip (<5) is not removed from the driver ? >From what I have heard, the older chips do not have the on-board memory to run V4 firmware. Certainly, any chips that have core 2 cannot handle V4 firmware. I suspect that any residual code for older chips left in b43 was missed. If you want to prepare patches to remove such code, please do. Larry