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Date:   Sat, 17 Jul 2021 15:53:09 +0200
From:   Pali =?utf-8?B?Um9ow6Fy?= <pali@kernel.org>
To:     Sharvari Harisangam <sharvari.harisangam@nxp.com>
Cc:     Maximilian Luz <luzmaximilian@gmail.com>,
        Jonas =?utf-8?Q?Dre=C3=9Fler?= <verdre@v0yd.nl>,
        Ganapathi Bhat <ganapathi017@gmail.com>,
        Amitkumar Karwar <amitkarwar@gmail.com>,
        Xinming Hu <huxinming820@gmail.com>,
        linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org,
        Marek =?utf-8?B?QmVow7pu?= <marek.behun@nic.cz>
Subject: Re: mwifiex: Maximal number of AP interfaces
Message-ID: <20210717135309.lwntxwwil6cz7cz4@pali>
References: <20200611113009.v7cpybecc55vtni2@pali>
 <20210217121841.zqkesoy56bmzhwjf@pali>
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[+cc: Maximilian and Jonas]

Hello Sharvari! Could you look also at this issue which disallows
88W8xxx cards to create more that 3 AP instances, even when HW supports
it?

I think it is a big limitation if HW supports more AP SSIDs, but mwifiex
driver refuse to create more than 3.

On Wednesday 17 February 2021 13:18:41 Pali Rohár wrote:
> Hello! I would like to remind this my email...
> 
> On Thursday 11 June 2020 13:30:09 Pali Rohár wrote:
> > Hello!
> > 
> > mwifiex kernel driver has currently hardcoded maximal number of AP
> > interfaces to 3. It is defined by MWIFIEX_MAX_UAP_NUM constant and
> > '.max' member in 'mwifiex_ap_sta_limits' structure.
> > 
> > I tried to increase this limit and figured out that SD8997 card can
> > create four independent BSSIDs in AP mode. Not only 3. Scanning for wifi
> > networks on another device proved that SD8997 was really broadcasting 4
> > SSIDs.
> > 
> > When I tried to create fifth AP interface/SSID then mwifiex received
> > error "mwifiex_cmd_timeout_func: Timeout cmd id = 0x4d, act = 0x1" and
> > then card firmware crashed. SDIO card was then unregistered from bus.
> > 
> > I would like to increase maximal number of AP interface to 4 as it is
> > supported by SD8997 card. But it cannot be done easily as for other
> > cards managed by mwifiex driver which do not support more then 3 ap
> > interfaces, it can cause problems...
> > 
> > Looks like that maximal number of AP interfaces is firmware dependent
> > number. Do you know if it is possible to retrieve this maximal count
> > from card firmware via some special command?
> > 
> > Or do you know how to determinate maximal number of AP interfaces?
> 
> Is there any firmware command which returns maximal number of AP
> interfaces which kernel can create?
> 
> If not then I would suggest to create per-card constant for maximal
> number of AP interfaces in mwifiex driver and hardcode it to 4 on 8997
> card. Any objections?