Ac-wlan pcie-card

frank-w · January 5, 2020, 9:05pm

Ok,then it’s strange that file is not found…You have driver as module? log says bootup time is 7 seconds which looks like builtin and before filesystems are mounted

cioby23 · January 5, 2020, 10:04pm

I have atached the full boot log dmesg.log (38.1 KB)

Strange just found the driver does not exist under the /lib/modules/5.4.2-bpi-r2-main/kernel/drivers/net/wireless folder. When I ran build.sh it created the tar.gz file and two folders BPI-BOOT and BPI-ROOT under SD folder and I unpacked the tar.gz bpi-r2_5.4.2-main.tar.gz into the rootfs which it seems does not have the mt76x2e.ko driver in it

I checked the config and it’s enabled in the kernel but file is missing.

zgrep MT76x /proc/config.gz                                         
CONFIG_MT76x02_LIB=y
# CONFIG_MT76x0U is not set
# CONFIG_MT76x0E is not set
CONFIG_MT76x2_COMMON=y
CONFIG_MT76x2E=y
# CONFIG_MT76x2U is not set

It’s not enabled as a loadable module but directly to the kernel. It says (y) instead of (m). I will try tomorrow and recompile the kernel with this driver as a module.

DeadMeat · January 6, 2020, 9:03am

Hi,

[ 7.452685] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for mt7662_rom_patch.bin failed with error -2

And

[ 8.223316] EXT4-fs (mmcblk0p2): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)

The kernel tries to init mt76 driver and to load firmware before rootfs is mounted. Compiling it as a module should help, as all modules can be loaded only afrer rootfs is mounted. Or you can probably to try built-in a firmware to kernel

frank-w · January 6, 2020, 9:07am

now with full bootlog it is clear

Imho firmware inside kernel is only possible with initrd which is much more complex setup…or is there any easier way?

frank-w · January 6, 2020, 9:12am

with my kernel you have no modules…also none from default. I guess it maybe a firewall issue. Maybe nftables have problems with later init of ap0 interface or similar.thats why recommend to test your kernel without modules

DeadMeat · January 6, 2020, 9:18am

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.14/driver-api/firmware/built-in-fw.html

As I understood it can be built-in to Linux kernel image. Initramfs is near the same as regular modules/firmware, it can be extremely useful for various sata/sas/raid drivers or for network drivers in case of net-boot, at least it’s most widely used cases in my practice.

cioby23 · January 6, 2020, 1:21pm

I have changed in the kernel config the driver to be compiled as a module instead of being directly loaded and now I see the module in the tar.gz kernel image so I think it would work fine.

I’ll test later today and upload the new kernel into the BananaPi R2. I guess that was the issue that it tries to load firmware before rootfs is mounted. Thanks for pointing this out.

UPDATE: Uploaded the new kernel with the mt76x2e module on the BPI-R2 box and it works properly now. Module and firmware are loaded properly and wifi interface is visible

 dmesg |grep mt76
[   11.787135] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: enabling device (0140 -> 0142)
[   11.793413] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: ASIC revision: 76120044
[   12.456280] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: ROM patch build: 20141115060606a
[   12.468727] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: Firmware Version: 0.0.00
[   12.474314] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: Build: 1
[   12.478429] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: Build Time: 201507311614____
[   12.507768] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0: Firmware running!
[   12.543525] mt76x2e 0000:01:00.0 wlp1s0: renamed from wlan0

ip addr show wlp1s0
9: wlp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN group default qlen 1000
    link/ether f8:62:aa:50:16:10 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

furumc · February 17, 2020, 8:39am

Hi folks,

just a silly question, how can you apply a half sized card in a full sized place?

igorpec · February 17, 2020, 8:45am

furumc · February 17, 2020, 8:51am

Thanks!

I’ve just read this topic, and couldn’t figure out! Is this card working with BPI-r2 or any BPI router board : Mini PCIe Modul QCA9880 WPEA-352ACN It’s sparklan, but actually chipset comes from Q/A.

frank-w · February 17, 2020, 9:10am

I don’t think so…i have tested similar card and reported it works

schnickidischnack · July 23, 2021, 1:28pm

I also would like to get some recommendation for an ac card with 802.11s.

Can I put the BPI-MT7615 in a BPI-R2 (it seems so big)?

frank-w · July 23, 2021, 1:52pm

The large mt7615 (like bpi,but also other vendors too) do not fit into bpi-r2 (or you need to cut off gpio pins and need newer r2 with smaller coils).

The asiarf mt7615 card fits and works in bpi-r2.but shipping is expensive…

schnickidischnack · July 23, 2021, 2:17pm

And shipping takes long. Seems complicated to find a fitting pcie-card in some shop in europe. I also looked for AW7615-NP1, but can not find it. And there is no other card with 50.95mm x 30mm?

frank-w · July 23, 2021, 4:23pm

I don’t know any,got mine from asiarf…it takes only a week afair

schnickidischnack · July 23, 2021, 5:17pm

I thought new regulations regarding import from asia were passed. Also brexit should make some trouble. It is so hard to find a R64 and the WiFi cards from a European shop.

It is weird that varia is announcing the BPI-MT7615 as official wifi card for the BPI-R2. (Source)

frank-w · July 24, 2021, 4:16pm

I know, but on my board (imho 1.0 with battery connector) there are coils a similar card (same dimensions) bend over and first 6 (3x2) gpio need to be cut off (have not done this)

schnickidischnack · July 24, 2021, 5:52pm

I contacted now “reichelt.de” if they can import such cards. I will report if they do. I hope my R2 will ship soon. Further, I wrote “varia-store.com”.

schnickidischnack · July 24, 2021, 7:12pm

Just to be sure, we talk about this card?

frank-w · July 24, 2021, 7:50pm

Should be same as i have…7615 standardsize with dbdc