what kind of high speed wifi modules are supported?

[Kai_C_]

I've run the image on the galileo and used the usb live image to compile some simple projects. Since I want a high speed wifi module to transmit data, I'm going to buy a pci-e wifi module to do so. I konw that intel n135 is capable but I want a faster module instead. I've checked the firmware in /lib/firmware and I decided to buy the intel 6300 module, but he told me it can only use in some particular PC. What should I do?

[Brendan_L_Intel · Accepted solution]

We have the iwlwifi kernel module, for the 6300 card you'll just need to drop the right firmware into /lib/firmware and it should 'just work'. The 6300 is a nice card but it lacks bluetooth compared to the 135 or 6235. There's no reason or need for a particular PC.

The firmware you need is here: http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/iwlwifi?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=iwlwifi-6000-ucode-9.221.4.1.tgz

[Kai_C_]

I can't find the reply just now. So I make it again.

Thanks Brendan Le Foll a lot.

You mean that once the firmware is dropped right the system can identify the module right? So what the dealer means is that the BIOS of PC may forbid other module to work?

I just need a fast wifi link between my platforms, so the lack of bluetooth is not a serious thing.

I find a series of firmware in "/lib/firmware" directory on the board like this:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  337572 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-100-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  335056 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-1000-3.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  337520 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-1000-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  689680 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-105-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  701228 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-135-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  695876 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-2000-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  707392 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  670172 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-3160-7.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  150100 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  187972 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-4965-2.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  345008 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-5000-1.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  353240 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-5000-2.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  340696 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-5000-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  337400 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-5150-2.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  454608 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6000-4.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  444128 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  677296 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  460236 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6000g2b-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  679436 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6000g2b-6.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  463692 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6050-4.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  469780 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-6050-5.ucode
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  682892 Feb 20  2014 iwlwifi-7260-7.ucode

I notice that the "iwlwifi-6000-4.ucode" is already in the directory, so it means that I can just plug in the module and start to config my wifi status? So the module is not supported for some PC is because the BIOS? 

I also find "iwlwifi-7260-7.ucode" in this directory, and I google it to find this:

The following devices are supported (since kernel version):

• Intel® Wireless 7265 (3.13)
• Intel® Wireless 7260 (3.10)
• Intel® Wireless 3160 (3.10)
• Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 (3.2)
• Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 (3.2)
• Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2200 (3.2)
• Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 105 (3.2)
• Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 135 (3.2)

(in http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/iwlwifi)

So it  means that the 866.7Mbps wifi module is only supported for version after 3.13? But how about the file there? Or it just means the file is added after version 3.13 and I can use this module perfectly?

I'm really confused about this. Please help me.

Thanks a lot.

[Brendan_L_Intel]

Kai C. wrote:
You mean that once the firmware is dropped right the system can identify the module right? So what the dealer means is that the BIOS of PC may forbid other module to work?

Yes, alot of laptop vendors commonly have BIOS whitelists to restrict the PCIe cards you can use. Galileo obviously has no such restrictions.

Kai C. wrote:
So it  means that the 866.7Mbps wifi module is only supported for version after 3.13? But how about the file there? Or it just means the file is added after version 3.13 and I can use this module perfectly?

It means that we don't support that card, that fw shoudn't be on there. You'd need to backport iwlwifi from kernel 3.10+ on our 3.8 kernel.

[Kai_C_]

ok. I got it. Thanks a lot.