kernel-packages team mailing list archive

[Miles Krell <mileskrell@xxxxxxxxx>]

** Description changed:

- This card remains unsupported out-of-the-box by the ath10k_pci kernel
- module.  At this point, it looks like kvalo's ath10k-firmware repo just
- needs to be pulled in.
+ The firmware for this card isn't included with Ubuntu.  The firmware
+ provided in /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174 in Ubuntu 16.04 crashes when
+ used with this card.  This included firmware is likely for the QCA6174
+ instead of this card, the QCA6164.
+ 
+ Yes, you read that right: the files for the QCA6164 need to be a folder
+ called QCA6174 in order for the card to work.  Running "modprobe
+ ath10k_pci" shows that the ath10k_pci module looks for firmware in a
+ folder called QCA6174, but not in any folder called QCA6164.
+ 
+ It seems that before this issue can be resolved, the ath10k_pci module
+ must be changed so that it recognizes firmware for both the QCA6164 and
+ QCA6174, in separate folders.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  HOW TO GET THIS CARD TO WORK:
  
- As of February 26, 2016, this has become rather simple.
+ 1) Use a kernel that supports this card
  
- According to the Linux Wireless wiki, support was added in kernel 4.2
- Your kernel is probably fine, but if it's older than 4.2, see
+ According to WikiDevi, support for this card was added in kernel 4.3.
+ If you're running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or above, your kernel is fine; skip
+ to the next step.  If you're running Ubuntu 15.10 or below, see
  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds for info on installing a
- newer one.
+ newer kernel.  Alternatively, you can use backports.  This is a lot more
+ work, but if you really need to keep using an older kernel for some
+ reason, there are some guides to installing backports in the comments
+ below.
  
- 1) Get the latest firmware from https://github.com/kvalo/ath10k-
- firmware/archive/master.zip
+ 2) Get rid of the firmware folder for this card that's included with
+ Ubuntu:
  
- 2) Unzip this file, and copy the contents of ath10k-firmware-master to
- /lib/firmware/ath10k.
+     sudo rm -r /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/
  
- 3) Rename two of the firmware files like so:
-     cd /lib/firmware/QCA6174/hw2.1
+ 3) Download the latest firmware:
+ 
+     wget https://github.com/kvalo/ath10k-firmware/archive/master.zip
+ 
+ 4) Unzip the downloaded file.  Inside the ath10k-firmware-master folder
+ is a folder named QCA6174.  Copy the QCA6174 folder to
+ /lib/firmware/ath10k:
+ 
+     unzip master.zip
+     sudo cp -r ath10k-firmware-master/QCA6174/ /lib/firmware/ath10k/
+ 
+ 5) Rename two of the firmware files like so:
+ 
+     cd /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/hw2.1/
      sudo mv firmware-5.bin_SW_RM.1.1.1-00157-QCARMSWPZ-1 firmware-5.bin
-     cd /lib/firmware/QCA6174/hw3.0
+     cd /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/hw3.0/
      sudo mv firmware-4.bin_WLAN.RM.2.0-00180-QCARMSWPZ-1 firmware-4.bin
  
- 4) Reboot your computer.  Run "lshw -C network" to see if your card is
- recognized.
+ 6) Reboot your computer.  Run "lshw -C network" to see if your card is
+ recognized.  You can delete the files you downloaded earlier:
  
- If you created a "/lib/modprobe.d/ath10k.conf" file earlier to disable
- otp, you can remove it.  I did, and the card still works fine.
+     cd ~
+     rm master.zip
+     rm -r ath10k-firmware-master/
  
- Last updated Match 26, 2016
+ Verified to work on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (with kernel 4.4.0-21-generic)
+ 
+ Last updated April 22, 2016

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel
Packages, which is subscribed to linux-firmware in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1436940

Title:
  Qualcomm Atheros QCA6164 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [168c:0041]
  is not supported

Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in linux-firmware package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in linux source package in Vivid:
  Confirmed
Status in linux source package in Wily:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  The firmware for this card isn't included with Ubuntu.  The firmware
  provided in /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174 in Ubuntu 16.04 crashes when
  used with this card.  This included firmware is likely for the QCA6174
  instead of this card, the QCA6164.

  Yes, you read that right: the files for the QCA6164 need to be a
  folder called QCA6174 in order for the card to work.  Running
  "modprobe ath10k_pci" shows that the ath10k_pci module looks for
  firmware in a folder called QCA6174, but not in any folder called
  QCA6164.

  It seems that before this issue can be resolved, the ath10k_pci module
  must be changed so that it recognizes firmware for both the QCA6164
  and QCA6174, in separate folders.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  HOW TO GET THIS CARD TO WORK:

  1) Use a kernel that supports this card

  According to WikiDevi, support for this card was added in kernel 4.3.
  If you're running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or above, your kernel is fine; skip
  to the next step.  If you're running Ubuntu 15.10 or below, see
  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds for info on installing a
  newer kernel.  Alternatively, you can use backports.  This is a lot
  more work, but if you really need to keep using an older kernel for
  some reason, there are some guides to installing backports in the
  comments below.

  2) Get rid of the firmware folder for this card that's included with
  Ubuntu:

      sudo rm -r /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/

  3) Download the latest firmware:

      wget https://github.com/kvalo/ath10k-firmware/archive/master.zip

  4) Unzip the downloaded file.  Inside the ath10k-firmware-master
  folder is a folder named QCA6174.  Copy the QCA6174 folder to
  /lib/firmware/ath10k:

      unzip master.zip
      sudo cp -r ath10k-firmware-master/QCA6174/ /lib/firmware/ath10k/

  5) Rename two of the firmware files like so:

      cd /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/hw2.1/
      sudo mv firmware-5.bin_SW_RM.1.1.1-00157-QCARMSWPZ-1 firmware-5.bin
      cd /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCA6174/hw3.0/
      sudo mv firmware-4.bin_WLAN.RM.2.0-00180-QCARMSWPZ-1 firmware-4.bin

  6) Reboot your computer.  Run "lshw -C network" to see if your card is
  recognized.  You can delete the files you downloaded earlier:

      cd ~
      rm master.zip
      rm -r ath10k-firmware-master/

  Verified to work on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (with kernel 4.4.0-21-generic)

  Last updated April 22, 2016

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