Re: [gentoo-user] Loading a Firmware Module By hand?

[Mick]

On Sunday, 17 December 2017 05:34:14 GMT Hunter Jozwiak wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have an ath10k_pci device that I'm trying to get hooked to the
> Internet, but I'm having some strange issues. It is trying to load the
> 2.1 firmware, but I don't think that is the proper firmware for the
> interface to have; I think it ought to be loading the 3.0 module, but
> am not quite sure on that either, or how I could go about injecting
> that into the modprobe;

Usually the kernel will probe the device and load the appropriate firmware the 
device needs.  The output of dmesg will show if loading the firmware was 
successful, or complain if different firmware was needed and not found in your 
"/lib/firmware/" or whatever you have set up in your kernel as the directory 
for firmware blobs.


> I wasn't able to pinpoint the firmware blob
> the ISO was using, so that wasn't much of a pointer in the right
> direction either. I see that the 3.0 blob does exist in
> /lib/firmware/ath10k/QCABLEFAGD/HW3.0, but there are many bin files,
> so choosing the right one is a bit tricky by the looks of things.
> Earlier today, I had read the Gentoo wiki on the topic, which
> suggested that I compile the blob into the kernel itself, but the link
> they gave only described the advantages and disadvantages of modular
> kernels and how to drop kmod if you're using a moduleless kernel. Does
> anybody have any insight on this matter?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Hunter

Have a look in:

# Generic Driver Options

and then:

CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y
CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="Put your firmware files in here, space separated"
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="/lib/firmware/"

I don't have your NIC to know the specifics, but the above ought to work.
-- 
Regards,
Mick