Atheros chip for FreeBSD Access Point

[Adrian Chadd]

On 16 December 2012 06:38,  <rank1seeker at gmail.com> wrote:
> I need a card(PCI/PCIe) with Atheros bassed chip, for hostAP with 5Ghz + n support

Hi!

> After searching '/sys/dev/ath' for 'hostap' on '9.0-RELEASE-p5', 'AR5416' came out as a lattest chip, which supports it + N ready + supports 5ghz + supports hardware encription
> Exactlly ALL requierements which I target for!

Yup!

> However looking at:
>     http://wiki.freebsd.org/dev/ath_hal%284%29/HardwareSupport
> Scetion:    'Known chipset issues/limitations/bugs'
> --------
> AR5416 (Mine choice) / AR5418
>
>     interrupt read-and-clear bug

Every chip up until the AR938x has this bug. It's ok, I've worked around it.

>     PHY register read corruption bug

I need to finish this WAR, but it's not a problem.

>     8K max aggregate size if RTS protected, otherwise 64K max size

This results in reduced throughput in 802.11n modes. It's fine, you
can still get > 150mbit TCP out of it in quiet conditions; it just
means in noisier conditions the smaller RTS size means you end up with
lower performance.

>     radar detection limited to primary channel only

We don't do radar detection yet, so no worries.

>     can't do 4-addr frames with aggregation; thus it can't participate in WDS without local (Atheros) extensions

I haven't made WDS + 11n work right.

>     block-ack issues with multi-ssid mode (?); thus aggregation is only supported on the first (lowest?) mac address. Or, just don't create more than one virtual 11n-enabled interface.

Yup, only one VAP supported for 11n + aggregation.

> --------
> I can't decrypt those sentences, so ...
> Should I be worried about them, as AP must give best speed and reliability.

Then you shouldn't go with the AR5416.
>
>
> Then again, looking at lattes 'AR9287' chip - my WOULD_LIKE choice

The AR9287 has almost all of the above bugs fixed. But it's only 2GHz.
> --------
> AR9227/AR9287
>
>     interrupt read-and-clear bug
> --------
>
> But it doesn't seem to support hostAP mode!

It does!

> If it does, then correct me!
> Rememeber, I was searching '9.0-RELEASE-p5' code tree!
>
>
> Looks like my best bet is:
> AR5416 (with radio AR5133), but latest is AR9287

Yes, but if you need 2/5GHz support, I suggest grabbing an
AR9220/AR9280 and using that.

> Additionally 'AR5416' supports hardware encription, does 'AR9287' too?

Yup, all the Atheros chips support hardware encryption. Everything
AR5212 and later supports all of the encryption types.



Adrian