=== Intel Wireless driver support

Links: +
link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/WiFi/Iwlwifi[iwlwifi status FreeBSD wiki page] URL: link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/WiFi/Iwlwifi[https://wiki.freebsd.org/WiFi/Iwlwifi]

Contact: Bjoern A. Zeeb <bz@FreeBSD.ORG>

The Intel Wireless driver update project aims to bring support for newer chipsets along with mac80211 LinuxKPI compat code.
The dual-licensed Intel driver code was ported in the past for the iwm(4) native driver; using the LinuxKPI compat framework allows us to use the driver directly, with only very minor modifications that we hope will be incorporated into the original driver.

During December the driver, firmware, and all remaining LinuxKPI compatibility code were committed to FreeBSD main (HEAD) and merged to the stable/13 branch.
Further fixes, updates, and improvements will go directly into FreeBSD, meaning the need to apply snapshots is gone and changes can be distributed more timely.

During the last months we tried to ensure that the latest AX210 chipsets are supported.
The compat code was restructured both to be able to better trace and debug the mac80211 compatibility layer, but also to keep the net80211 and mac80211 state machines for stations better in sync.

While we keep updating the driver and all the compat code needed for that, the focus remains on stability and adding support for newer 802.11 standards.
The driver is still set to 11a/b/g-only and 11n will be next before we look at 11ac.

With the code in FreeBSD git we anticipate broader testing and with that also some fallout.
For the latest state of the development, please follow the referenced wiki page and the freebsd-wireless mailing list.

Sponsor: The FreeBSD Foundation