[GTALUG] WiFi modes and their driver support

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 06:24:00PM -0400, D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk wrote:
> As I remember it, a WiFi node can be in one of at least three modes:
> 
> - STA (station): an ordinary client
> 
> - AP (Access Point): a host
> 
> - Ad Hoc: for point-to-point between peers
> 
> There may well be newer modes for doing mesh networks
> 
> For ordinary PCs, there don't seem to be good WiFi cards that have Linux 
> drivers for AP mode.
> 
> I use a Linux PC for a router but I attach an AP box (like a wireless 
> router) to provide WiFi in my house.  (Those AP boxes are running Linux 
> but the have their own SoC with a WiFi interface, with drivers for AP 
> mode.)
> 
> It would be nice if I could just use an appropriate m.2 WiFi card instead.  
> My understanding is that there are no good cards with good AP drivers.  
> For example, the Intel AX210 is considered a good card with good drivers, 
> but not for AP.
> 
> Does anyone have a better solution?

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers

QCNCM865 for example is wifi7, uses ath12k driver and supports AP mode
it seems.  And is m.2 E keyed.  

No idea how good the driver is yet, but at least it seems there are some
qualcomm and mediatek options that should support AP mode.

-- 
Len Sorensen