09-22-2022, 05:43 AM
(09-20-2022, 01:33 AM)mikeb Wrote:(08-24-2022, 02:06 AM)linmob Wrote: The state of fully free WiFi chips that can be connected in embedded devices (meaning not via PCIe or USB, but via technologies like SDIO) is sadly very disheartening - afaik there is actually no option (which is why PINE64 started that Nutcracker challenge).
Regarding the lack of SDIO freedom-respecting adapters: do you think it may be possible to use a USB one (i.e. ath9k_htc) via some USB-to-SDIO converter?
While I was surprised to find out that such converters exist: It just make the hardware design a lot more complicated (more chips, more space) and thus expensive, and you would invest in chips that are over ten years old and (I did not manage confirm this by wild duckduckgoing) likely End-Of-Life, and thus in short or at least uncertain supply. The idea of the Nutcracker challenge to get newer, fully libre chips is a more promising route to take.