Better WiFi/BT module?

[Jean-Marc LACROIX]

Would it be possible for a 3rd party to create a better module?

I believe with the SDIO interface, it should be possible to implement a Broadcom BCM4356 (which supports SDIO v3.0 for WiFi and GPIO for BT4.0), and achieve WiFi speeds up to 867Mbps (not to mention this chip has a built-in FM receiver, which could also be used).

Also I understand that this would raise prices for such a wireless module, but for many, it would be a better choice (especially as there's no PCIe or USB3.0 port onboard). I just feel like 150Mbps is quite limited for such a versatile device.

Hello,

On my pinebook, i update the kernel with recent Debian bullseye

Code:

Linux pinebook-290 5.10.0-5-arm64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.24-1 (2021-03-19) aarch64 GNU/Linux

and also with recent Debian firmware-realtek package...

Code:

ansible@pinebook-290:~$ dpkg -l |grep firmware
ii  alsa-firmware-loaders                1.1.7-1                            arm64        ALSA software loaders for specific hardware
ii  firmware-linux-free                  3.4                                all          Binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel
ii  firmware-realtek                      20210208-4                          all          Binary firmware for Realtek wired/wifi/BT adapters
ansible@pinebook-290:~$

After inserted r8723bs kernel module, i have in console ....

Code:

[  150.053978] r8723bs: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[  150.082005] RTL8723BS: module init start
[  150.085973] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs v4.3.5.5_12290.20140916_BTCOEX20140507-4E40
[  150.093045] RTL8723BS: rtl8723bs BT-Coex version = BTCOEX20140507-4E40
[  150.103510] RTL8723BS: module init ret =0
[  150.104008] systemd-udevd[357]: rtl8723bs: Device (SEQNUM=2815, ACTION=add) is queued
[  150.107685] systemd-udevd[357]: Validate module index
[  150.107770] systemd-udevd[357]: Check if link configuration needs reloading.
[  150.112206] systemd-udevd[357]: Successfully forked off 'n/a' as PID 4072.
[  150.112481] systemd-udevd[357]: rtl8723bs: Worker [4072] is forked for processing SEQNUM=2815.
[  150.113173] systemd-udevd[357]: r8723bs: Device (SEQNUM=2816, ACTION=add) is queued
[  150.113523] systemd-udevd[4072]: rtl8723bs: Processing device (SEQNUM=2815, ACTION=add)
[  150.114573] systemd-udevd[357]: Successfully forked off 'n/a' as PID 4073.
[  150.114927] systemd-udevd[357]: r8723bs: Worker [4073] is forked for processing SEQNUM=2816.
[  150.116757] systemd-udevd[4073]: r8723bs: Processing device (SEQNUM=2816, ACTION=add)

and no network device is created, so that no WLAN interface  (!)

Any idea ?

Thanks in advance