Set Up Wi-Fi Extension Board on DEVKIT 3

Bringing Up Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200/AX210 on byteDEVKIT-imx8mp with a Wi-Fi Extension Board

Introduction

In this guide, we walk you through the steps to enable and configure the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200/AX210 module on the byteDEVKIT-imx8mp platform using a Wi-Fi extension board. Whether you’re a developer or a hobbyist, this step-by-step tutorial will help you set up the necessary toolchain, kernel, and network configuration to get your Wi-Fi up and running.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

The Wi-Fi Extension board for the byteDEVKIT3
Wi-Fi firmware files (e.g., iwlwifi-*.ucode) installed in /lib/firmware/.
Network connectivity to verify your setup.

Toolchain Setup

Download and install the toolchain required for your platform:

# Download and install the toolchain
wget https://download.bytesatwork.io/transfer/bytesatwork/bytedevkit-imx8mp/5.0.3/poky-bytesatwork-glibc-x86_64-
bytesatwork-minimal-image-cortexa53-crypto-bytedevkit-imx8mp-toolchain-5.0.3.sh

# Source the toolchain environment
source /opt/poky-bytesatwork/5.0.3/environment-setup-cortexa53-crypto-poky-linux

Why this step?
This toolchain is tailored for the byteDEVKIT-imx8mp platform and sets up your cross-compilation environment.

Kernel Setup

Clone the kernel source branch that supports your device:

git clone -b baw-lf-6.1.55-2.2.1-imx8mp https://github.com/bytesatwork/linux-imx.git

Applying the Patch

Apply the patch to enable PCIe and Wi-Fi support in your device tree.

You can download the patch here .

git am -3 0001-arm64-dts-bytedevkit_imx8mp_defconfig-add-support-fo.patch

Note: This patch ensures that your kernel configuration and device tree support the necessary hardware interfaces.

Building and Installing the Kernel

Follow these steps to build and install your kernel:

1. Create the default configuration:

make bytedevkit_imx8mp_defconfig

2. Build the Linux kernel:

make -j `nproc` Image dtbs modules

3. Transfer the kernel and device tree to your target:

scp arch/arm64/boot/Image root@target-ip:/boot/
scp arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8mp-bytedevkit.dtb root@target ip:/boot

4. Install the kernel modules:

mkdir /tmp/bytedevkit-imx8mp
make INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/tmp/bytedevkit-imx8mp modules_install
# Then copy the content of /tmp/bytedevkit-imx8mp to the target’s root folder (/)

Why build from source?
Customizing your kernel ensures that all the necessary modules and configurations are enabled to support the Intel Wi-Fi module.

Loading Kernel Modules and Verifying Hardware

Load the iwlwifi module and verify that your system detects the Wi-Fi hardware:

modprobe iwlwifi

Then check that the module is loaded properly:

dmesg | grep iwlwifi
lspci | grep -i wireless

Tip: Use these commands to verify that your system’s PCIe and Wi-Fi subsystems are functioning as expected.

Network Configuration

Installing Required Packages

Update your package lists and install necessary network tools and firmware:

apt-get update
apt-get install linux-firmware-iwlwifi iw wpa-supplicant wpa-supplicant-passphrase

Bringing Up the Wireless Interface

Enable Interface

ip link set wlan0 up

Scan for available networks:

iw dev wlan0 scan

Connecting to a Wi-Fi Network

Connect using wpa_supplicant:

wpa_passphrase "SSID" "password" > /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
wpa_supplicant -Dnl80211 -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf &
dhcpcd wlan0
ping google.com

Explanation:
This sequence generates a configuration for your network, starts the Wi-Fi connection, obtains an IP address via DHCP, and verifies connectivity with an external host.

Configuring the iwlwifi Module

If you encounter a delay (approximately 60 seconds) during firmware loading, create the following configuration:

echo "options iwlwifi enable_ini=N" > /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf

Why this matters:
This configuration tweak helps to bypass the firmware initialization delay, leading to a faster network startup.

Debugging

If the Wi-Fi module fails to appear or work as expected, use these debugging steps:

Check PCIe and Wi-Fi logs:

dmesg | grep pcie
dmesg | grep iwlwifi
lsmod | grep iwlwifi

Verify firmware installation:

ls /lib/firmware/ | grep iwlwifi

Conclusion

By following this guide, you should have successfully enabled the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200/AX210 module on your byteDEVKIT-imx8mp system with a Wi-Fi extension board. Be sure to verify your PCIe and power configurations within the device tree and confirm that the kernel fully supports the required drivers. If you have any questions or problems please contact us through our support: support@bytesatwork.ch .