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WiFi Support

Added by Sean Pohl over 10 years ago

I was reviewing the Replicant Status page (http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/ReplicantStatus#Replicant-40) and it lists the different hardware components and their corresponding level of support across all the devices. It appears that every telephony & 3G Data connections are working for all devices.

My question is in connection with the WiFi features. I am looking at a WiFi only tablet and it looks like the current status for WiFi across all the devices, including the Galaxy Tab 2 that I thinking of buying, lists the WiFi status as "Not working without non-free firmwares" for Replicant 4.0.

Are those non-free firmwares included with Replicant 4.0 option today until there is fully open source code to replace it OR are they not included today and I will need to install them separately? If they need to be installed separately will I be able to install WiFi without the use of WiFi functionality? Would that be through sideloading?

Thanks!


Replies (7)

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Linus Drumbler over 10 years ago

These non-free firmwares are not included, because the Replicant project aims to create a system consisting entirely of free software. (Please do not use the term "open"; the ideology of "open-source" focuses merely on the responsibility of the developers, while "free software" is about protecting the fundamental freedoms of the user.) You will need to install them separately. However, the Replicant project is not allowed to instruct you how to install them, or they will lose endorsement by the FSF.

At present there are no plans to write new firmware, as Mr. Kocialkowski explained when I asked him this same question at http://redmine.replicant.us/boards/33/topics/1089.

I should add that I feel your pain. My carrier provides me with 200 MB of data per month for my Nexus S, and that's nowhere near enough for me.

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Paul Kocialkowski over 10 years ago

Your answer is very good Linus, thanks for providing community support :)

However, the Replicant project is not allowed to instruct you how to install them, or they will lose endorsement by the FSF.

We are not endorsed by the FSF btw. It's only a matter of being consistent with our guidelines: we don't want to promote the use of non-free software, so we don't provide instructions to install proprietary software.

Though, I understand and agree that it's considerably better to use Replicant with the wifi firmwares instead of CyanogenMod.

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Sean Pohl over 10 years ago

Thanks for the answers everybody. I sounds like Replicant is pretty close to CyanogenMod, minus the non-free software. It also sounds like CyanogenMod has more than just the WiFi code that is non-free. Are both those assumptions pretty close?

If I were to try Replicant and wanted to switch away, for any reason, is there a a safe way to do that on a tablet without WiFi connectivity? The reason for my question is that it seems like different ROMs have a different installation procedure. Some of them involved downloading applications to root the device in order to install a different recovery tool. In reading the Replicant installation instructions it looks like Replicant advises against gaining root on the Galaxay Note 2 hardware to install Replicant. I guess my fear is that I could give Replicant a try and then if it didn't work for my WiFi only tablet environment, then I may not have access to the communications to download the next steps to transition to something else.

Again I apologize if these are really basic questions. Just starting out.

Thanks. :)

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Linus Drumbler over 10 years ago

Yes, CyanogenMod includes a lot of proprietary stuff. For example, here's the list of proprietary software that's included in your device (if it's the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1): http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/GalaxyTab2101Firmwares, and here's the list for the CyanogenMod-supported Nexus 7: https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+/77f8e6b51a8f26ea9288a9186179511a92c07df0/proprietary-blobs.txt If you used CyanogenMod, they would include all of these files.

Installation of an operating system on the phone does not affect the modem, which controls network communications. It is the firmware files that will decide your ability to use the Wi-Fi. So, if you don't like Replicant, you could install the Wi-Fi firmware and then download CyanogenMod (though I'm not sure why you wouldn't just use your desktop or laptop computer, which you need to install Replicant). If you're saying what I think you're saying: you don't need to download the files from your device to install them. You can download them from your computer and copy them to the device from there.

Replicant does not support the Galaxy Note 2; only the earlier Galaxy Note, so I would assume you mean Galaxy Tab. The wiki only advises against root in the build instructions, and building and installation are different things. Installation is flashing Replicant to the device for the purpose of its use; building is compiling Replicant from source for the purpose of installation.

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Michael S about 10 years ago

I've posted a link to instructions based on my experience getting WiFi working (albeit with non-free firmeware regrettably) in another thread: http://redmine.replicant.us/boards/3/topics/15

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Hipocrates Hipo about 10 years ago

Thank you very much Michael!

And you know if you can use a micro usb adapter ethernet in Replicant 4.0?
I mean if supported or recognized only by connecting the adapter.
Thank you.

RE: WiFi Support - Added by Michael S about 10 years ago

You're welcome. Sorry but I don't know anything about using a micro usb ethernet adapter. Good luck finding the information you're looking for on that.

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