TI Home > Software Product Overview > WiLink™ 8 R8.8

WiLink8 ™  R8.8

Release date: 10/9/2020


Table of Contents

Introduction

This is the R8.8 software version of WiLink™ 8 chip family.

WiLink™ 8 NLCP driver is based on open source Linux components and is covered with extensive validation and Wi-Fi® pre-certification.

Documentation

What’s New

R8.8 release updates the hostap and linux kernel version to V2.9 and V4.19, respectively.

A full change log list can be found in the change log page

Key Features

  • Linux open-source Wi-Fi package.
  • TI NLCP releases are Wi-Fi Alliance pre-certified.
  • IEEE: 802.11 a,b,g,n, 2X2 MIMO @ 2.4GHz and antenna diversity @ 5GHz
  • Supported Modes: STA, AP, P2P, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Mesh
  • Up to 100Mbps UDP throughput
  • Security: WPA3, WMM-PS, WMM-AC, WPA/2PSK, Ent,WPS,WPSv2
  • Low power support: Station WoW & Suspend/Resume , AP ELP (800uA idle connect)
  • Co-existence with other 2.4GHz protocol: BT/BLE and TI ZigBee at 2.4GHz
  • AP DFS, radar detection at 5GHz
  • Multi Role Multi Channel: concurrent operation of 2 WLAN roles on a single device.
  • Wi-Fi over mesh support: open 802.11s

    • Upgrade/Compatibility Information

    To upgrade to R8.8, please follow our Getting Started Guide.

    Host Support

    The WiLink™ 8 software is developed and built using Ubuntu. More details can be found in our Getting Started Guide.

    Device Support

    The WiLink™ 8 software is tested using the following development platforms:

  • AM335x-EVM with Single Band (2.4GHz) or Dual Band (2.4GHz + 5GHz) WiLink™ 8 COM Eval Board
  • AM335x-BeagleBone Black with third party wireless cape


    The software supports all WiLink™ 8 device family: WL1801MOD, WL1805MOD, WL1807MOD, WL1831MOD, WL1835MOD, WL1837MOD

    Additionally, the software can be integrated in a big variety of Sitara TI processors and non TI hosts.

    Validation Information

    Component Version
    Reference Host Platform TI AM335x EVM / BeagleBone Black
    Linux Kernel 4.19.38
    WPA Supplicant / hostapd v2.9-R8.8
    WL18xx MAC firmware version 8.9.0.0.85
    WL18xx PHY firmware version 8.2.0.0.245
    WL18xx Driver version R8.8

    This release have passed Wi-Fi® pre-certification.

    For full test results, please contact your TI representative.

    Errata

    Hardware/System Limitations

    Role 2.4GHz 5GHz

    Station
    • 20 MHz SISO
    • 40 MHz SISO
    • 20 MHz MIMO
    • 20 MHz SISO
    • 40 MHz SISO
    • AP
    • P2P
    • Mesh
    • 20 MHz SISO
    • 20 MHz SISO
    • 20 MHz SISO
    • 40 MHz SISO

    Software Limitations

    • AP/P2P/Mesh SISO40 in 2.4GHz is not supported, due to missing components in the implementation required to meet specification requirements.
    • Multi Role concurrent operation supported modes:
      • Station + AP / P2P GO / P2P Client / Mesh
      • AP + AP (See MBSSID feature limitations above)
      • AP + P2P GO (Single Channel) / P2P Client (Multi Channel)
    • Wake on Wlan feature might required custom patches, and ECO on some platforms.

    Known Issues

    Bug ID Description
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-655] Mesh on demand: Mesh and STA connection and ping pass although the RSSI above the threshold for AP connection.
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-555] Co-Ex: Bluetopia: Any Role: 5G: Lower WLAN throughput while using Bluetopia profile such as FTP and A2DP.
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-66] mesh:iw: some parameters displayed using ‘station dump’ are not updated
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-98] Multi-Role: Connection to APUT during traffic in secured SUT network takes longer than expected (seconds)
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-580] Firmware recovery might occur after long time (>12 Hours) while WLAN running UDP/TCP traffic
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-581] Robustness : Firmware recovery might occur while running extensive connection tests and traffic
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-451] Stability: Co-Ex MR: STA-AP-BT: STA -TCP Rx, AP-TCP Tx, WPA2; BT-eSCO , BT HF might stop after long hours, while WLAN traffic continue
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-222] MR mBSSID: Remote Stations might disconnect, from time-to-time (>10 hours), during TCP Rx
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-533] STA: TCP Bidir: Throughput delta between RX and TX might vary in different modes
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-373] SUT might disconnect while running traffic during intensive BT inquiry with 10 seconds interval
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-240] AP IOP: extSTA disconnects after an inactivity timeout, when any activity is initiated from the STA, while is connected idle
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-227] MR AP+P2P: Variable P2P connection success rate during APUT’s high consistent traffic
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-349] Robustness SG: BT Discovery failed during WLAN consistent high TP traffic
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-332] Stability Multi-role: SUT disconnecting from AP while TCP traffic between SUT to AP and between external STA to APUT
    [WILINK8_SW_DEV-357] SUT Connection: Connection with saved profile (only one profile) WPA2, hidden SSID can take about 10 seconds

    Technical Support and Product Updates

    • General product information and documentation can be found in our home page at www.ti.com/wilink
    • For technical support and frequently asked questions please visit the WiLink™ 8 E2E Forum .
    • You can also email us directly at .

    For future product updates please use the “Alert Me” button on our product page.

    Previous version release notes can be found in here