Overo Wifi

Overo Air and Overo Fire COMs have a 802.11(g) wireless module "on board". This page gives some details about the hardware and software configuration for this Wifi module.

Hardware

This section gives some infos about various hardware related topics regarding Overo Wifi.

Module

Overo Wifi solution is based on an Wi2Wi chip based on Marvell's industry leading 88W8686 which brings 802.11(b/g) wifi.

MMC

Overo fire's WiFi port connected to MMC port 2 in 4 bit configuration.

Connector and Antenna

For 802.11b/g (Wifi) to work on an Overo Air COM or Overo Fire COM, a u.fl antenna must be connected to J2 on Overo Air or Fire COMs. The location of J2 is shown here.

Note: J3 is the antenna location when using BlueTooth. J3 also takes a u.fl antenna.

Note that two (2) u.fl antennae come with each Overo Fire COM and with each Overo Air COM.

Software

Official Overo pre-built Linux images or developer images contain already support for Overo Wifi. However, wifi configuration depending on your local wifi environment still has to be done.

Boot messages

At Overo boot, you should get something like

...
libertas_sdio: Libertas SDIO driver
libertas_sdio: Copyright Pierre Ossman
libertas_sdio mmc1:0001:1: firmware: requesting sd8686_helper.bin
libertas_sdio mmc1:0001:1: firmware: requesting sd8686.bin
libertas: 00:19:88:05:b5:31, fw 9.70.3p24, cap 0x00000303
libertas: PREP_CMD: command 0x00a3 failed: 2
libertas: PREP_CMD: command 0x00a3 failed: 2
libertas: eth0: Marvell WLAN 802.11 adapter 
...

Note: The two “command 0×00a3 failed” messages are harmless, and have to do with features that are not supported.

Test

For test of basic functionality, do the following at command line (after log in as root / no password):

root@overo:~# iwconfig wlan0 essid any
root@overo:~# ifconfig wlan0 up
root@overo:~# iwlist wlan0 scan

what should list the wifi's visible, then.

Unencypted wifi

Some default builds do not enable any Wifi. You need to edit /etc/network/interfaces to include a section which looks like:

allow-hotplug wlan0                                                             
auto wlan0                                                                      
iface wlan0 inet dhcp                                                           
        pre-up /sbin/iwconfig wlan0 essid any                                   
        wireless_mode managed                                                   
        wireless_essid any

WEP encryption

• Edit /etc/network/interfaces to have only for wlan0 (don't touch the other entries):

iwconfig wlan0 essid "My Wireless Network"
iwconfig wlan0 key my-hex-key
ifdown wlan0
ifup wlan0

WPA encryption

• Edit /etc/network/interfaces to have only for wlan0 (don't touch the other entries):

allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
      pre-up wpa_supplicant -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -B
      down killall wpa_supplicant

• Create /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf containing:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ctrl_interface_group=0
eapol_version=1
ap_scan=1
fast_reauth=1

network={
      ssid="add-your-ascii-ssid"
      proto=WPA2
      key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
      pairwise=CCMP TKIP
      group=CCMP TKIP
      scan_ssid=1
      psk="add-your-ascii-passphrase"
      priority=10
} 

Links

• Wi2Wi W2CBW003 Wifi/Bluetooth module review