Utilities to assist rtl8xxxu development

Setup

Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

The scripts have been developed using Python 3.9.

Devices

• Controller:
  • Has a Wi-Fi device capable of monitoring the channel used by the AP
  • Runs the tools in this repo. Therefore, also builds Linux with its (mainlined) drivers rtl8xxxu and rtl8192cu, as well as 8192cu
  • Is part of two (Ethernet) networks:
    • Productive
    • Testing
• Device under Test (DUT):
  • Machine with a RTL8192CUS dongle attached
  • Connected to the productive network
• Access Point (AP):
  • Connected to the testing network

Configurations

• DUT: Controller must be able to log into as root user
• AP: Ideally configured to use a non-crowded channel

Drivers

rtl8xxxu

• Needs to be built as module and with support for untested chips (CONFIG_RTL8XXXU_UNTESTED=y)
• Patch to register dumping:
  • https://github.com/husqvarnagroup/linux/commit/64c722b8cd7d2cc16e587c0be997780a466def10

rtlwifi/rtl8192cu

• Needs to be built as module
• Patches for register dumping:
  • https://github.com/husqvarnagroup/linux/commit/b4a9229537aeae83d8e26dca3a9318783a9edb5c
  • https://github.com/husqvarnagroup/linux/commit/887652ea97026e1fb1cefc1b666648ba284aebf0
  • https://github.com/husqvarnagroup/linux/commit/ba3a6055dab637dbff60d73663349a11c8035c22

8192cu

• Vendor driver patched to allo register dumping and work with Linux 5.10, cfg80211:
• https://github.com/husqvarnagroup/rtl8xxxu-8192cu-for-rtl8188cus

Benchmark

Example usage:

./rtl8xxxu_benchmark.py --log-level INFO \
 --dut machine-with-rtl8188cus-dongle \
 --driver rtl8192cu \
 --direction tx \
 --mon-interface wifi-inteface-in-monitoring-mode \
 --network-ssid rtl8xxxu-testwifi \
 --network-psk=very-secure \
 --linux-build-directory "$HOME/code/3rd-party/build-linux-amd64-5.10"

Please note:

• The Linux build directory must be configured and its kernel running on the DUT ahead of the testrun

Diff Register Dumps

./rtl8xxxu_register_dump_diff.py $HOME/code/3rd-party/linux/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/rtl8xxxu_regs.h latest/*.reg_dump

Analyze PCAP

./rtl8xxxu_analyze.py --ap 00:a0:c5:d0:30:22 --sta 74:da:38:0e:49:7d latest/*pcap

Abbreviations

The code base uses abbreviations extensively, many of which are never fully spelled out. This section attempts to document them. Please take this with a grain of salt, most of this is just googled!

• ADDA: Analog Digital Digital Analog
• IQ: The term "I/Q" is an abbreviation for "in-phase" and "quadrature."
• PI mode: ?
• SI mode: ?