Emmanuel Grumbach <egrumbach@xxxxxxxxx> writes: > On Mon, Oct 18, 2021 at 1:58 PM Kalle Valo <kvalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> >> Emmanuel Grumbach <emmanuel.grumbach@xxxxxxxxx> writes: >> >> > CSME in two words >> > ----------------- >> > CSME stands for Converged Security and Management Engine. It is >> > a CPU on the chipset and runs a dedicated firmware. >> > AMT (Active Management Technology) is one of the applications >> > that run on that CPU. AMT allows to control the platform remotely. >> > Here is a partial list of the use cases: >> > * View the screen of the plaform, with keyboard and mouse (KVM) >> > * Attach a remote IDE device >> > * Have a serial console to the device >> > * Query the state of the platform >> > * Reset / shut down / boot the platform >> >> [...] >> >> > --- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/Kconfig >> > +++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/Kconfig >> > @@ -92,6 +92,23 @@ config IWLWIFI_BCAST_FILTERING >> > If unsure, don't enable this option, as some programs might >> > expect incoming broadcasts for their normal operations. >> > >> > +config IWLMEI >> > + tristate "Intel Management Engine communication over WLAN" >> > + depends on INTEL_MEI >> > + depends on PM >> > + depends on IWLMVM >> > + help >> > + Enables the iwlmei kernel module. This allows to communicate with >> > + the Intel Management Engine over Wifi. This is supported starting >> > + from Tiger Lake platforms and has been tested on 9260 devices only. >> > + Enabling this option on a platform that has a different device and >> > + has Wireless enabled on AMT can prevent WiFi from working correctly. >> >> I don't understand the last sentence, please elaborate. Are you saying >> that enabling CONFIG_IWLMEI will break wi-fi in some cases? > > Since we don't support all the devices (yet), and we haven't integrated it > with all our devices, then yes, it shouldn't be enabled unless you know > exactly what platform this kernel runs on. So if I'm understanding correctly, enabling CONFIG_IWLMEI will break existing iwlwifi setups? Or am I missing something? If that's the case when we have a major problem as that would be a regression. A kconfig option is not a free pass to do all sort of crazy stuff, and especially it cannot break already working hardware. That would be considered as a regression and we have a strong rule for regressions. > This is basically a warning for distros not to enable this kernel > option (just as many others that are specific to a certain use case). > The plan is to add support for more and more devices so that we will > be able to remove this comment and be confident that it can be enabled > on generic platforms as well. I barely missed the warning and I consider myself as an extra careful person, I can only imagine how many regular users will enable this option without thinking twice. And people can use allmodconfig etc as well. -- https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/linux-wireless/list/ https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/submittingpatches
