[nycbug-talk] FreeBSD Approved for Redistribution of Intel WiFi Firmware

[Steven Kreuzer]

I saw this mentioned to the freebsd-current mailing list and Intel  
put out a press release about it.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/03/prweb509818.htm

"The inclusion of firmware for popular Intel wireless devices means  
that users of FreeBSD will have native wireless support for many  
Centrino-branded Intel PRO/Wireless devices without downloading  
additional software. This approval includes firmware for the Intel  
2100, 2200BG, 2225BG, 2915ABG, and the 3945ABG devices."

Now, after you install FreeBSD on a laptop with one of the chipsets  
listed above, you no longer have to plug it into a wired network,  
goto Intel's site, hunt down the firmware and click through the  
license to download it.

You simply set legal.intel_driver.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf  
after you agree to the Intel LICENSE file located in
/usr/share/doc/legal/intel_driver (driver will be either ipw or iwi)

While its still annoying, its not as annoying as it used to be. I  
suppose that is a somewhat fair compromise for now.

SK