[SOLVED] iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

Hi, pfSense Gurus!

By dmesg | grep error I see errors linked to iwifw(4)

module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_bss_fw, 0xffffffff80739f60, 0) error 1
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_ibss_fw, 0xffffffff8073a010, 0) error 1
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_monitor_fw, 0xffffffff8073a0c0, 0) error 1
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (iwi_bss_fw, 0xffffffff80761950, 0) error 1
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (iwi_ibss_fw, 0xffffffff80761a00, 0) error 1
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (iwi_monitor_fw, 0xffffffff80761ab0, 0) error 1

According to official FreeBSD mans:
iwifw -- Firmware Module for Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG/2225BG/2915ABG driver

But on this server I not using any wireless card, nor now not before.

The error messages still exist even I write in /boot/loader.conf, /boot/loader.conf.local

iwi_bss_load="NO"
iwi_ibss_load="NO"
iwi_monitor_load="NO"

and in System -> Advanced -> System Tunables the same parameters and also license confirmation set to 0.

Yes, modules not loaded anymore, and this is good from memory using point of view (I able to see that by kldstat), but error still exist.

QUESTION

1. Is this iwifw(4) module needed on network server ? (If no, why not to disable it on install phase of pfSense?)
2. Which exactly process is source of this error messages in log ?

[stephenw10]

Those are not modules, they are in-kernel. You can't not load them like that.

Are you booting verbose to see those firmware errors?

What pfSense version?

Steve

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

@stephenw10 said in iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?:

Those are not modules, they are in-kernel.

Hm, looks like NetGear built this for their models with WiFi cards... ;)

You can't not load them like that.

But why they disappear in kldstat, after I place directives with “NO” in loader.conf and loader.conf.local ?

Are you booting verbose to see those firmware errors?

The only errors that I wrote before persist. In dmseg , I mean.

What pfSense version?

CE
2.6.0-Dev, latest updates

[stephenw10]

Those drivers have been included for many years.
I'm not seeing that in 2.6 snaps here though. What are you actually seeing from kldstat?

Nothing you're seeing there is actually a problem though. You can't load that firmware if you don't have one of the supported Intel wifi cards.

Steve

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

@stephenw10 said in iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?:

Nothing you're seeing there is actually a problem though.

You mean is safe to ignore messages like that ?

You can't load that firmware if you don't have one of the supported Intel wifi cards.

May be I not understand You correctly, but I able load module as well and it shows in kldstat.
So loading the driver is one thing.
Having it attach to a device is another.

[stephenw10]

Unless you've added custom loader lines I would not expect to see them loaded since those drivers are in-kernel:

[2.6.0-DEVELOPMENT][admin@26dev.stevew.lan]/root: kldstat
Id Refs Address                Size Name
 1    7 0xffffffff80200000  3aee768 kernel
 2    1 0xffffffff83f19000     1000 cpuctl.ko
 3    1 0xffffffff83f1a000     2698 intpm.ko
 4    1 0xffffffff83f1d000      b40 smbus.ko

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

@stephenw10 said in iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?:

What are you actually seeing from kldstat?

Id Refs Address                Size Name
 1   35 0xffffffff80200000  3aee768 kernel
 2    1 0xffffffff83cef000   39ac70 zfs.ko
 3    2 0xffffffff8408a000     9860 opensolaris.ko
 4    1 0xffffffff84322000     1000 cpuctl.ko
 5    1 0xffffffff84323000     2150 acpi_wmi.ko
 6    1 0xffffffff84326000     8d00 aesni.ko
 7    1 0xffffffff8432f000     37f8 cryptodev.ko
 8    1 0xffffffff84333000      bf8 coretemp.ko
 9    1 0xffffffff84334000    119e8 dummynet.ko

[stephenw10]

Ok, that looks as expected. It's not loading those as kernel modules.

You would normally only see the errors you listed when booting verbose. Otherwise they are hidden because they are not an important error.

Steve

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

@stephenw10 said in iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?:

Ok, that looks as expected. It's not loading those as kernel modules.

You would normally only see the errors you listed when booting verbose. Otherwise they are hidden because they are not an important error.

So, better to using

iwi_bss_load="NO"
iwi_ibss_load="NO"
iwi_monitor_load="NO"
in /boot/loader.config

and in System -> Advanced -> System Tunables the same parameters and also license confirmation set to 0.

to have modules not loaded anymore, and save some Mb of memory?

[stephenw10]

It's already not loading them. You can see they are not listed in your kldstat output.

Adding those lines to loader.conf won't change anything. They are loader variables you have to add them there, adding them as sysctls does nothing.

You are only seeing those lines at all because you're booting verbose.

Steve

[Sergei_Shablovsky]

@stephenw10 said in iwifw() module loading show ERROR in dmesg, if it needed on server ?:

It's already not loading them. You can see they are not listed in your kldstat output.

Adding those lines to loader.conf won't change anything. They are loader variables you have to add them there, adding them as sysctls does nothing.

You are only seeing those lines at all because you're booting verbose.

Thank You Steve (and all others here!) for patience and help with this case.
Have a nice day!