This series tries to implement AP mode for Realtek RTL8188EU chips.

This is not final. I still have issues connecting to the AP, searching for some
input on what may be the reason or how to further debug issues.

Patch 1 could be picked independently as it shouldn't change anything for the
non-AP mode.

---
Changes in v3:
- fix compile errors caused by testing on machine with older kernel
Changes in v2:
- add patch to move dynamic_tx_rpt_timing_counter from ra_info to priv
- convert ra_info to a dynamic array
- update max report mac id after station add/remove

---
Georg Müller (4):
  wifi: rtl8xxxu: move dynamic_tx_rpt_timing_counter from ra_info to
    priv
  wifi: rtl8xxxu: handle rate control for 8188e a per mac_id
  wifi: rtl8xxxu: update max report mac id on station add / remove for
    8188e chips
  wifi: rtl8xxxu: Enable AP mode for RTL8188EU

 drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/8188e.c | 22 +++++-----
 drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/core.c  | 41 ++++++++++++++++---
 .../net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/rtl8xxxu.h  |  5 ++-
 3 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

-- 
2.53.0

On 13/03/2026 15:53, Georg Müller wrote:
> This series tries to implement AP mode for Realtek RTL8188EU chips.
> 
> This is not final. I still have issues connecting to the AP, searching for some
> input on what may be the reason or how to further debug issues.
> 

What are the issues? Were they happening with your original patch
which only added supports_ap and max_macid_num?

Another thing still missing is the macid in the TX descriptor
(rtl8xxxu_fill_txdesc_v3).

> Patch 1 could be picked independently as it shouldn't change anything for the
> non-AP mode.
> 
> ---
> Changes in v3:
> - fix compile errors caused by testing on machine with older kernel
> Changes in v2:
> - add patch to move dynamic_tx_rpt_timing_counter from ra_info to priv
> - convert ra_info to a dynamic array
> - update max report mac id after station add/remove
> 
> ---
> Georg Müller (4):
>   wifi: rtl8xxxu: move dynamic_tx_rpt_timing_counter from ra_info to
>     priv
>   wifi: rtl8xxxu: handle rate control for 8188e a per mac_id
>   wifi: rtl8xxxu: update max report mac id on station add / remove for
>     8188e chips
>   wifi: rtl8xxxu: Enable AP mode for RTL8188EU
> 
>  drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/8188e.c | 22 +++++-----
>  drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/core.c  | 41 ++++++++++++++++---
>  .../net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/rtl8xxxu.h  |  5 ++-
>  3 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
> 

Just to give a litte update:

Am 14.03.26 um 00:14 schrieb Bitterblue Smith:
> What are the issues? Were they happening with your original patch
> which only added supports_ap and max_macid_num?
> 
> Another thing still missing is the macid in the TX descriptor
> (rtl8xxxu_fill_txdesc_v3).

I added setting the macid in rtl8xxxu_fill_txdesc_v3 and the other comments to the
patches.

There are still some issues:

In a test setup, I connected 5 different devices to a host running with a 8188eu wifi dongle
running in AP mode and a web server running on it.

All were able to fetch a web page served by the host.

Sometimes the connection was a bit stuck, but this recovered after some time.

In the logs of the server with the 8188eu dongle, I sometimes observed the following messages
in dmesg (with debug messages turned on):

   C2H TX report type 2
   rtl8188e_handle_ra_tx_report2: len: 24 items: 3
   rtl8188e_handle_ra_tx_report2: TX report item 0 not valid
   rtl8188e_handle_ra_tx_report2:  valid: 0 retry: 0 0 0 0 0 drop: 0
   rtl8188e_handle_ra_tx_report2:  valid: 0 retry: 0 0 0 0 0 drop: 0
   rtl8188e_handle_ra_tx_report2:  valid: 1 retry: 5 0 0 0 0 drop: 0

another thing which sometimes occurred:

   rtl8xxxu_read8(020a)   = 0x00, len 1   # <- repeated 50-70 times
   rtl8xxxu_send_beacon_frame: Failed to read beacon valid bit


What I observed on one of the clients was DUP ping responses. I will try to debug this with
a wifi capture device.

Best regards,
Georg