Looking for an "open" WiFi module

[SoftwareSamurai]

Does anyone know of a WiFi module with an "open" firmware? (Ideally a 5 GHz version, but 2.4 GHz would work too.)

I'm conducting research into new WiFi data protocols, and I need a WiFi module that will allow me to control the wireless parameters directly. (The standard stuff, such as channel and Tx power, but also more detailed things like the wireless protocol/speed and the actual data transmitted.)

I've tried using the ESP32, but Espressif has totally closed the radio hardware/firmware from the public, and their current implementation...doesn't work for me. I'm now considering putting together my own module, with a ARM Cortex-M4 as the uCPU and whatever WiFi module I can find. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[MichaelMeissner]

You might go over to Raspberry Pi/Linux, you might find more open source wifi implementations. Some use binary blobs that are similar to the ESP32 that doesn't give you much control, but I recall in the past there have been completely open source wifi setups (mostly routers that have been cracked).

 

[SoftwareSamurai]

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you know if those implementations involve individual WiFi chips that I may be able to source and connect to, say, an ARM Cortex-M4? (It would need to be via some fast method, since WiFi can burst data up to and beyond 54 mbps.)
I'm also looking to keep the physical package as small as possible, which is why I was initially drawn to the ESP32, which is just about the size my research requires.

 

[MichaelMeissner]

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you know if those implementations involve individual WiFi chips that I may be able to source and connect to, say, an ARM Cortex-M4? (It would need to be via some fast method, since WiFi can burst data up to and beyond 54 mbps.)
I'm also looking to keep the physical package as small as possible, which is why I was initially drawn to the ESP32, which is just about the size my research requires.

I have no idea. But you might start with a Raspberry Pi Zero W (W is for wireless) which includes a wifi (b/g/n) and bluetooth 4.1/BLE chip on the board, and it is fairly small (66.0mm x 30.5mm x 5.0mm / 2.6" x 1.2" x 0.2"). However, note how you do network programming on Linux systems is very different from the way to do it in embedded devices like the Teensy or ESP32. There you would need to write a kernel driver instead of running a single sketch. While the Pi Zero W is fairly cheap ($10) you do need more than just a board to get started.