Using PCI.e M.2 Connector Print

 

This application note explains how to configure and use the Intel 8265NGW PCIe WiFi/BT module with the i.MX 8M SOM to obtain network access to the Internet over WiFi. The Intel 8265NGW WiFi/BT module interfaces to the i.MX 8M through a PCIe bus available on the PCI.e M.2 connector of the IMX8M-SOM-BSB and provides high-end WiFi connectivity.

Step through the following procedure:

  1. Install an Intel 8265NGW PCIe card to the J10 M.2 connector of the IMX8M-SOM-BSB and connect compatible antennas to the antenna connectors on the PCIe card.
  2. Boot Linux to the shell interface and validate that the on-board WiFi chip has been detected and initialized by the Linux kernel successfully. You should see output similar to the snapshot shown below in the iwconfig print-out just after the system boot up:
    3. root@imx8m-som:~# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlp1s0    IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=0 dBm
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on

wlP1p1s0  IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=0 dBm
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on
  3. Run wpa_supplicant in order to scan the wireless network for WiFi access points available to the i.MX 8M:
    4. root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_supplicant -i wlP1p1s0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -B
Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli scan
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
OK
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli scan_results
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
bssid / frequency / signal level / flags / ssid
ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8 2422  -77 [WPA2-PSK-CCMP][WPS][ESS] My_access_point
  4. To connect to your access point, use the following commands (in the example below replace My_access_point and My_password with the parameters of your access point):
    5. root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli add_network
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
1
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli set_network 1 ssid '"My_access_point"'
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
OK
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli set_network 1 psk '"My_password"'
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
OK
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli enable_network 1
Selected interface 'wlP1p1s0'
[  231.741551] wlP1p1s0: authenticate with ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8
OK
[  231.815377] wlP1p1s0: send auth to ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8 (try 1/3)
[  231.822753] wlP1p1s0: authenticated
[  231.833499] wlP1p1s0: associate with ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8 (try 1/3)
[  231.849830] wlP1p1s0: associate with ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8 (try 2/3)
[  231.859419] wlP1p1s0: RX AssocResp from ec:43:f6:e1:4a:d8 
(capab=0x411 status=0 aid=2)
[  231.870567] wlP1p1s0: associated
root@imx8m-som:~# wpa_cli reassociate
  5. Obtain the IP, verify connection to the Internet:
    6. root@imx8m-som:~# udhcpc -i wlP1p1s0
udhcpc (v1.24.1) started
Sending discover...
Sending discover...
Sending discover...
Sending select for 192.168.1.48...
Lease of 192.168.1.48 obtained, lease time 25200
/etc/udhcpc.d/50default: Adding DNS 8.8.8.8
/etc/udhcpc.d/50default: Adding DNS 192.168.1.1
root@imx8m-som:~# ping -c 5 google.com
PING google.com (173.194.222.139) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from lo-in-f139.1e100.net (173.194.222.139): icmp_seq=1 ttl=47 
time=39.1 ms
64 bytes from lo-in-f139.1e100.net (173.194.222.139): icmp_seq=2 ttl=47 
time=50.6 ms
64 bytes from lo-in-f139.1e100.net (173.194.222.139): icmp_seq=3 ttl=47 
time=43.4 ms
64 bytes from lo-in-f139.1e100.net (173.194.222.139): icmp_seq=4 ttl=47 
time=48.7 ms
64 bytes from lo-in-f139.1e100.net (173.194.222.139): icmp_seq=5 ttl=47 
time=32.4 ms

--- google.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4004ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 32.489/42.909/50.649/6.591 ms