Linux 6.3 Adds ath12k Driver For Qualcomm WiFi 7 Hardware Support

As part of the Linux networking updates for the Linux 6.3 cycle in addition to the BIG TCP support for IPv4 that can yield higher throughput and lower latency, another networking change worth pointing out is the introduction of the "ath12k" driver for Qualcomm WiFi 7 hardware support.

The ath12k driver is completely new to Linux 6.3 and in development the past number of months. The ath12k driver is for handling Qualcomm WiFi 7 hardware, initially with the QCN9274 and WCN7850 PCI devices. The WCN7850 is also marketed as part of the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 series for WiFi 7 certified hardware and capable of delivering up to 5.8 Gbps speeds. This driver will continue picking up more Qualcomm WiFi 7 hardware support as new chipsets are released.

Ath12k originated as a fork of ath11k and is intended to be a clean starting point for their WiFi 7 generation of products. This Qualcomm ath12k work goes along with a lot of other networking infrastructure work that has been happening around enabling WiFi 7 support. With the WiFi 7 enablement in the kernel still ongoing, at the moment the ath12k driver operates in 802.11ax mode and prior while the WiFi 7 Extremely High Throughput (EHT) mode with 802.11be support is still ongoing.

So with this new Qualcomm Ath12k driver, IPv4 BIG TCP, and other new network hardware support, these changes are quite exciting with Linux 6.3.