Ralink and OpenWRT

OpenWRT and Ralink

Wouldn't it be nice to add 802.11abgn to an OpenWRT device? Well good luck with Intel, Realtek, Athros, etc.

Ralink seems to have the best support. That is if you can actually find a product with the below chipsets.

Summary of Ralink RT3572, RT5572, and RT5592 Chipsets:

1. RT3572 Chipset

• Family: Part of the RT2800 series (covered by kmod-rt2800-usb driver).
• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Use Case: Commonly used in USB Wi-Fi adapters that require dual-band support. It is known for its reliable performance across both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

2. RT5572 Chipset

• Family: Also part of the RT2800 series (supported by kmod-rt2800-usb).
• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Use Case: Used in USB Wi-Fi adapters and routers. It offers better performance and range compared to the RT3572, and is favored for more demanding applications requiring robust dual-band support.

3. RT5592 Chipset

• Family: Again, part of the RT2800 series.
• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Use Case: Found in higher-end Wi-Fi adapters and embedded Wi-Fi solutions in routers. It supports advanced features and higher data rates, making it suitable for high-performance networking applications.

Why "5000" Series Chipsets Are in the "2800" Series Family:

The reason why these "5000" series chipsets (like RT3572, RT5572, and RT5592) are grouped under the RT2800 series driver in Linux, including OpenWRT, lies in the architecture and design philosophy of Ralink’s chipset development.

• Unified Driver Architecture: Ralink (now MediaTek) designed their wireless chipsets in a way that allowed a single driver to support multiple generations of hardware. The rt2800 driver series was created to support a wide range of chipsets with similar core functionalities, even if the model numbers differ significantly.
• Backward Compatibility: The "5000" series chipsets, despite being newer and more advanced than the original 2800 series, were built on the same fundamental architecture. This allowed them to be integrated into the same driver family, simplifying support and ensuring backward compatibility.
• Linux and OpenWRT Support: The Linux community, including OpenWRT developers, grouped these chipsets under the rt2800 driver to maintain a unified approach to supporting Ralink’s wide range of Wi-Fi hardware. This means that even though the chipsets might belong to the "5000" series, their underlying technology is compatible with the RT2800 driver series, hence they are supported by the same kmod-rt2800-usb driver.

Sources:

• General overview of Ralink chipsets: https://wikidevi.wi-cat.ru/Ralink_RT3572
• Ralink support in Linux: https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/rt2800usb
• OpenWRT driver support: https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/basic_wifi

This approach allowed Ralink to streamline development and support across various chipsets while providing robust and reliable drivers across multiple platforms.

Other Chipsets

1. RT3070

• Bands Supported: Single-band (2.4 GHz), but can be configured for dual-band.
• Wireless Standards: 802.11b/g/n (limited dual-band support for 802.11a).
• Notes: Similar to the RT2870, the RT3070 is typically single-band but can be extended for dual-band use in specific configurations.

2. RT3573

• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Notes: The RT3573 is an evolution of the RT3572 and offers better performance and enhanced features for dual-band operations. It is fully supported by the RT2800 series drivers.

3. RT3883

• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Notes: This chipset is often found in high-end routers and provides robust dual-band support with improved data rates and range.

4. RT3592

• Bands Supported: Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).
• Wireless Standards: 802.11a/b/g/n.
• Notes: The RT3592 is similar to the RT3572 but with enhancements in signal processing and performance. It is widely used in PCIe cards and embedded applications.

Summary:

The RT2800 driver family in Linux/OpenWRT covers a range of Ralink chipsets, particularly those in the "5000" series, along with some older and specialized chipsets. These chipsets support dual-band operations (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and a variety of Wi-Fi standards, including 802.11a/b/g/n, making them versatile for various networking applications.