[neilv]

Is this "hardware NAT" something that's closed in the hardware/firmware, or is it specialized hardware that is programmable with open source to implement NAT in some kind of accelerated way?

(I don't care as much as the FSF does, about where closed behavior is represented -- downloadable blob from host, on-device storage, or burnt into hardware. What's more important to me is getting more of the behavior represented in open source/hardware.)

(BTW, I love the Linux ath9k work. Besides various routers and PCIe WiFi cards, I have a stockpile of Corebooted ThinkPads in which I've replaced the mini-PCIe cards despite the original whitelisting.)

[nominated1]

I’m not an expert but as I understand it, many chips have hardware offloading (what I referred to as Hardware NAT). However, it’s bundled into a closed blob. Meaning it may only work with the kernel it was developed against and that it can’t be modified.

However, the mt7621 has the smallest closed blob and exposes enough for open development of hardware offloading. It’s this same access that allowed for the great ath9k and is what is allowing for a great mt7621.

[mangix]

You're confusing the wireless interface with the Ethernet one. The Ethernet driver that implements hardware offloading uses no firmware.