I'm looking for recommendations for a Wi‑Fi 6E card that respects privacy and doesn't depend on proprietary software. Ideally, I'd like hardware with fully open drivers or firmware. Are there any realistic options, or should I expect some proprietary components with every wireless card?
2 Answers
As far as I know, there aren’t mainstream Wi‑Fi 6E cards that are entirely free of proprietary drivers or firmware. It would be worth deciding whether your priority is open-source driver support, avoiding vendor management software, or preventing tracking, since those are separate concerns.
It depends on what you mean by “private.” Every Wi‑Fi adapter needs software support for its chipset, and most wireless chips rely on at least some proprietary firmware or driver components. You may be able to find cards with good support in open-source operating systems, but completely proprietary-free Wi‑Fi 6E hardware is difficult to find.
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