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Build Method 2: Cross-Compilation from Source

On non-x86 platforms, building the driver natively may not be practical due to limited resources, missing development tools, or the use of a vendor-customized kernel that requires cross-compilation. In these cases, cross-compiling from an x86 host is the recommended approach.

Step 1: Kernel Preparation

Before building out-of-tree modules, the target platform's kernel source must be configured and minimally prepared on the host. This generates the headers, build scripts, and Module.symvers required for external module compilation. Contact the SoC/platform vendor to understand the necessary steps for kernel preparation.

The following are example commands for NVIDIA Jetson platforms — Orin/Thor platforms:

make ARCH=<arch> CROSS_COMPILE=<path to toolchain prefix> tegra_defconfig
make ARCH=<arch> CROSS_COMPILE=<path to toolchain prefix> modules_prepare

Full Kernel Build May Be Required

Platforms (such as NVIDIA Jetson) require a full kernel build (make instead of modules_prepare) to generate Module.symvers, which is needed for proper module symbol resolution. If "no symbol version" warnings or unresolved symbols occur, a full kernel build is required before proceeding.

Step 2: Building the Backport Driver

git clone https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/iwlwifi/backport-iwlwifi.git
cd backport-iwlwifi
make ARCH=<arch> KLIB_BUILD=<path to the kernel source> defconfig-iwlwifi-public
make ARCH=<arch> KLIB_BUILD=<path to the kernel source> CROSS_COMPILE=<path to toolchain> -j$(nproc)

Where:

  • <arch> — the symbol for the target processor. For example: arm64.
  • <path to the kernel source> — path to Linux kernel source.
  • <path to toolchain> — path and cross compile prefix in toolchain.

Selecting a Release

By default, the git command clones the latest development branch. To use a specific release, check out the desired branch or tag after cloning: git checkout <branch or tag> (e.g., git checkout release/core103).

Step 3: Deploying Modules to the Target

Locate and copy all Intel® Wi-Fi kernel modules to the target root file system. Use the following commands:

find . -name "*.ko" | xargs cp -t <target kernel module path>
depmod -a -b <target rootfs path> <version>

Where:

  • <target kernel module path> — kernel module folder for generated rootfs.
  • <version> — kernel version string for target platform.
  • <target rootfs path> — path to the target root file system.

Firmware

For firmware installation, refer to the Firmware Installation page.