This note summarizes the main settings and commands used during the setup.
Device names can differ between machines, so always check the actual hardware first:
pciconf -lv
ifconfig
cat /dev/sndstat
ls /dev/backlight/
sysctl -a | grep -i light
dmesg | tail
=============================================================================
1. Base system and package management
=============================================================================
Update third-party packages:
su -
pkg update
pkg upgrade
Remove unused dependencies:
pkg autoremove
Clean the downloaded package cache:
pkg clean
Security audit for installed packages:
pkg audit -F
Update the FreeBSD base system / kernel / userland:
su -
freebsd-update fetch
freebsd-update install
reboot
After reboot, check versions:
freebsd-version -kru
If freebsd-update shows a long file list and a ":" prompt at the bottom, press:
q
Then continue with:
freebsd-update install
Note:
The pkg tool manages third-party software only. The FreeBSD base system and kernel are updated with freebsd-update.
=============================================================================
2. Xorg, XFCE, and keyboard layout
=============================================================================
Start XFCE through startx:
startx
User ~/.xinitrc example:
setxkbmap hu
exec startxfce4
Edit it as the regular user:
ee ~/.xinitrc
Temporary keyboard layout change under X:
setxkbmap hu
Optional system-wide X keyboard configuration:
su -
mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/00-keyboard.conf
File content:
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "Keyboard Defaults"
MatchIsKeyboard "on"
Option "XkbLayout" "hu"
EndSection
The command below only disables the X11 bell/beep and is optional:
xset b off
=============================================================================
3. Graphics / DRM kernel modules
=============================================================================
Identify the GPU:
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 -A5 -Ei "display|vga|3d|amd|radeon|nvidia|intel"
Add the user to the video group:
su -
pw groupmod video -m <username>
Then log out and back in, or reboot.
Check group membership:
id
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/A. Intel graphics on MacBook Air
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install drm-kmod
Load the module:
kldload i915kms
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=i915kms
Check:
kldstat | grep i915
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/B. AMD Radeon Baffin / Polaris11 graphics on desktop Mac
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observed GPU family:
Baffin [Radeon RX 460/560 / Pro 450/455/460/555/555X/560/560X]
This needs amdgpu, not radeonkms.
Install:
su -
pkg install drm-kmod xf86-video-amdgpu
pkg install gpu-firmware-amd-kmod-polaris11
Load the module:
kldload amdgpu
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=amdgpu
Check:
kldstat | grep -E "amdgpu|drm"
ls /dev/dri
Expected devices:
/dev/dri/card0
/dev/dri/renderD128
If Xorg still fails with an scfb/framebuffer error, create a manual BusID configuration:
su -
mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-amdgpu.conf
File content:
Section "Device"
Identifier "AMD Radeon"
Driver "amdgpu"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
=============================================================================
4. Display brightness
=============================================================================
Check available backlight devices:
ls /dev/backlight/
Typical devices:
/dev/backlight/backlight0
/dev/backlight/intel_backlight0
Show current brightness:
backlight
Set brightness:
su -
backlight 50
backlight incr 10
backlight decr 10
If multiple devices exist:
backlight -f /dev/backlight/intel_backlight0 50
backlight -f /dev/backlight/backlight0 50
Examples for XFCE keyboard shortcuts:
sudo /usr/sbin/backlight incr 10
sudo /usr/sbin/backlight decr 10
To run these as a regular user without a password, allow the required command through sudoers.
=============================================================================
5. Keyboard backlight / Apple SMC
=============================================================================
Apple SMC module:
su -
kldload asmc
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=asmc
Check light-related sysctl variables:
sysctl -a | grep -i light
Important variable:
dev.asmc.0.light.control
Set keyboard backlight as root:
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=0
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=128
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=255
Note:
dev.asmc.0.light.left and dev.asmc.0.light.right may be read-only sensor values.
If they return a "read only" error, that is expected. The control variable is light.control.
Optional default value in /etc/sysctl.conf:
dev.asmc.0.light.control=128
Edit:
su -
ee /etc/sysctl.conf
=============================================================================
6. Passwordless sudo for selected commands
=============================================================================
Install sudo:
su -
pkg install sudo
Edit sudoers safely:
su -
visudo
Useful vi commands inside visudo:
G go to end of file
o open a new line below
Esc leave insert mode
:wq save and quit
:q! quit without saving
dd delete current line
u undo
Example: allow only the needed brightness commands, not full root access:
<username> ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/sbin/backlight, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=0, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=64, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=128, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=192, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=255
Do not use this unless you explicitly want full passwordless root access:
<username> ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
=============================================================================
7. Audio
=============================================================================
Check audio devices:
cat /dev/sndstat
mixer
On the tested MacBook Air 13-inch system:
pcm0: Intel Broadwell HDMI/DP audio
pcm1: Cirrus Logic CS4208 Analog
pcm2: Cirrus Logic CS4208 Analog Headphones
Set default output:
su -
sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=1 # internal analog
sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=2 # headphones
Mixer controls:
mixer -f /dev/mixer1
mixer -f /dev/mixer2
Internal speaker volume:
mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=80
mixer -f /dev/mixer1 pcm=80
Headphone volume:
mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=80
mixer -f /dev/mixer2 pcm=80
Incremental volume commands for XFCE shortcuts:
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=+5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=-5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol.mute=toggle
For headphones, use mixer2:
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=+5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=-5%
Cirrus Logic / MacBook speaker workaround:
If the headphone jack works but the internal speaker does not, this helped on the tested system:
su -
sysctl dev.hdaa.1.gpio_config=0=set
Noise test:
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/dsp1 bs=4096 count=50
If it works, add this to /etc/sysctl.conf:
dev.hdaa.1.gpio_config=0=set
hdac0 timeout messages likely came from Intel HDMI/DP audio, not from the Cirrus internal analog audio. If internal sound and headphones work, it may be only noisy logging.
=============================================================================
8. USB Wi-Fi adapter
=============================================================================
Known working adapter:
TP-Link TL-WN725N
Realtek RTL8188EU
FreeBSD driver: rtwn_usb / rtwn
Interface: rtwn0 -> wlan0
Typical /etc/rc.conf configuration:
wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"
Multiple Wi-Fi networks in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf:
su -
ee /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
Example:
network={
ssid="HomeWifi"
psk="password"
priority=10
}
network={
ssid="PhoneHotspot"
psk="password"
priority=5
}
Restart Wi-Fi:
su -
service netif restart wlan0
If it does not get an IP address:
dhclient wlan0
Speed test:
speedtest-cli --simple
Measured results in this setup:
TP-Link TL-WN725N: about 12 Mbit/s download, 4-5 Mbit/s upload
Android USB tethering: about 200 Mbit/s download, 35 Mbit/s upload
Thunderbolt/Ethernet: about 764 Mbit/s download, 41 Mbit/s upload
Before unplugging the USB Wi-Fi adapter, stop it first. Live removal caused a freeze/panic once:
su -
service netif stop wlan0
ifconfig wlan0 down
sync
Then unplug it.
After plugging it back in:
service netif restart wlan0
dhclient wlan0
=============================================================================
9. Android USB tethering
=============================================================================
Android USB tethering on FreeBSD:
1. Connect the phone with a USB cable.
2. Enable USB tethering / USB internet sharing on Android.
3. Load the RNDIS driver on FreeBSD:
su -
kldload if_urndis
4. Check the interface:
ifconfig
Usually it appears as:
ue0
5. Bring it up and request an IP address:
ifconfig ue0 up
dhclient ue0
6. Test:
ping -c 3 freebsd.org
speedtest-cli --simple
To load the driver automatically at boot, add this to /boot/loader.conf:
if_urndis_load="YES"
Edit:
su -
ee /boot/loader.conf
Note:
It is fine to load if_urndis permanently. It is a small driver and only creates an interface when an Android USB tethering device is attached.
=============================================================================
10. Wired Ethernet with Apple Thunderbolt adapter
=============================================================================
The tested adapter looked like an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
Expected FreeBSD interface:
bge0
Check:
dmesg | tail -50
ifconfig
Manual setup:
su -
ifconfig bge0 up
dhclient bge0
Test:
ping -c 3 freebsd.org
speedtest-cli
Persistent /etc/rc.conf setting:
sysrc ifconfig_bge0="DHCP"
If multiple network connections are active, check the default route:
netstat -rn | grep default
Stop Wi-Fi if wired Ethernet should be used:
service netif stop wlan0
Switch back to Wi-Fi:
service netif stop bge0
service netif start wlan0
=============================================================================
11. Multiple network interfaces in rc.conf
=============================================================================
It is possible to configure all three:
wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"
ifconfig_ue0="DHCP"
ifconfig_bge0="DHCP"
However, if several are active at once, the default route may not be the one you expect.
Practical use:
wlan0 = default everyday network
ue0 = Android USB tethering when fast mobile internet is needed
bge0 = wired Ethernet when a cable is available
=============================================================================
12. Suspend / lid close sleep
=============================================================================
Manual suspend test:
su -
acpiconf -s 3
If it works, enable sleep on lid close:
su -
ee /etc/sysctl.conf
Add:
hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
Apply immediately without reboot:
sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
Disable lid-close sleep:
sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=NONE
Note:
There was one kernel panic during the first suspend test. The log suggested a USB Wi-Fi / networking race around detach/resume. Later lid-close suspend/resume worked correctly.
=============================================================================
13. Battery / charger
=============================================================================
Battery information:
acpiconf -i 0
Relevant lines only:
acpiconf -i 0 | grep -E "State|Remaining capacity|Remaining time|Present rate"
AC adapter state:
acpiconf -a
or:
sysctl hw.acpi.acline
Meaning:
1 = on AC power
0 = on battery
Battery states:
charging charging
discharging discharging
high battery is OK / not low or critical; not necessarily an error
low low battery
critical critical battery
Observation:
At one point the MagSafe LED was orange, but FreeBSD showed "discharging". Powered off, the machine charged. In such cases, check acpiconf -a and hw.acpi.acline, and observe whether the percentage increases over 10-15 minutes.
=============================================================================
14. USB flash drive / external SSD / external HDD mounting
=============================================================================
Find the device:
dmesg | tail
ls /dev/da*
gpart show
Detect filesystem:
fstyp /dev/da1
fstyp /dev/da1s1
fstyp /dev/da1p1
It is fine if some commands fail. Use the device node that actually reports a filesystem.
MBR partitions:
/dev/da1s1
GPT partitions:
/dev/da1p1
No partition table / whole-disk filesystem:
/dev/da1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/A. FAT / FAT32
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If fstyp reports:
msdosfs
Mount:
su -
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
mount -t msdosfs /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
For easier regular-user access:
mount_msdosfs -u <username> -g <username> /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/B. exFAT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install fusefs-exfat
kldload fusefs
Mount:
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
mount.exfat /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
If it says "exFAT file system is not found", the device is probably not exFAT or the wrong device node was used. Check:
fstyp /dev/da1
fstyp /dev/da1s1
fstyp /dev/da1s2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/C. NTFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install fusefs-ntfs
kldload fusefs
Mount:
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
ntfs-3g /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
Read-only mount if Windows did not cleanly detach it:
ntfs-3g -o ro /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/D. UFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mount /dev/da1p1 /mnt/ssd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/E. ZFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
zpool import
If the pool is named backup:
zpool import backup
Detach/export:
zpool export backup
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/F. Unmounting
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sync
umount /mnt/usb
If it says "Device busy":
1. Close the Thunar/file-manager window that is showing /mnt/usb.
2. Make sure the terminal is not inside the mount point:
cd ~
3. Check what is using it:
fstat | grep /mnt/usb
4. Then retry:
umount /mnt/usb
=============================================================================
15. Thunar / graphical ZIP extraction
=============================================================================
If Thunar says:
Failed to extract files. No suitable archive manager found.
Then unzip is not the problem. A graphical archive manager is missing.
Install:
su -
pkg install thunar-archive-plugin xarchiver
Restart Thunar:
pkill thunar
thunar &
or log out and back in.
ZIP from terminal:
unzip file.zip
=============================================================================
16. Screenshots with a keyboard shortcut in XFCE
=============================================================================
Install:
su -
pkg install xfce4-screenshooter
XFCE path:
Settings -> Keyboard -> Application Shortcuts
Commands:
Full screen:
xfce4-screenshooter -f
Active window:
xfce4-screenshooter -w
Selected region:
xfce4-screenshooter -r
Suggested shortcuts:
Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -f
Alt + Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -w
Shift + Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -r
=============================================================================
17. Window switching in XFCE
=============================================================================
Default:
Alt + Tab
Useful panel items:
Window Buttons
Window Menu
Panel right click:
Panel -> Add New Items...
XFCE does not include a macOS-style Mission Control / Expose overview by default.
=============================================================================
18. Bluetooth / webcam / Spotify
=============================================================================
Bluetooth hardware was visible as:
ubt0: Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
However, Bluetooth headphones require more than pairing: A2DP audio support is also needed. This was not worth the effort for this setup; wired headphones were the practical solution.
Bluetooth command tried:
service bluetooth start ubt0
Observed error:
Unable to setup Bluetooth stack for device ubt0
The blued package was not available from pkg in this setup.
Webcam:
The FaceTime Camera was visible on USB, but FreeBSD support was not straightforward. It was not pursued.
Spotify:
The Spotify web player opened, but playback/audio was not reliable. It was abandoned.
Local audio players:
pkg install audacious
pkg install vlc
=============================================================================
19. Internet speed test
=============================================================================
Install:
su -
pkg install py311-speedtest-cli
Run:
speedtest-cli
speedtest-cli --simple
Example measurements:
TL-WN725N USB Wi-Fi: 12.18 Mbit/s down, 4.71 Mbit/s up
Android USB tethering: 200.14 Mbit/s down, 34.99 Mbit/s up
Thunderbolt Ethernet: 764.36 Mbit/s down, 41.05 Mbit/s up
=============================================================================
20. Useful diagnostic commands
=============================================================================
System / boot log:
dmesg | tail
dmesg | grep -i ac
dmesg | grep -i battery
dmesg | grep -i ubt
PCI devices:
pciconf -lv
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 -A5 -Ei "display|vga|network|wireless|broadcom|amd|radeon|intel"
USB devices:
usbconfig
usbconfig | grep -i bluetooth
usbconfig | grep -i -E "realtek|wireless|wifi|802.11"
Network:
ifconfig
netstat -rn | grep default
sysctl net.wlan.devices
Audio:
cat /dev/sndstat
mixer
mixer -f /dev/mixer1
mixer -f /dev/mixer2
Graphics:
kldstat | grep -E "i915|amdgpu|drm"
ls /dev/dri
Battery:
acpiconf -i 0
acpiconf -a
sysctl hw.acpi.acline
Display brightness:
backlight
ls /dev/backlight/
Keyboard backlight:
sysctl -a | grep -i light
=============================================================================
21. General notes
=============================================================================
FreeBSD desktop setup has improved a lot, but it is still more manual than a typical Linux desktop distribution.
Best practical compromise on the older MacBook Air:
- XFCE
- Intel DRM / i915kms
- USB Wi-Fi left plugged in
- Android USB tethering or Thunderbolt Ethernet for fast networking
- wired headphones
- working suspend on lid close
- manual but functional display brightness and keyboard backlight
Problematic or not worth pursuing:
- built-in Broadcom Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth headphones
- FaceTime webcam
- Spotify web playback on FreeBSD
Device names can differ between machines, so always check the actual hardware first:
pciconf -lv
ifconfig
cat /dev/sndstat
ls /dev/backlight/
sysctl -a | grep -i light
dmesg | tail
=============================================================================
1. Base system and package management
=============================================================================
Update third-party packages:
su -
pkg update
pkg upgrade
Remove unused dependencies:
pkg autoremove
Clean the downloaded package cache:
pkg clean
Security audit for installed packages:
pkg audit -F
Update the FreeBSD base system / kernel / userland:
su -
freebsd-update fetch
freebsd-update install
reboot
After reboot, check versions:
freebsd-version -kru
If freebsd-update shows a long file list and a ":" prompt at the bottom, press:
q
Then continue with:
freebsd-update install
Note:
The pkg tool manages third-party software only. The FreeBSD base system and kernel are updated with freebsd-update.
=============================================================================
2. Xorg, XFCE, and keyboard layout
=============================================================================
Start XFCE through startx:
startx
User ~/.xinitrc example:
setxkbmap hu
exec startxfce4
Edit it as the regular user:
ee ~/.xinitrc
Temporary keyboard layout change under X:
setxkbmap hu
Optional system-wide X keyboard configuration:
su -
mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/00-keyboard.conf
File content:
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "Keyboard Defaults"
MatchIsKeyboard "on"
Option "XkbLayout" "hu"
EndSection
The command below only disables the X11 bell/beep and is optional:
xset b off
=============================================================================
3. Graphics / DRM kernel modules
=============================================================================
Identify the GPU:
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 -A5 -Ei "display|vga|3d|amd|radeon|nvidia|intel"
Add the user to the video group:
su -
pw groupmod video -m <username>
Then log out and back in, or reboot.
Check group membership:
id
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/A. Intel graphics on MacBook Air
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install drm-kmod
Load the module:
kldload i915kms
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=i915kms
Check:
kldstat | grep i915
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/B. AMD Radeon Baffin / Polaris11 graphics on desktop Mac
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observed GPU family:
Baffin [Radeon RX 460/560 / Pro 450/455/460/555/555X/560/560X]
This needs amdgpu, not radeonkms.
Install:
su -
pkg install drm-kmod xf86-video-amdgpu
pkg install gpu-firmware-amd-kmod-polaris11
Load the module:
kldload amdgpu
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=amdgpu
Check:
kldstat | grep -E "amdgpu|drm"
ls /dev/dri
Expected devices:
/dev/dri/card0
/dev/dri/renderD128
If Xorg still fails with an scfb/framebuffer error, create a manual BusID configuration:
su -
mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-amdgpu.conf
File content:
Section "Device"
Identifier "AMD Radeon"
Driver "amdgpu"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
=============================================================================
4. Display brightness
=============================================================================
Check available backlight devices:
ls /dev/backlight/
Typical devices:
/dev/backlight/backlight0
/dev/backlight/intel_backlight0
Show current brightness:
backlight
Set brightness:
su -
backlight 50
backlight incr 10
backlight decr 10
If multiple devices exist:
backlight -f /dev/backlight/intel_backlight0 50
backlight -f /dev/backlight/backlight0 50
Examples for XFCE keyboard shortcuts:
sudo /usr/sbin/backlight incr 10
sudo /usr/sbin/backlight decr 10
To run these as a regular user without a password, allow the required command through sudoers.
=============================================================================
5. Keyboard backlight / Apple SMC
=============================================================================
Apple SMC module:
su -
kldload asmc
Load it automatically at boot:
sysrc kld_list+=asmc
Check light-related sysctl variables:
sysctl -a | grep -i light
Important variable:
dev.asmc.0.light.control
Set keyboard backlight as root:
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=0
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=128
sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=255
Note:
dev.asmc.0.light.left and dev.asmc.0.light.right may be read-only sensor values.
If they return a "read only" error, that is expected. The control variable is light.control.
Optional default value in /etc/sysctl.conf:
dev.asmc.0.light.control=128
Edit:
su -
ee /etc/sysctl.conf
=============================================================================
6. Passwordless sudo for selected commands
=============================================================================
Install sudo:
su -
pkg install sudo
Edit sudoers safely:
su -
visudo
Useful vi commands inside visudo:
G go to end of file
o open a new line below
Esc leave insert mode
:wq save and quit
:q! quit without saving
dd delete current line
u undo
Example: allow only the needed brightness commands, not full root access:
<username> ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/sbin/backlight, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=0, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=64, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=128, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=192, /sbin/sysctl dev.asmc.0.light.control=255
Do not use this unless you explicitly want full passwordless root access:
<username> ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
=============================================================================
7. Audio
=============================================================================
Check audio devices:
cat /dev/sndstat
mixer
On the tested MacBook Air 13-inch system:
pcm0: Intel Broadwell HDMI/DP audio
pcm1: Cirrus Logic CS4208 Analog
pcm2: Cirrus Logic CS4208 Analog Headphones
Set default output:
su -
sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=1 # internal analog
sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=2 # headphones
Mixer controls:
mixer -f /dev/mixer1
mixer -f /dev/mixer2
Internal speaker volume:
mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=80
mixer -f /dev/mixer1 pcm=80
Headphone volume:
mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=80
mixer -f /dev/mixer2 pcm=80
Incremental volume commands for XFCE shortcuts:
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=+5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol=-5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer1 vol.mute=toggle
For headphones, use mixer2:
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=+5%
/usr/sbin/mixer -f /dev/mixer2 vol=-5%
Cirrus Logic / MacBook speaker workaround:
If the headphone jack works but the internal speaker does not, this helped on the tested system:
su -
sysctl dev.hdaa.1.gpio_config=0=set
Noise test:
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/dsp1 bs=4096 count=50
If it works, add this to /etc/sysctl.conf:
dev.hdaa.1.gpio_config=0=set
hdac0 timeout messages likely came from Intel HDMI/DP audio, not from the Cirrus internal analog audio. If internal sound and headphones work, it may be only noisy logging.
=============================================================================
8. USB Wi-Fi adapter
=============================================================================
Known working adapter:
TP-Link TL-WN725N
Realtek RTL8188EU
FreeBSD driver: rtwn_usb / rtwn
Interface: rtwn0 -> wlan0
Typical /etc/rc.conf configuration:
wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"
Multiple Wi-Fi networks in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf:
su -
ee /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
Example:
network={
ssid="HomeWifi"
psk="password"
priority=10
}
network={
ssid="PhoneHotspot"
psk="password"
priority=5
}
Restart Wi-Fi:
su -
service netif restart wlan0
If it does not get an IP address:
dhclient wlan0
Speed test:
speedtest-cli --simple
Measured results in this setup:
TP-Link TL-WN725N: about 12 Mbit/s download, 4-5 Mbit/s upload
Android USB tethering: about 200 Mbit/s download, 35 Mbit/s upload
Thunderbolt/Ethernet: about 764 Mbit/s download, 41 Mbit/s upload
Before unplugging the USB Wi-Fi adapter, stop it first. Live removal caused a freeze/panic once:
su -
service netif stop wlan0
ifconfig wlan0 down
sync
Then unplug it.
After plugging it back in:
service netif restart wlan0
dhclient wlan0
=============================================================================
9. Android USB tethering
=============================================================================
Android USB tethering on FreeBSD:
1. Connect the phone with a USB cable.
2. Enable USB tethering / USB internet sharing on Android.
3. Load the RNDIS driver on FreeBSD:
su -
kldload if_urndis
4. Check the interface:
ifconfig
Usually it appears as:
ue0
5. Bring it up and request an IP address:
ifconfig ue0 up
dhclient ue0
6. Test:
ping -c 3 freebsd.org
speedtest-cli --simple
To load the driver automatically at boot, add this to /boot/loader.conf:
if_urndis_load="YES"
Edit:
su -
ee /boot/loader.conf
Note:
It is fine to load if_urndis permanently. It is a small driver and only creates an interface when an Android USB tethering device is attached.
=============================================================================
10. Wired Ethernet with Apple Thunderbolt adapter
=============================================================================
The tested adapter looked like an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
Expected FreeBSD interface:
bge0
Check:
dmesg | tail -50
ifconfig
Manual setup:
su -
ifconfig bge0 up
dhclient bge0
Test:
ping -c 3 freebsd.org
speedtest-cli
Persistent /etc/rc.conf setting:
sysrc ifconfig_bge0="DHCP"
If multiple network connections are active, check the default route:
netstat -rn | grep default
Stop Wi-Fi if wired Ethernet should be used:
service netif stop wlan0
Switch back to Wi-Fi:
service netif stop bge0
service netif start wlan0
=============================================================================
11. Multiple network interfaces in rc.conf
=============================================================================
It is possible to configure all three:
wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"
ifconfig_ue0="DHCP"
ifconfig_bge0="DHCP"
However, if several are active at once, the default route may not be the one you expect.
Practical use:
wlan0 = default everyday network
ue0 = Android USB tethering when fast mobile internet is needed
bge0 = wired Ethernet when a cable is available
=============================================================================
12. Suspend / lid close sleep
=============================================================================
Manual suspend test:
su -
acpiconf -s 3
If it works, enable sleep on lid close:
su -
ee /etc/sysctl.conf
Add:
hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
Apply immediately without reboot:
sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
Disable lid-close sleep:
sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=NONE
Note:
There was one kernel panic during the first suspend test. The log suggested a USB Wi-Fi / networking race around detach/resume. Later lid-close suspend/resume worked correctly.
=============================================================================
13. Battery / charger
=============================================================================
Battery information:
acpiconf -i 0
Relevant lines only:
acpiconf -i 0 | grep -E "State|Remaining capacity|Remaining time|Present rate"
AC adapter state:
acpiconf -a
or:
sysctl hw.acpi.acline
Meaning:
1 = on AC power
0 = on battery
Battery states:
charging charging
discharging discharging
high battery is OK / not low or critical; not necessarily an error
low low battery
critical critical battery
Observation:
At one point the MagSafe LED was orange, but FreeBSD showed "discharging". Powered off, the machine charged. In such cases, check acpiconf -a and hw.acpi.acline, and observe whether the percentage increases over 10-15 minutes.
=============================================================================
14. USB flash drive / external SSD / external HDD mounting
=============================================================================
Find the device:
dmesg | tail
ls /dev/da*
gpart show
Detect filesystem:
fstyp /dev/da1
fstyp /dev/da1s1
fstyp /dev/da1p1
It is fine if some commands fail. Use the device node that actually reports a filesystem.
MBR partitions:
/dev/da1s1
GPT partitions:
/dev/da1p1
No partition table / whole-disk filesystem:
/dev/da1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/A. FAT / FAT32
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If fstyp reports:
msdosfs
Mount:
su -
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
mount -t msdosfs /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
For easier regular-user access:
mount_msdosfs -u <username> -g <username> /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/B. exFAT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install fusefs-exfat
kldload fusefs
Mount:
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
mount.exfat /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
If it says "exFAT file system is not found", the device is probably not exFAT or the wrong device node was used. Check:
fstyp /dev/da1
fstyp /dev/da1s1
fstyp /dev/da1s2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/C. NTFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install:
su -
pkg install fusefs-ntfs
kldload fusefs
Mount:
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
ntfs-3g /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
Read-only mount if Windows did not cleanly detach it:
ntfs-3g -o ro /dev/da1s1 /mnt/usb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/D. UFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mount /dev/da1p1 /mnt/ssd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/E. ZFS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
zpool import
If the pool is named backup:
zpool import backup
Detach/export:
zpool export backup
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14/F. Unmounting
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sync
umount /mnt/usb
If it says "Device busy":
1. Close the Thunar/file-manager window that is showing /mnt/usb.
2. Make sure the terminal is not inside the mount point:
cd ~
3. Check what is using it:
fstat | grep /mnt/usb
4. Then retry:
umount /mnt/usb
=============================================================================
15. Thunar / graphical ZIP extraction
=============================================================================
If Thunar says:
Failed to extract files. No suitable archive manager found.
Then unzip is not the problem. A graphical archive manager is missing.
Install:
su -
pkg install thunar-archive-plugin xarchiver
Restart Thunar:
pkill thunar
thunar &
or log out and back in.
ZIP from terminal:
unzip file.zip
=============================================================================
16. Screenshots with a keyboard shortcut in XFCE
=============================================================================
Install:
su -
pkg install xfce4-screenshooter
XFCE path:
Settings -> Keyboard -> Application Shortcuts
Commands:
Full screen:
xfce4-screenshooter -f
Active window:
xfce4-screenshooter -w
Selected region:
xfce4-screenshooter -r
Suggested shortcuts:
Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -f
Alt + Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -w
Shift + Print Screen -> xfce4-screenshooter -r
=============================================================================
17. Window switching in XFCE
=============================================================================
Default:
Alt + Tab
Useful panel items:
Window Buttons
Window Menu
Panel right click:
Panel -> Add New Items...
XFCE does not include a macOS-style Mission Control / Expose overview by default.
=============================================================================
18. Bluetooth / webcam / Spotify
=============================================================================
Bluetooth hardware was visible as:
ubt0: Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
However, Bluetooth headphones require more than pairing: A2DP audio support is also needed. This was not worth the effort for this setup; wired headphones were the practical solution.
Bluetooth command tried:
service bluetooth start ubt0
Observed error:
Unable to setup Bluetooth stack for device ubt0
The blued package was not available from pkg in this setup.
Webcam:
The FaceTime Camera was visible on USB, but FreeBSD support was not straightforward. It was not pursued.
Spotify:
The Spotify web player opened, but playback/audio was not reliable. It was abandoned.
Local audio players:
pkg install audacious
pkg install vlc
=============================================================================
19. Internet speed test
=============================================================================
Install:
su -
pkg install py311-speedtest-cli
Run:
speedtest-cli
speedtest-cli --simple
Example measurements:
TL-WN725N USB Wi-Fi: 12.18 Mbit/s down, 4.71 Mbit/s up
Android USB tethering: 200.14 Mbit/s down, 34.99 Mbit/s up
Thunderbolt Ethernet: 764.36 Mbit/s down, 41.05 Mbit/s up
=============================================================================
20. Useful diagnostic commands
=============================================================================
System / boot log:
dmesg | tail
dmesg | grep -i ac
dmesg | grep -i battery
dmesg | grep -i ubt
PCI devices:
pciconf -lv
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 -A5 -Ei "display|vga|network|wireless|broadcom|amd|radeon|intel"
USB devices:
usbconfig
usbconfig | grep -i bluetooth
usbconfig | grep -i -E "realtek|wireless|wifi|802.11"
Network:
ifconfig
netstat -rn | grep default
sysctl net.wlan.devices
Audio:
cat /dev/sndstat
mixer
mixer -f /dev/mixer1
mixer -f /dev/mixer2
Graphics:
kldstat | grep -E "i915|amdgpu|drm"
ls /dev/dri
Battery:
acpiconf -i 0
acpiconf -a
sysctl hw.acpi.acline
Display brightness:
backlight
ls /dev/backlight/
Keyboard backlight:
sysctl -a | grep -i light
=============================================================================
21. General notes
=============================================================================
FreeBSD desktop setup has improved a lot, but it is still more manual than a typical Linux desktop distribution.
Best practical compromise on the older MacBook Air:
- XFCE
- Intel DRM / i915kms
- USB Wi-Fi left plugged in
- Android USB tethering or Thunderbolt Ethernet for fast networking
- wired headphones
- working suspend on lid close
- manual but functional display brightness and keyboard backlight
Problematic or not worth pursuing:
- built-in Broadcom Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth headphones
- FaceTime webcam
- Spotify web playback on FreeBSD
