From: oled <0l3dgit@gmail.com>
Subject: Question about possible support.
To: tech@openbsd.org
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2026 19:42:26 +0300

Hello,

First of all, thank you for all the work you do on OpenBSD. I’ve been using
it on and off for a while, and I genuinely appreciate the project’s focus
on correctness, simplicity, and long-term maintainability.

I recently tried OpenBSD on one of my older laptops and noticed that the
Wi-Fi device (Qualcomm Atheros AR9485) does not seem to be supported at the
moment. I completely understand and respect OpenBSD’s policy regarding
drivers and firmware, and I know that hardware support only happens when
someone is willing and able to do the work properly.

The reason I’m asking is simply that OpenBSD is actually my favorite
operating system. It’s the system I enjoy using the most, both in terms of
design and day-to-day experience, and I’d really like to use it more often
on my own hardware if possible.

So I just wanted to ask, in case there is any ongoing or planned work: is
there any chance that AR9485 support might happen in the future, or is this
device considered out of scope for OpenBSD?

I’m not expecting any promises or timelines at all. I’m just curious and
wanted to ask in a respectful way.

If support for this device ever becomes something that needs testing, I’d
be more than happy to help in any way I can testing snapshots, trying
patches, providing logs, or anything else that would be useful.

Thank you again for your time and for all the work you put into the project.

Best regards,
oled