Feature Request: Open Sourcing 802.11 Protocol Stack (libnet80211.a) for ESP8266 SDK

[dreamrelax]

Checklist

• Checked the issue tracker for similar issues to ensure this is not a duplicate.
• Described the feature in detail and justified the reason for the request.
• Provided specific use cases and examples.

Feature description

Could Espressif consider open-sourcing the 802.11 protocol stack library (libnet80211.a) for the ESP8266 SDK? The community could greatly benefit from having access to the 802.11 implementation details, as it would allow developers to understand the internal workings of the Wi-Fi stack, potentially optimizing and extending functionality for specialized use cases. Currently, critical parts of Wi-Fi functionality are closed-source, making it difficult to diagnose or enhance networking-related features.

Use cases

• Developers working on custom Wi-Fi solutions could modify and optimize the 802.11 protocol stack for specific applications, such as mesh networks or IoT device communication enhancements.
• Access to the 802.11 source code would allow in-depth debugging and integration with external networking technologies, improving interoperability.
• Educational institutions and researchers could use the source code to study and experiment with Wi-Fi protocols, fostering innovation in wireless communication.
• For companies building products based on ESP8266, having access to the 802.11 library would enable them to meet specific requirements that the binary-only library cannot fulfill.

This would enable a broader range of contributions to the ESP8266 ecosystem and provide transparency to developers.

Alternatives

There are no viable alternatives as the current approach relies heavily on the closed source nature of the 802.11 library.

Additional context

The open-sourcing of the 802.11 library would greatly enhance community-driven development and enable more flexibility in modifying and optimizing network protocols on the ESP8266. This would provide more transparency for developers working on low-level networking features.