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diff --git a/drafts/dell-dock.php b/drafts/dell-dock.php new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a9dd9a --- /dev/null +++ b/drafts/dell-dock.php @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +<h1>Make Your Docking Station Work for You (on FreeBSD)</h1> + +<p class="description"> + I have a Dell Latitude E-series laptop running FreeBSD 12.2-RELEASE. I also + have a Dell E-Port II docking station on my desk. I wanted to be able to take + my shut, sleeping laptop and plop it down on the docking station, hit the dock + power button, and have the laptop wake up and switch over to all of the + docking station peripherals. So I did it! And now I'm going to write about it + so I don't forget how. You need to know a little bit about FreeBSD + <code>sysctl</code> knobs, display outputs in X, sound devices, and + <code>ifconfig</code> networking. +</p> + +<h2>Switching from Ethernet to WiFi and Back Again, Seamlessly</h2> + +<p> + FreeBSD doesn't magically swap from wireless to wired connections by default, + but there's an easy way to remedy this: link failover. I recommend reading the + <a href="https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/network-aggregation.html" + >FreeBSD handbook page on network aggregation</a + > + as it's where I found out about link aggregation and failover. Basically, + aggregation lets you bind two of your network interfaces together into a + single virtual interface. Failover lets your traffic continue moving as long + as one of the aggregated interfaces has is connected. + Here's what I had to do: +</p> + +<ol> + <li> + Bind the wireless network interface (wlan0) to the MAC address of the wired + interface (em0) + </li> + <li>Create a lagg interface using the two network interfaces</li> + <li>Bind the lagg interface to an IP address, preferably with DHCP</li> +</ol> + +<p>All of this is configured in my <code>rc.conf</code>:</p> + +<pre><code> +wlans_iwn0="wlan0" # <- wlan0 device should use the iwn driver +ifconfig_wlan0="WPA" # <- wlan0 should use WPA (wpa_supplicant) to connect to wireless SSIDs +create_args_wlan0="wlanaddr 5c:26:0a:06:c1:d6" # <- wlan0 MAC address is set to em0 device MAC address +ifconfig_em0="up" # <- enable em0 (ethernet) device +cloned_interfaces="lagg0" # <- create cloned interface lagg0 +ifconfig_lagg0="up laggproto failover laggport em0 laggport wlan0 DHCP" # <- configure lagg0 interface to act as a failover lagg protocol over em0 and wlan0 +</code></pre> + +<p> + In practice, the preferred device is <code>em0</code>, or my ethernet NIC. + FreeBSD will always try to use that first. If it's disconnected, such as when + the laptop is removed from the dock, the wireless device (<code>wlan0</code>) + will take over. This transition happens instantly, and without interrupting + traffic; active transactions aren't cut short for example. +</p> + +<h2>Sleeping on Lid Close Except When Docked</h2> + +<p> + This is an easy one. You can use <code>sysctl</code> to configure what happens + when a laptop lid is closed. I wanted the lid closing while undocked to + suspend (put the laptop to sleep). When it's docked however, I don't use the + internal display and wanted to be able to shut the lid and leave it shut. If you read <code>ACPI(4)</code> in the manual, you'll find this little passage: +</p> + +<pre> +<blockquote> +hw.acpi.lid_switch_state + Suspend state (S1-S5) to enter when the lid switch (i.e., a + notebook screen) is closed. Default is "NONE" (do nothing). +</blockquote> +<pre> + +<p>I changed this value a long time ago so closing the lid suspends the laptop. You can check with <code>sysctl</code>:</p> + +<pre> +<code> +$ sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state +hw.acpi.lid_switch_state: S3 +</code> +</pre> + +<p>Now, if I wanted to disable this functionality, I would just change this parameter as root:</p> + +<pre> +<code> +$ doas sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=NONE +hw.acpi.lid_switch_state: NONE -> NONE +</code> +</pre> + +This change takes effect immediately. I can open and close the lid and nothing happens but turning off the screen. Awesome. + +<h2>Swapping Primary Display Outputs (Also Nvidia Screen-Tearing)</h2> + +<h2>Switching Default Sound Device</h2> + +<h2>Putting It All Together (Scripts Are Glue)</h2> + +<h2>What I Didn't Have to Do</h2> + +usb devices, battery/charging |