Is Kernel module is the same as a device driver? Post: 302518687

Sponsored Content

Operating Systems Linux Fedora Is Kernel module is the same as a device driver? Post 302518687 by newlinuxuser1 on Sunday 1st of May 2011 09:08:40 AM

05-01-2011

Registered User

Is Kernel module is the same as a device driver?

I have been reading prep questions for my second unix academy exam, and there's a nuance, I'm not sure I understand it correctly.
I've been under impression from my readings of book by Evi Nemeth and from unix academy DVDs I've been watching, that kernel's modules are drivers. I think of it, as there are standard drivers that come precompiled as a part of a kernel, and some drivers that are not part of a "standard setup", so we load them when necessary as modules.
Now, I see in my readings and in the DVDs, modules and drivers are discussed on separate occasions, which makes me confused! Are they the same or they aren't? I mean, is this "module" and "driver" terminology is interchangeable and it is just figure of speech, or there's real difference between them?

newlinuxuser1

View Public Profile for newlinuxuser1

Find all posts by newlinuxuser1

4 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Kernel and Device Driver Programming

I am looking for a guide on how to program for either the Linux or FreeBSD (includes 4.4BSD, NetBSD or OpenBSD) kernel. I would prefer to learn how to write device drivers, but anything would help. If you know, please email me at *removed* or leave a post here Regards, Farhan

2. Solaris

SUNWglmr -- rasctrl environment monitoring driver for i2c or SCSI device driver ?

I've been researching minimizeing Solaris 8 and found that on the web page http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/content/packagelist/s8u7PkgList/p2.html the package SUNWglmr is listed as "rasctrl environment monitoring driver for i2c, (Root) (32-bit)" while in the document "Solaris 8 minimize-updt1.pdf"...

3. Linux

Linux Device Driver: avoid mem copy from/to user/kernel space

I recently started working with Linux and wrote my first device driver for a hardware chip controlled by a host CPU running Linux 2.6.x kernel. 1. The user space process makes an IOCTL call with pointer to a user memory buffer. 2. The kernel device driver in the big switch-case of IOCTL,...

4. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Get pointer for existing device class (struct class) in Linux kernel module

Hi all! I am trying to register a device in an existing device class, but I am having trouble getting the pointer to an existing class. I can create a class in a module, get the pointer to it and then use it to register the device with: *cl = class_create(THIS_MODULE, className);...

LEARN ABOUT REDHAT

ipwfw

IPWFW(4)						   BSD Kernel Interfaces Manual 						  IPWFW(4)

NAME

     ipwfw -- Firmware Module for Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 driver

SYNOPSIS

     To compile this module into the kernel, place the following line in your kernel configuration file:

	   device ipwfw

     This will include three firmware images inside the kernel.  If you want to pick only the firmware image for the mode you want to operate your
     network adapter in choose one of the following:

	   device ipwbssfw
	   device ipwibssfw
	   device ipwmonitorfw

     Alternatively, to load the driver as a module at boot time, place the following lines in loader.conf(5):

	   ipw_bss_load="YES"
	   ipw_ibss_load="YES"
	   ipw_monitor_load="YES"

DESCRIPTION

     This module provides access to firmware sets for the Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 series of IEEE 802.11 adapters.  It may be statically linked
     into the kernel, or loaded as a module.

     For the loaded firmware to be enabled for use the license at /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/LICENSE must be agreed to by adding the following
     line to loader.conf(5):

	   legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1

FILES

     /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/LICENSE  ipwfw firmware license

SEE ALSO

     ipw(4), firmware(9)

BSD
								 January 14, 2010							       BSD