---
name: "ath3kfw"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ath3kfw"
---

# ath3kfw(8)

load firmware for Atheros AR3011/AR3012 Bluetooth USB devices

## NAME

**ath3kfw** – load firmware for Atheros AR3011/AR3012 Bluetooth USB devices

## SYNOPSIS

**ath3kfw** \[**-DI**\] **-d** *device\_name* **-f** *firmware\_path*

**ath3kfw** **-h**

## DESCRIPTION

The **ath3kfw** utility downloads the specified firmware file to the specified [ugen(4)](/ugen/4.md) device.

This utility will *only* work with Atheros AR3011 and AR3012 chip based Bluetooth USB devices. The identification is currently based on USB vendor ID/product ID pair. The vendor ID should be 0x0cf3 (USB\_VENDOR\_ATHEROS2) and the product ID should be one of the supported devices.

Firmware files are available in the linux-firmware RPM.

The **ath3kfw** utility will query the device to determine which firmware image and board configuration to load in at runtime.

The options are as follows:

- **-D**

  Enable verbose debugging.

- **-d** *device\_name*

  Specify [ugen(4)](/ugen/4.md) device name.

- **-f** *firmware\_path*

  Specify the directory containing the firmware files to search and upload.

- **-h**

  Display usage message and exit.

- **-I**

  Enable informational debugging.

## EXIT STATUS

The **ath3kfw** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## SEE ALSO

[libusb(3)](/libusb/3.md), [ugen(4)](/ugen/4.md), [devd(8)](/devd/8.md)

## AUTHORS

The original utility was written by Maksim Yevmenkin ⟨*m\_evmenkin@yahoo.com*⟩. This was written based on Linux ath3k by Adrian Chadd ⟨*adrian@FreeBSD.org*⟩.

## BUGS

Most likely. Please report if found.