diff --git a/drivers/README b/drivers/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8b4a67b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/README
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Since compiling Atheros drivers for use with a wifi dongle on the Beaglebone Black takes a long time pre-compiled drivers are also available here. These may be extracted into /lib/firmware/ before beginning the main installation via 'freedombone menuconfig'.
+
+sha256:
+7eb9324681f03c7630ed01e490ea447dfbd96c9b5389e45b64e4646d1be16ff1  ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz
diff --git a/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz b/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8ef576c8
Binary files /dev/null and b/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz differ
diff --git a/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz.asc b/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz.asc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..65ed2319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/ath9k_htc_driver_bbb.tar.gz.asc
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
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diff --git a/src/freedombone b/src/freedombone
index 2003c8a2..67641fa6 100755
--- a/src/freedombone
+++ b/src/freedombone
@@ -1606,6 +1606,10 @@ function install_atheros_wifi {
   if [ -d $INSTALL_DIR/open-ath9k-htc-firmware ]; then
       return
   fi
+  # have drivers already been installed ?
+  if [ -f /lib/firmware/htc_9271.fw ]; then
+	  return
+  fi
   apt-get -y install build-essential cmake git m4 texinfo
   if [ ! -d $INSTALL_DIR ]; then
       mkdir -p $INSTALL_DIR