Problem with Longshine LCS-8038TXR7 NIC

Nokobon · Apr 28, 2009

Hello,

I've just installed FreeBSD 7.1 and now I like to get it on the network.
The NIC is Longshine LCS-8038TXR7.

First of all I wondered if this card is compatible to FreeBSD, as in the Hardware Notes of Release 7.1 only Longshine LCS-8038TX-R is listed as supported by the rl(4) driver. Is there a difference to my card?

ifconfig says:

Code:

rl0: flags=8802<BROADCAST,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
        options=8<VLAN_MTU>
        ether 00:08:54:54:eb:94
        media: Ethernet autoselect
        status: active

...and in dmesg.boot the card is listed as:

Code:

rl0<RealTek 8139 10/100BaseTX>

As far as I know my NIC has a RealTek 8139C+, not just 8139.

On the driver CD that came along with the NIC are FreeBSD drivers and in the Readme.txt it also says:

Code:

Q:How to check whether my new driver is working ? 
A:Use the "dmesg|more" command and if you can 
          see "<RealTek 8139C+ 10/100BaseTX>" 
	  or the correct card information then it is working.

So the card isn't recognized correct, isn't it?

Well I've tried to install the drivers from the CD as explained in the Readme:

Code:

Method 1:
	1.Copy if_rl.ko in "modules" directory to "/modules" directory and overwrite 
	  the existing file.
	2.Modify the file "/boot/defaults/loader.conf" and set "if_rl_load" in "Network 
	  drivers" section to "Yes"
	3.Reboot.

Method 2:
	Because the FreeBSD kernel has a default Rtl8139C   driver, this default driver 
	will be loaded even though the NIC on your computer is Rtl8139C+(because they 
	have the same vender ID and device ID). To use the new features of 8139C+, you 
	need to update your NIC driver and recompile your FreeBSD kernel.

	The main steps you have to do:(FreeBSDSrcDir means the directory of FreeBSD source code
	and it may be "/usr/src/sys")

		0.Replace your NIC with the card listed above.
		1.copy if_rl.c and if_rlreg.h to /FreeBSDSrcDir/pci directory
		2.recompile your kernel	(you must install your FreeBSD source code first !!)

			# cd /usr/src/sys/i386/conf
			# /usr/sbin/config GENERIC
			# cd ../../compile/GENERIC
			# make depend
			# make
			# make install
			# reboot

Method 1 didn't change anything and Method 2 failed at compiling the Kernel.

What also surprised me is that on the CDROM there is the rl driver, but the manual page for rl includes the Note:

Code:

support for the 8139C+ chip is provided by the re(4) driver.

So now I am absolutely confused: I don't know which driver I need and on which way I get it to work...
As FreeBSD Newbie I'm asking you for advice to configure the NIC

Thanks,
Nokobon

Nokobon · May 3, 2009

Well, I completely reinstalled FreeBSD with the Network Card already in the PCI-slot.

Now it works without any manuell configuration, but is still listed as Realtek 8139 instead of 8139C+.

I have no idea why...but it does it's job now without any problems, so what do I care

tangram · May 4, 2009

You didn't need to do all that stuff. You just have tried changing the network card setting in /etc/rc.conf and test if the card is support by re or rl.

Nokobon · May 11, 2009

tangram said:
You didn't need to do all that stuff. You just have tried changing the network card setting in /etc/rc.conf and test if the card is support by re or rl.

Yes, that was my first thought, too.
But then I took a look at the Raedme:

Code:

Because the FreeBSD kernel has a default Rtl8139C   driver, this default driver 
	will be loaded even though the NIC on your computer is Rtl8139C+(because they 
	have the same vender ID and device ID). To use the new features of 8139C+, you 
	need to update your NIC driver and recompile your FreeBSD kernel.

That confused me and therefore I tried these complicated unnecessary methods...