RTL8125, Is there a way to enable this option?

rtlques

gigabit lite option is also disabled by default in Windows.
Is there any way to enable this option in pfsense?
alt text

stephenw10

Not that I've ever seen. Also I have no idea why you would ever want to. It seems to be some 500Mb mode. I would assume both ends have to support it. Seems like something non-standard.

What are you trying to use it for?

Steve

stephenw10

Mmm, interesting:

Giga Lite (500M) mode allows two link partners that both support 1000Base-T and Giga Lite mode to transmit at 500Mbps data rate if only two pairs (AB pairs) can be detected in the CAT.5 UTP cable. This feature is a Realtek proprietary feature and it conforms to the 802.3az-2010(EEE) specification.

But, no I've never seen anything use it or any mention of it in a driver.

Steve

JKnott

@stephenw10 said in RTL8125, Is there a way to enable this option?:

Also I have no idea why you would ever want to.

Fewer calories?

Actually, I really don't see the need for this either? If only 2 pairs are usable, then you have a defective cable, which should be replaced. I suppose it's someone's solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

stephenw10

Mmm, now I see what it does I guess I can see how it would be useful if you do have only 2 pairs for whatever reason. 5x better than 100M
But it should only ever be a fallback option and both ends need to support it. I wouldn't expect it to make any difference except in that very specific circumstance.

Steve

rtlques

@stephenw10
One direction of upper line is already set, just need to set up pfsense
(installed latest version 1.9.7 RTL driver with pfsense ce 2.6)
"if_re.c" file contains keywords for "giga lite" in RTL official freebsd driver "rtl_bsd_drv_v197.00.tgz"
i don't know how to do it, but hope there is a way to enable

stephenw10

So you are trying to use a 4 wire link? And currently only seeing 100M?

stephenw10

It looks like it's mentioned in two places. One where it's disabled for a list of MAC types:

        if (sc->re_type == MACFG_68 || sc->re_type == MACFG_69 ||
            sc->re_type == MACFG_70 || sc->re_type == MACFG_71 ||
            sc->re_type == MACFG_72 || sc->re_type == MACFG_73 ||
            sc->re_type == MACFG_74) {
                //Disable Giga Lite
                MP_WritePhyUshort(sc, 0x1F, 0x0A42);
                ClearEthPhyBit(sc, 0x14, BIT_9);

And the other where it's disabled unconditionally in the setup function for the 8125:

static int re_ifmedia_upd_8125(struct ifnet *ifp)
{
        struct re_softc	*sc = ifp->if_softc;
        struct ifmedia	*ifm = &sc->media;
        int anar;
        int gbcr;
        int cr2500 = 0;

        if (IFM_TYPE(ifm->ifm_media) != IFM_ETHER)
                return(EINVAL);

        //Disable Giga Lite
        ClearEthPhyOcpBit(sc, 0xA428, BIT_9);
        ClearEthPhyOcpBit(sc, 0xA5EA, BIT_0);

        cr2500 = MP_RealReadPhyOcpRegWord(sc, 0xA5D4);
        cr2500 &= ~RTK_ADVERTISE_2500FULL;

Neither has any sort of external config dependency so it doesn't look like you can choose.
And it looks like it's always disabled in the 8125.

Steve