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    realtek-re-kmod missing in pfSense 2.6 repository?

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    • M
      MxcZXAKM @stephenw10
      last edited by stephenw10

      @stephenw10 thanks, so that URL worked. I plugged that URL into the console in the PfSense web interface and got:

      Fetching realtek-re-kmod-196.04.pkg: .......... done
      Installing realtek-re-kmod-196.04...
      Extracting realtek-re-kmod-196.04: .... done
      =====
      Message from realtek-re-kmod-196.04:
      
      --
      Add the following lines to your /boot/loader.conf
      to override the built-in FreeBSD re(4) driver.
      
      if_re_load="YES"
      if_re_name="/boot/modules/if_re.ko"
      
      By default, the size of allocated mbufs is enough
      to receive the largest Ethernet frame supported
      by the card.  If your memory is highly fragmented,
      trying to allocate contiguous pages (more than
      4096 bytes) may result in driver hangs.
      For this reason the value is tunable at boot time,
      e.g. if you don't need Jumbo frames you can lower
      the memory requirements and avoid this issue with:
      
      hw.re.max_rx_mbuf_sz="2048"
      

      I then updated the loader.conf via SSH into the router. I added the two lines above at the very top of the loader file and made sure it wrote. I rebooted and I still have an issue where the WAN doesn’t grab an IP. I have to physically disconnect and reconnect the Ethernet cable. I have yet to try suricata again but yes I had it in inline.

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      • R
        RK0 @MxcZXAKM
        last edited by

        @mxczxakm might want to put those lines into /boot/loader.conf.local

        That way it (the manual settings you added) will stick around if you do an upgrade.

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        • M
          MxcZXAKM @RK0
          last edited by

          @rk0 Should I have those lines in both or just the .conf.local? Should i remove them from .conf? I don’t understand exactly what these files are doing so I’m flying blind.

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          • R
            RK0 @MxcZXAKM
            last edited by RK0

            @mxczxakm the full file name (and subdirectory location) for JUST the "new" configuration parameters would be /boot/loader.conf.local (just saying that, since you wrote .conf.local)

            I'd leave your /boot/loader.conf file as "pristine", and just add the

            if_re_load="YES"
            if_re_name="/boot/modules/if_re.ko"

            lines to the "new" /boot/loader.conf.local file
            ...and perhaps the
            hw.re.max_rx_mbuf_sz="2048"
            line if you don't have anything on the network using jumbo frames...which would probably be unlikely

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            • M
              MxcZXAKM @RK0
              last edited by MxcZXAKM

              @rk0 Thanks for this!

              82F0617C-73EA-4664-97E8-04ACBE92C216.jpeg

              I’d add .local to the note that comes up then. I took it literally.

              Maybe it’s just normal Linux etiquette but wasn’t obvious to me.

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              • M
                MxcZXAKM
                last edited by MxcZXAKM

                Well, that fixed it! Thanks so much, this was killing me! Now to try Suricata again.

                ——

                No more drops, you guys rock!

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                • R
                  RK0 @MxcZXAKM
                  last edited by

                  @mxczxakm (it wasn't obvious to me the first time through either 😁 ).

                  In fact, it was another user on this forum months ago that explained to me how the /boot/loader.conf.local file would stick around after an upgrade, while the /boot/loader.conf file might get reset back to initial settings....

                  Good advice passed on in the forum helps us all!

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    That note is from the kmod pkg install which is common to any FreeBSD installation. pfSense uses loader.conf.local specifically so it doesn't apply to us. But we can't easily remove it.

                    Steve

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                    • M
                      MxcZXAKM
                      last edited by MxcZXAKM

                      I spoke to soon, the WAN still cycles on/off. I get this error in the logs from the kernel:

                      arpresolve: can’t allocate llinfo for X.X.X.X on emX

                      B0DF5EFB-D427-49F6-96F9-E2557DB5BB5C.jpeg

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        What happens just before that when it goes down?

                        Those logs look normal for when an interface links up.

                        Are you still running it in in-line mode? I would try it in legacy mode as a test at least. In-line mode requires specific NICs.

                        Steve

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                        • M
                          MxcZXAKM @stephenw10
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10 it disconnects and reconnects all by itself. I do still have suricata in inline. I’ll try legacy when I get back from travel on Friday. Thanks for the reminder.

                          Out of curiosity, does in-line just need intel or specific models of intel?

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                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                            last edited by

                            It uses netmap(4) which requires device support:
                            https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=netmap#SUPPORTED_DEVICES

                            That does include re(4) but actual support can be variable. The Intel drivers are generally better and more likely to work as expected. So, no, any Intel based NIC would be expected to work there AFAIK.

                            Steve

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                            • K
                              Knight @Knight
                              last edited by

                              This post is deleted!
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                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                How did it fail? At the mountroot prompt? What that after upgrading or a clean install?

                                I haven't seen that on any of the 2.7 test boxes I have. Yet.

                                Steve

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                                • K
                                  Knight @stephenw10
                                  last edited by

                                  This post is deleted!
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                                  • stephenw10S
                                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                    last edited by

                                    Ah, could be UFS.... Hmm. Testing....

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                                    • M
                                      MxcZXAKM @Knight
                                      last edited by

                                      Re: realtek-re-kmod missing in pfSense 2.6 repository?

                                      Bit off topic but can pfsense be upgraded to 2.7 dev temporarily then “downgraded” to 2.7 release when it comes out? There’s been times I want to try the dev releases but I don’t want to get stuck in that path.

                                      stephenw10S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • stephenw10S
                                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                        last edited by

                                        Hmm, nope ufs systems updated fine here too. I'll see if any of the devs have seen it.

                                        K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @MxcZXAKM
                                          last edited by

                                          @mxczxakm said in realtek-re-kmod missing in pfSense 2.6 repository?:

                                          can pfsense be upgraded to 2.7 dev temporarily then “downgraded” to 2.7 release when it comes out?

                                          Yes. When a release comes out you can simply switch to stable and upgrade to it from an earlier snapshot.
                                          What you can't do is 'downgrade' to 2.6 once you've gone to a 2.7 snapshot.

                                          Steve

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                                          • K
                                            Knight @stephenw10
                                            last edited by

                                            This post is deleted!
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