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    Updated Realtek NIC drivers missing in PfSense 2.6.0

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    • R
      RK0 @DominikHoffmann
      last edited by

      @dominikhoffmann it should be the same entries I outlined in this same post string on Nov 28, 2022, 7:16 AM

      I did load nano as the editor, just because it is easier.

      Putting the entries in /boot/loader.conf.local should just have that file persist if you update PFSense.

      You won't have those entries in /boot/loader.conf, unless you already modified it yourself.

      Also, when you install the package, it should flash up on the screen the entries it wants you to make, with the difference being it will tell you to put them in /boot/loader.conf vs /boot/loader.conf.local. I just do it in the /boot/loader.conf.local so it will be persistent.

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @DominikHoffmann
        last edited by

        @dominikhoffmann said in Updated Realtek NIC drivers missing in PfSense 2.6.0:

        Does loader.conf.local supersede loader.conf?
        If so, am I correct in assuming that loader.conf remains unchanged?

        Yes and yes.

        But, as said, mainly you use the .local file because it will survive pfSense updates/changes that may otherwise re-write the main loader.conf file.

        Steve

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        • D
          DominikHoffmann @RK0
          last edited by

          @rk0 said in Updated Realtek NIC drivers missing in PfSense 2.6.0:

          I then issued the commands to download the revised Realtek drivers from freebsd

          fetch -v https://pkg.freebsd.org/FreeBSD:12:amd64/latest/All/realtek-re-kmod-197.00.pkg
          pkg install -f -y realtek-re-kmod-197.00.pkg
          

          Because my Protectli PC with two Realtek NICs had difficulty with one of them, I had trouble controlling it via the WebConfigurator or ssh on the LAN port, while there was an active internet connection. I managed to copy the PKG file over to the Protectli via a USB thumb drive. But then the

          pkg install -f -y realtek-re-kmod-198.00.pkg
          

          command did not work, because there was no active internet connection. A bit of a chicken-and-egg problem.

          I think, I’ll wait for the next major version beyond 2.6.0 and hope that the drivers will be included.

          By the way the 197 drivers are no longer at pkg.freebsd.org, although the 198 drivers are.

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          • G
            Gradius @DominikHoffmann
            last edited by

            @dominikhoffmann just use "pkg add" instead

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            • R
              RK0 @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 is there any chance the Realtek 198 drivers will be natively integrated into the next public release of PfSense?

              Or...is this impossible since PFSense will probably move to FreeBSD 14.x? Looking at https://pkg.freebsd.org/FreeBSD:14:amd64/latest/All/ I get a "forbidden" message, unfortunately.

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                The kmod pkg is in our repo for pfSense 2.7 and 23.01 so installing it there is much easier.

                It's unlikely they will be used instead of the native driver by default though. At least not any time soon.

                Steve

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                • R
                  RK0
                  last edited by RK0

                  @stephenw10 any word on what that native realtek ethernet package driver version would be for FreeBSD 14? I ask because the previous realtek ethernet native driver version in FreeBSD 12.x (and PfSense) was problematic with the native realtek driver at the time, while the 197 and 198 driver seems to run well.

                  this site implies 198 exists for FreeBSD 14, but doesn't explicitly say it will be the native driver, and I can't say its in any way authoritative.
                  https://www.freshports.org/net/realtek-re-kmod/

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    It does. Freshports is pretty accurate, I don't think I've seen it wrong.

                    The native FreeBSD driver doesn't use the same numbering scheme as Realteks driver:
                    https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/blob/main/sys/dev/re/if_re.c

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                    • D
                      DominikHoffmann @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10: Can you comment on when those versions will be out?

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        23.01 should be out very soon, there were some last minute hardware issues to resolve before a public RC.
                        2.7 doesn't have a target date.

                        Steve

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                        • R
                          RK0
                          last edited by

                          I went ahead and installed the 198 drivers. No errors, no issues with about 30 hours of operation going on so far on my dual NIC M90n

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                          • J
                            JimBob Indiana
                            last edited by

                            I just tried a Realtek based 2.5gb NIC. I swear I followed the steps. Did not work. I have a Realtek 1gb builtin NIC in the PC. It was found by the updated driver. I was trying out of curiosity’s sake so not critical. Went back to my Intel i-225 NIC and am good to go again…..

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              If the driver is installed and loading at boot correctly it will be reported clearly as such in the boot log for each NIC:

                              re0: version:1.97.00
                              
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                              • J
                                JimBob Indiana @stephenw10
                                last edited by

                                @stephenw10

                                I don’t see that, or anything like it, in system log. Where is the log for the NIC’s?

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                                • R
                                  RK0 @JimBob Indiana
                                  last edited by

                                  @jimbob-indiana

                                  Status > System Logs > System > OS Boot

                                  scroll down to look for the re0 and re1 interfaces

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                                  • J
                                    jsmiddleton4 @RK0
                                    last edited by jsmiddleton4

                                    @rk0

                                    Have those entries. They just don't have the 197.0, 198.0, etc.

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      In the boot log. Also in the system log if you've just rebooted. Like:

                                      re0: <Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller> port 0x1000-0x10ff mem 0xf7a00000-0xf7a00fff,0xf7900000-0xf7903fff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci1
                                      re0: Using Memory Mapping!
                                      re0: Using 1 MSI-X message
                                      re0: ASPM disabled
                                      re0: version:1.97.00
                                      re0: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:38:30:10
                                      This product is covered by one or more of the following patents:
                                      US6,570,884, US6,115,776, and US6,327,625.
                                      re0: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:38:30:10
                                      pcib2: <ACPI PCI-PCI bridge> irq 17 at device 5.0 on pci0
                                      pci2: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib2
                                      re1: <Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller> port 0x2000-0x20ff mem 0xf7c00000-0xf7c00fff,0xf7b00000-0xf7b03fff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci2
                                      re1: Using Memory Mapping!
                                      re1: Using 1 MSI-X message
                                      re1: ASPM disabled
                                      re1: version:1.97.00
                                      re1: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:38:30:11
                                      This product is covered by one or more of the following patents:
                                      US6,570,884, US6,115,776, and US6,327,625.
                                      re1: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:38:30:11
                                      
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                                      • G
                                        Gradius @jsmiddleton4
                                        last edited by

                                        @jsmiddleton4 Everything is on driver:

                                        name:realtek-re-kmod
                                        origin:net/realtek-re-kmod
                                        version:198.00
                                        comment:Kernel driver for Realtek PCIe Ethernet Controllers
                                        maintainer:ale@FreeBSD.org

                                        description:
                                        Realtek PCIe FE GBE 2.5G
                                        Gaming Ethernet Family Controller kernel driver.

                                        This is the official driver from Realtek with a few patches to
                                        improve stability and performance. It can be loaded instead of
                                        the FreeBSD driver built into the GENERIC kernel if you experience
                                        issues with it (eg. watchdog timeouts), or your card is not supported.

                                        Supported devices:
                                        2.5G Gigabit Ethernet: RTL8125 / RTL8125B(S)(G)

                                        10/100/1000M Gigabit Ethernet:
                                        RTL8111B / RTL8111C / RTL8111D / RTL8111E / RTL8111F / RTL8111G(S)
                                        RTL8111H(S) / RTL8118(A)(S) / RTL8119i / RTL8111L / RTL8111K
                                        RTL8168B / RTL8168E / RTL8168H
                                        RTL8111DP / RTL8111EP / RTL8111FP
                                        RTL8411 / RTL8411B

                                        10/100M Fast Ethernet:
                                        RTL8101E / RTL8102E / RTL8103E / RTL8105E / RTL8106E / RTL8107E
                                        RTL8401 / RTL8402

                                        See also:
                                        https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/network-interface-controllers-10-100-1000m-gigabit-ethernet-pci-express-software

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                                        • R
                                          RK0 @jsmiddleton4
                                          last edited by

                                          @jsmiddleton4

                                          Mine read as follows in Status > System Logs > System > OS Boot (scrolling down to the relevant entries)

                                          re1: version:1.98.00
                                          re1: ASPM disabled
                                          re1: Using 1 MSI-X message
                                          re1: Using Memory Mapping!
                                          re1: <Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller> port 0x3000-0x30ff mem 0xa1204000-0xa1204fff,0xa1200000-0xa1203fff irq 19 at device 0.0 on pci3

                                          and

                                          re0: version:1.98.00
                                          re0: ASPM disabled
                                          re0: Using 1 MSI-X message
                                          re0: Using Memory Mapping!
                                          re0: <Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller> port 0x4000-0x40ff mem 0xa1304000-0xa1304fff,0xa1300000-0xa1303fff irq 19 at device 0.0 on pci2

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                                          • J
                                            JimBob Indiana @RK0
                                            last edited by JimBob Indiana

                                            @rk0

                                            Thanks but I’m not getting any of that. I’m pretty sure the Realtek driver isn’t getting installed. I followed the steps…..

                                            There’s a post I can’t find now on this forum that has the steps in an easy to follow format. Even the information on how to tell if the driver is installed. The PFSense driver will list the number of the Realtek card. Realtek’s driver lists as you indicated, Realtek PCEe Family Controller.

                                            Mine never said that. But if it only says PCIe GBe Family that is not the 2.5gbe card. At least as far as I know that’s the 1gb card.

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