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    Updated Realtek NIC drivers missing in PfSense 2.6.0

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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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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                                • R
                                  RK0 @JimBob Indiana
                                  last edited by RK0

                                  @jimbob-indiana

                                  This did not work?

                                  pkg add https://pkg.freebsd.org/FreeBSD:12:amd64/latest/All/realtek-re-kmod-198.00.pkg
                                  

                                  ...and of course, you will have to follow the instructions that should come up on screen, changing your /boot/loader.conf.local file with the entries

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

                                  ...and then rebooting your PFSense system

                                  I would also recommend grabbing and keeping the file https://pkg.freebsd.org/FreeBSD:12:amd64/latest/All/realtek-re-kmod-198.00.pkg somewhere safe. (You can just open that URL on a PC browser, and download the realtek-re-kmod-198.00.pkg file). Save it somewhere in case you have to rebuild your PFSense firewall. Worst case you could then transfer the file manually to your PFSense firewall and install it directly from local storage, in case it "disappears" from the URL above.

                                  My system uses RTL8111 adapters integral to the system, and is supported by the 198 package...I can't speak for your 2.5Gb adapter however. I hope it is not one of those USB attached 2.5Gbs adapters...all bets are off if that is the case.

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                                  • J
                                    JimBob Indiana @RK0
                                    last edited by JimBob Indiana

                                    @rk0 Didn’t seem to. Will try again. Not sure how I remove anything that was installed previously other than just manually remove the .ko files from modules and kernel folders.

                                    I’m getting the OSVersion mix match error.

                                    To ignore this error set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes

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                                    • J
                                      JimBob Indiana
                                      last edited by

                                      @rk0 NOT USB. PCIe 2.5gb 8125B.

                                      For some reason it appears to me the driver isn’t actually loading.

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

                                        What pfSense version are you running?

                                        What's in your /boot/loader.conf.local file?

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                                        • R
                                          RK0 @JimBob Indiana
                                          last edited by

                                          @jimbob-indiana

                                          When you execute the commands, are you running under the auspices of the local admin account? If not, try doing that.

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                                          • J
                                            jsmiddleton4 @RK0
                                            last edited by jsmiddleton4

                                            @rk0

                                            Am local admin.

                                            The latest 2.7. Just updated.

                                            I had the lines for if re, etc. I copied and pasted them to make sure I had them correct.

                                            At this juncture I'm looking at starting over. I don't want to reinstall PFSense fresh but do want to figure out how I remove any left over realtek drivers.

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