Intel Gbit Quadports card. ET, MT or PT?

cyberfinn · Mar 29, 2010, 2:02 PM

Hey

We are deploying two new pfSense servers, we need a Quad port network interface in each pfSense server.

What are the differences between the ET, MT or PT Model?

Withc one should be the best for a pfSense server?

GruensFroeschli · Mar 29, 2010, 2:31 PM

S = PCI - copper

EF = PCI express - fibre
PF = PCI express - fibre
ET = PCI express - copper
PT = PCI express - copper

XF = PCI-X - fibre
MF = PCI-X - fibre
MT = PCI-X - copper
GT = PCI-X - copper

mhab12 · Mar 29, 2010, 6:12 PM

I would recommend doing both a search of the forum and google for the particular card you are planning to use. We have a new ET card in a Xen server and it took some hacking to make it work. The same is true of FreeBSD/pfSense or it would seem that way from several related forum posts.

Nobody is quite sure why many of the kernels are not incorporating the Intel driver yet, as it has been out since the cards were released sometime last year.

cyberfinn · Mar 29, 2010, 7:33 PM

Then we need the ET or PT card. What er the differences between these two? Are both supported in pfsense 1.2 or what? I hope somebody have tryed it.

valnar · Mar 30, 2010, 12:16 PM

http://communities.intel.com/message/11472#11472

cyberfinn · Mar 30, 2010, 12:23 PM

Thanks. But will the ET card work with pfSense 1.2.3

valnar · Mar 30, 2010, 4:38 PM

@cyberfinn:

Thanks. But will the ET card work with pfSense 1.2.3

Good question. A dev would have to answer. I can only show you this:
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=em&sektion=4&manpath=FreeBSD+7.2-RELEASE

tester_02 · Mar 31, 2010, 12:12 AM

Seems very simple from those links.
PT = Older model based on 82572 controller
ET = Newer model based on 82576 controller

As per the freebsd 7.2 docs, only the older 82572 PT controller is on the list.
I have been looking for one also, and now I know. I went and looked at the 8.0 notes and so far the ET is not on there either.

Thanks for the research! Saved me a lot of time.. Now to find one cheap :)

wallabybob · Mar 31, 2010, 12:18 AM

If I recall correctly (haven't checked) the ET card is supported by the igb driver in FreeBSD 8.0 while the PT is supported by the em driver in FreeBSD 7.2 and 8.0.

mhab12 · Mar 31, 2010, 3:18 PM

A simple search for 82576 yields fantastic answers.
http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,22986.0.html
http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,23550.0.html
http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,20009.0.html