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    LAN Driver, Qualcomm Atheros AR8171

    Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      Because it didn't make it into stable before the cut-off for 10.1 unfortunately.
      You can still compile the newer kernel module from 10-stable and override the in kernel driver in 10.1 though.

      Steve

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      • arrmoA
        arrmo
        last edited by

        Hi,

        Thanks for the info! Asking more, only because I'm trying to understand - not meant to be negative at all, please don't take it that way.

        Here is the change for 10 (right?) … http://freshbsd.org/commit/freebsd/r273366. Isn't this before the 10.1 cutoff? Or perhaps not, again - trying to understand.

        I'd be more than happy to build the new module, just not sure where to get it from ... :(.

        Thanks!!!

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          So stable was copied to releng for 10.1 on the 3/10/14:
          https://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=272461

          A few weeks before the support was added to alc(4). It's not in 10.1:
          https://svnweb.freebsd.org/base/release/10.1.0/sys/dev/alc/if_alc.c?view=markup

          Hence it's not in pfSense 2.2.
          I imagine it would very easy to include it if some key piece of hardware was using the AR8171 but I doubt you'd be able to persuade the devs to put it into 2.2 now we're in RC.

          If there's an ISO for a 10-stable snapshot available you can just boot that up (in a VM perhaps) and build the kernel module. If not you may have to copy the more recent code into a 10.1 install and build there instead.
          Once you have the updated kernel module copy it to /boot/modules in the pfSense and add the line:

          if_alc_load="yes"

          To the file /boot/loader.conf.local
          That will load the module at boot time and override the in kernel driver. Hopefully!  ;)

          Steve

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          • arrmoA
            arrmo
            last edited by

            Makes sense, and thanks for taking the time to explain - much appreciated!

            I did have a VM for FreeBSD, that's how I built the "older" alx driver (earlier in this thread). I say "did" because I removed it earlier today, it was having all sorts of issues … :(. But the older driver works, not much reason to build a newer add-on, just thought I could perhaps remove the extra file (and use the driver in the kernel).

            Thanks again!

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            • A
              Alex 0
              last edited by

              Hello,
              maybe i just misunderstood some point of the conversation (I'm really new to FreeBSD), but I'm really struggling with that driver. I'm using pfSense 2.1.5 so I can't take the mere driver you've attached on one of your answer (exec format error if I try to kldload it). So I installed a VM with FreeBSD 8.3 to compile it but I end with a load of errors :
              Warning: Object directory not changed from original /root/alx-freebsd-master
              cc -O2 -pipe -fno-strict-aliasing -Werror -D_KERNEL -DKLD_MODULE -nostdinc  -I. -I@ -I@/contrib/altq -finline-limit=8000 –param inline-unit-growth=100 --param large-function-growth=1000 -fno-common -g -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mcmodel=kernel -mno-red-zone  -mfpmath=387 -mno-sse -mno-sse2 -mno-sse3 -mno-mmx -mno-3dnow  -msoft-float -fno-asynchronous-unwind-tables -ffreestanding -fstack-protector -std=iso9899:1999 -fstack-protector -Wall -Wredundant-decls -Wnested-externs -Wstrict-prototypes  -Wmissing-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Winline -Wcast-qual  -Wundef -Wno-pointer-sign -fformat-extensions -c if_alx.c
              In file included from if_alx.c:54:
              alx_hw.h:512: error: expected specifier-qualifier-list before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:604: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:606: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:606: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:608: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:616: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:624: error: expected '=', ',', ';', 'asm' or 'attribute' before 'alx_phy_configed'
              alx_hw.h:626: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:627: error: expected declaration specifiers or '...' before 'bool'
              alx_hw.h:656: error: expected '=', ',', ';', 'asm' or 'attribute' before 'alx_get_phy_info'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_identify_hw':
              if_alx.c:479: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'ptrn_ofs'
              if_alx.c:480: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'max_ptrns'
              if_alx.c:482: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'ptrn_ofs'
              if_alx.c:483: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'max_ptrns'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_init_sw':
              if_alx.c:530: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'sleep_ctrl'
              if_alx.c:535: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:535: error: 'false' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:535: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
              if_alx.c:535: error: for each function it appears in.)
              if_alx.c:536: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:537: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:538: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'adv_cfg'
              if_alx.c:541: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'flowctrl'
              if_alx.c:550: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'is_fpga'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_reset':
              if_alx.c:944: error: 'bool' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:944: error: expected ';' before 'phy_cfged'
              if_alx.c:951: error: 'phy_cfged' undeclared (first use in this function)
              cc1: warnings being treated as errors
              if_alx.c:951: warning: implicit declaration of function 'alx_phy_configed'
              if_alx.c:951: warning: nested extern declaration of 'alx_phy_configed'
              if_alx.c:953: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'hib_patch'
              if_alx.c:953: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_reset_phy'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_update_link':
              if_alx.c:965: error: 'bool' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:965: error: expected ';' before 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:973: error: 'link_up' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:973: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_get_phy_link'
              if_alx.c:977: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:981: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:981: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:982: error: 'prev_link_up' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:982: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:984: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:989: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:990: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:990: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:992: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:992: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_post_phy_link'
              if_alx.c:993: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_enable_aspm'
              if_alx.c:998: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:999: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:1010: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_configure_rss'
              if_alx.c:1011: error: 'false' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:1011: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_enable_aspm'
              if_alx.c:1012: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_post_phy_link'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_media_status':
              if_alx.c:1231: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c:1238: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:1247: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_duplex'
              if_alx.c:1251: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c:1263: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_speed'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_start_locked':
              if_alx.c:1388: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'link_up'
              if_alx.c: In function 'alx_attach':
              if_alx.c:1437: error: 'bool' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:1437: error: expected ';' before 'phy_cfged'
              if_alx.c:1478: error: 'phy_cfged' undeclared (first use in this function)
              if_alx.c:1480: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'hib_patch'
              if_alx.c:1480: error: too many arguments to function 'alx_reset_phy'
              if_alx.c:1490: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'adv_cfg'
              if_alx.c:1490: error: 'struct alx_hw' has no member named 'flowctrl'
              if_alx.c:1514: warning: implicit declaration of function 'alx_get_phy_info'
              if_alx.c:1514: warning: nested extern declaration of 'alx_get_phy_info'
              *** Error code 1

              Stop in /root/alx-freebsd-master.

              I alos tried to recompile the kernel of the VM adding "device miibus" and "device alc" in the kernel config, but when I try to load the generated driver in pfSense, it tells me that it is already existing (which is true after verifying with kldstat -v). So I tried to stop it to be able to put the new driver (kldunload), the fact is it merely freeze the system and I can't do anything ecept reloading my ssh connection to the pfSense machine (it freezes the system even if I work on it with a keyboard and a screen). I'm quite sure I'm doing something wrong, but I can't figure what. Any suggestion ?

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              • arrmoA
                arrmo
                last edited by

                Hi,

                The VM that I used to build it was PC-BSD … a completely separate machine (with all the needed build tools, those don't come with pfSense).

                Hope that helps!

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                • A
                  Alex 0
                  last edited by

                  Hi arrmo,
                  thx for your help, I tried to compile the driver under PC-BSD, it compiled but when I try to load the module on pfSense I have a Exec Format Error.
                  Edit : my fault, I do not have taken the PC BSD release corresponding to FRee BSD 8.3 but the latest. I will try again tomorrow.

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                  • A
                    Alex 0
                    last edited by

                    Hi,
                    I finally suceeded compiling the driver under FreebSD 8.3 on VM, including stdbool.h in alx_hw.h. My Atheros AR8171 is now recognized by pfSense. Thanks for your help :)

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                    • arrmoA
                      arrmo
                      last edited by

                      Excellent, glad to hear it. Have fun!

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                      • A
                        Alex 0
                        last edited by

                        Well, maybe I've spoken too fast… The ethernet interface is recognized, but trying to connect it, I see "statuts : no carrier" when I do a ifconfig on alx0, even if it's directly plugged to a SFRBox with a ethernet wire. I will continue to search why I have this issue

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          Hmm, disappointing. Do you see link leds at either end?

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                          • A
                            Alex 0
                            last edited by

                            Yes, leds are ON on the box and the pfSense, blinking from time to time.

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                            • arrmoA
                              arrmo
                              last edited by

                              Very odd … :(. Seems like it's up, but seems to say no. What does media say (under ifconfig)?

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                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                With 2.2 just around the corner (hopefully) at this point I have to say it's probably not worth putting too much effort into. Just run 2.2RC with the other kernel module.
                                Since the alx driver was developed against FreeBSD 10 it may require significant backporting to make it work with 8.3.  :-\

                                Steve

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                                • A
                                  Alex 0
                                  last edited by

                                  Hello,
                                  as you suggested, I switched on pfSense 2.2 RC on my machine. I tried to compile the driver under VM with FreeBSD 10.1, it compiled well but the kldload didn't work, so I took the one provided by arrmo, and this time it works : the alx0 have a dhcp lease when plugged to a SFR Box. Now I will perform tests to verify tu upload and download ratio ;)

                                  EDIT : I configured my network as I planned (Captive portal + Freeradius + external MySQL database), and the debit, when I'm the only client, is almost the same as a connection not passing through pfSense. I built this for a LAN party in March, so i'll see in a few month if the custom driver bear the load ;)
                                  Anyway, thx for your help and advices !

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