Realtek device driver update

Kyraksi

For example, when 2.4.0 became available, before upgrading I recompiled the Realtek driver on a FreeBSD 11.1 machine and uploaded it to /boot/kernel/ on my pfSense machine. Then I applied the 2.4.0 pfSense upgrade. And that's all I had to do, if I recall correctly. I don't think the 2.4.0 upgrade even removed the if_re_load="YES" from /boot/loader.conf.local that is needed to use the compiled Realtek driver instead of the one built into the kernel.

I think the main takeaway is that using this compiled Realtek driver is not officially supported by Netgate/pfSense, so it's very much buyer beware. But my experience has been good so far, and I think it's reasonable to assume - though there's no guarantee - that the current v1.94 Realtek driver which I compiled under FreeBSD 11.1 should work for all FreeBSD 11.x releases, but that a recompilation will be required for the first version of pfSense based on FreeBSD 12.x.

Thank you!

Just some thinks to mention, the 1.94 driver you posted works fine with CI327. However, I needed to put in following lines:
hw.pci.enable_msix="1"
hw.re.msi_disable="1"

Without msix re1 wouldnt work. No single packet captured from that interface with tcpdump.

TheNarc

With regard to a write-up on how to compile this Realtek driver, user jovimon made a great one:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=103841.msg775568#msg775568

Here's a direct link to it as well:
https://gist.github.com/jovimon/524e116471f249626fd2ccd141f3fe05

sdf_iain

I have an alternate method to install this driver using only your pfSense instance:

Edit two files using "Diagnostics" > "Edit File":

/usr/local/etc/pkg/repos/FreeBSD.conf
/usr/local/etc/pkg/repos/pfSense.conf
Change FreeBSD {enabled: no} to #FreeBSD {enabled: no}, this comments out these lines and enables the FreeBSD repository.

Run the following commands in "Diagnostics" > "Command Prompt":

pkg update -r FreeBSD
pkg install -y realtek-re-kmod

Re-Disable the FreeBSD Repositories (undo the change in step 1), netgate has them disabled for a reason
Edit /boot/loader.conf.local using "Diagnostics" > "Edit File":

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

Reboot your firewall
Run dmesg using "Diagnostics" > "Command Prompt" and search for your interfaces in the output to verify the version

The RealTek RealTek Driver with some enhancements has made it into the FreeBSD repos.

TheNarc

@sdf_iain Thanks for this information. Do you happen to know whether this is the latest (v1.96) driver? Also, are any details available with respect to the "enhancements"?

sdf_iain

It is the 1.96 driver, but I don't know what all changes have been made.

I'm not sure what the exact differences are, but the source is here if you want to try to compare.

Looks like it might take a bit to compare the two files and see what the exact differences are (mostly because the order of things is different). If I had to guess I'd say the RealTek driver's changes are incorporated into the FreeBSD version of the driver, but that's a guess. diff shows that the order of things (methods, imports, variables) is different.

stephenw10

That source appears to be for the standard FreeBSD driver, that's built into pfSense anyway.

Is that kernel module loading something different?

Steve

sdf_iain

@stephenw10
My mistake that kernel module SAYS it's the 1.96_04 version from RealTek

I linked the wrong source, here's the link to the module in ports:
https://svnweb.freebsd.org/ports/head/net/realtek-re-kmod/

I have to admit that I do not know how that patch file is applied.

EDIT:
A quick dig into the Makefiles seems to imply that the driver is downloaded (from a FreeBSD Cache), then updated using the patch file, and finally built.

stephenw10

Are you testing that in 2.5 I assume?

sdf_iain

@stephenw10
2.4.5-RELEASE-p1, the RealTek RealTek driver is generally required for stability.

stephenw10

Hmm, interesting that pkg only appeared to exist in head.....

sdf_iain

@stephenw10
Its a very new package. If pfSense was configured to track quarterly instead latest in /etc/pkg/FreeBSD.conf, then the package wouldn't be visible.

It is possible that it will show up in the branch 2020Q4, when that gets created.

stephenw10

Yeah that would be it. Nice.

The package should still be install-able via 'pkg add' directly if you have the location. Which is generally better that changing the repo.

Steve

sdf_iain

Running a single command replaces steps 1 through 3 that I listed above:
pkg add https://pkg.FreeBSD.org/FreeBSD:11:amd64/latest/All/realtek-re-kmod-v196.04_2.txz

Jiffyjeeff

Do you guys know how to turn off Flow Control in this driver for re0 ?

stephenw10

It's a media option so you select it from the connection drop down but it normally does not connect with flowcontrol:

re1: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
	description: WAN
	options=82098<VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,VLAN_HWCSUM,WOL_MAGIC,LINKSTATE>
	capabilities=18399b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,WOL_UCAST,WOL_MCAST,WOL_MAGIC,LINKSTATE,NETMAP>
	ether 00:0d:b9:37:30:11
	inet6 fe80::20d:b9ff:fe37:3011%re1 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x2
	inet 172.21.16.35 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 172.21.16.255
	media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
	status: active
	supported media:
		media autoselect mediaopt flowcontrol
		media autoselect
		media 1000baseT mediaopt full-duplex,flowcontrol,master
		media 1000baseT mediaopt full-duplex,flowcontrol
		media 1000baseT mediaopt full-duplex,master
		media 1000baseT mediaopt full-duplex
		media 1000baseT mediaopt master
		media 1000baseT
		media 100baseTX mediaopt full-duplex,flowcontrol
		media 100baseTX mediaopt full-duplex
		media 100baseTX
		media 10baseT/UTP mediaopt full-duplex,flowcontrol
		media 10baseT/UTP mediaopt full-duplex
		media 10baseT/UTP
		media none
	nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>

Steve

Jiffyjeeff

Ok thanks.

Looks like it's off by default?

stephenw10

Yes, looks that way. It's certainly off on everything I can check.
You would have to select 'autoselect flowcontrol' in the interface speed/duplex setting to enable it.

Steve

Jiffyjeeff

@stephenw10 said in Realtek device driver update:

'autoselect flowcontrol'

'autoselect flowcontrol' doesn't even show up on the drop list. It's currently set to "media 1000baseT full-duplex"

I'm getting great performance with this driver!

sdf_iain

@Jiffyjeeff Can you quantify "great performance"?

I get 600-700 mbps (which is good enough for me).

Jiffyjeeff

@sdf_iain

I have this realtek 2.5gbps nic based on the 8125 chip connected to my cable modem's 1gbps wan port. using a short 2ft Cat 8 cable I get 900 to 940 i'm on 1gb plan. Waiting to get one of the new cable modems with the 2.5gbps port. My latency is low between 15-16ms on speed test.