RTL8111C driver for FBSD7

[Da Rock]

On Fri, 2008-04-18 at 14:38 +0300, Manolis Kiagias wrote:
> 
> Da Rock wrote:
> > On Fri, 2008-04-18 at 11:08 +0300, Manolis Kiagias wrote:
> >   
> >> Da Rock wrote:
> >>     
> >>> On Fri, 2008-04-18 at 10:11 +0300, Manolis Kiagias wrote:
> >>>   
> >>>       
> >>>> Da Rock wrote:
> >>>>     
> >>>>         
> >>>>> Hey, hey... I made a boo boo and ordered a unit with this nic onboard
> >>>>> (truthfully, I never thought I'd have any trouble since I had done this
> >>>>> before). Loaded 7 and couldn't find the nic. A little investigation
> >>>>> found that the nic was the above, and a little further found that there
> >>>>> was no support for it in the hcl's.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Now I do find it hard to believe there is no way around this- I found a
> >>>>> driver for FBSD4.5-6, is there one for 6.2 or higher? Or will this one
> >>>>> work? Anyone know how to install it?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The driver is only a c and a h file- Makefile is an empty file, and the
> >>>>> readme tells me to rebuild the kernel after removing rl and re in the
> >>>>> conf. Then I build the driver, and kldload it. Any idea why I'd have to
> >>>>> rebuild the kernel?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Cheers guys
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>   
> >>>>>       
> >>>>>           
> >>>> I've seen this driver too (I've investigated for a friend who bought a 
> >>>> similar motherboard that otherwise works with 7). The readme describes 
> >>>> two "methods" of installation but the first one simply does not apply 
> >>>> (there is no modules directory in the download). I have not tried the 
> >>>> second method (looks reasonable though). Removing the rl and re from the 
> >>>> kernel will remove the built-in support (it could conflict with the new 
> >>>> driver) and create a module for the new driver. Note that you are also 
> >>>> asked to replace the files in the FreeBSD src directories.  In fact it 
> >>>> is better to build as a module - building it into the kernel may well 
> >>>> leave you with an unbootable kernel if it is not compatible.
> >>>>
> >>>> As I said, I have not done this (my friend will be running Linux on this 
> >>>> box) but as more and more recent mobos seem to use this NIC - and I may 
> >>>> be buying one- if you are willing to give it a try, I will be interested 
> >>>> in the results.
> >>>>     
> >>>>         
> >>> Well I just tried it- I put this out there for some feedback mainly- the
> >>> kernel rebuild is to remove the old rl and re drivers completely, and
> >>> the build for the driver is for a module.
> >>>
> >>> Unfortunately the result is a failure: compatibility issues or some sort
> >>> (argument warnings, not enough args, invalid variables and functions).
> >>> My question is will I find something to work for 7? If not, will it work
> >>> on 6.2 or 6.3 (it only says 6 in the readme's)?
> >>>   
> >>>       
> >> I hope realtek releases a driver for 7. I would not want to go back to 
> >> 6.X for this.
> >> I have a 6.3 server, and can give it a try - as far as compiling the 
> >> module, not actually using it, I don't have the NIC.
> >> I will post the results later today.
> >>
> >>     
> >
> > Ok, I have good news and bad news.
> >
> > Good news: the driver compiles under 6.2.
> >
> > Bad news: it doesn't work.
> >
> > I tried a new cable, dhcp, manual config- could not get it to
> > communicate. First sign was that it couldn't get an ip from dhcp. Then I
> > tried pinging dns name, then local address- NG. When I tried the cable
> > the NIC led didn't come back on, and the indication leds on the switch
> > were slowly blinking. Something is seriously wrong...
> >
> > Any ideas about this guys?
> >
> >
> >   
> Maybe it gets stuck in the auto-negotiation phase, trying to determine 
> link speed?
> 
> Give it a bit of manual help, something like:
> 
> ifconfig rl0 inet 192.168.0.25 netmask 255.255.255.0 media 100baseTX

I have to admit I hadn't thought of that, and I did just check it now,
but thats not the case here. The NIC led is not on at all, only the
switch led is blinking slowly.

No, I believe this could be one for the experts- any out there?