From owner-freebsd-usb@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Nov 28 21:11:26 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: usb@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 62A181065679 for ; Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:11:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from brett@lariat.net) Received: from lariat.net (lariat.net [66.119.58.2]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 027AA8FC16 for ; Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:11:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: from anne-o1dpaayth1.lariat.net (IDENT:ppp1000.lariat.net@lariat.net [66.119.58.2]) by lariat.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id NAA05930 for ; Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:40:23 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <200911282040.NAA05930@lariat.net> X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 7.1.0.9 Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:40:18 -0700 To: usb@freebsd.org From: Brett Glass Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Cc: Subject: ASIX USB-to-Ethernet drivers X-BeenThere: freebsd-usb@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: FreeBSD support for USB List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:11:26 -0000 Everyone: Just tried to plug an ASIX-based USB-to-Ethernet interface into a system running FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE, and discovered that it wasn't recognized. It turns out that ASIX has come out with a new version of one of its chips: the AX88772A. It has a smaller package with fewer pins, slightly less buffer memory, and a serial interface so that it can also support power line networking (see http://www.asix.com.tw/products.php?op=ProductList&PLine=71&PSeries=100). The AX88772 is being phased out by most interface manufacturers because the "A" chip is smaller and cheaper and takes up less board space. I am sure that I will not be the only person who is frustrated when plugging in an interface that looks the same as the older ones and finding that it doesn't work! I've discovered that the existing axe(4) driver for FreeBSD seems to work on the AX88772A without any changes if it is told to treat the chip like an AX88772. (It may not be optimal, because the ASIX Linux driver code does differentiate between the two. And the command "systat -vmstat 1" does show a lot of IRQs -- about one per millisecond. Also, the link light on the interface does not work, though this is a minor nit that I can live with. But the interface does at least run.) For the moment, I've patched /sys/dev/usb/usbdevs and /sys/dev/usb/net/axe to treat the AX88772A as if it were an AX88772 (patch submitted as PR 140923) so that I can get my systems working. But it would probably be a good idea to do more thorough testing.... --Brett Glass