
Linux Driver Software: Broadcom NetXtreme II Network Adapter User Guide
file:///T|/htdocs/NETWORK/BroadCom/71921/NetXtremeII/en/linux.htm[9/26/2012 3:28:46 PM]
Back to Contents Page
Linux Driver Software: Broadcom NetXtreme II Network Adapter
User Guide
Introduction
Limitations
Packaging
Installing Linux Driver Software
Unloading/Removing the Linux Driver
Patching PCI Files (Optional)
Network Installations
Setting Values for Optional Properties
Driver Defaults
Driver Messages
Teaming with Channel Bonding
Remote PHY Support
Statistics
Linux iSCSI Offload
Introduction
This section discusses the Linux drivers for the Broadcom NetXtreme II network adapters.
Table 1: Broadcom NetXtreme II Linux Drivers
Linux
Driver Description
bnx2
cnic
Linux drivers for the BCM5708/BCM5709 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps network adapters. The bnx2 driver is the
networking driver and the cnic driver supports additional features required by the bnx2i iSCSI offload driver.
bnx2x Linux driver for the BCM57710/BCM57711/BCM57712 10 Gbps network adapters
bnx2i Linux driver to enable iSCSI offload on the BCM5708/BCM5709/BCM57710/BCM57711/BCM57712
10/100/1000/2500/10000 Mbps network adapters
Limitations
bnx2 Driver
bnx2x Driver
bnx2i Driver
bnx2 Driver
The current version of the driver has been tested on all 2.6.x kernels. Testing is concentrated on i386 and x86_64
architectures. Only limited testing has been done on other architectures. Minor changes to some source files and Makefile may
be needed on some kernels. Additionally, the Makefile will not compile the cnic driver on kernels older than 2.6.16. iSCSI
offload is only supported on 2.6.16 and newer kernels.
NOTE: For Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 devices with a silicon revision prior to B2, the open source bnx2 driver does
not support the reporting and configuration of NetXtreme II WOL settings via ethtool. For silicon revisions of B2 or later, the