nForce LAN driver

[samhl]

i use nForceLAN_0.64.3 on a A8N-VM CSM Mobo. nForce 430 built in Gigabit. Installed OS: 10.5.8 with voodoo 9.5, anv 9.7 and anv 9.8 kernel

 

made this kext work for me is/was a little bit confusing:

1.) in systempreferences => network there is per default ethernet shown in red (not connected)

2.) i must set: more Options => ethernet => manually to 10baseT and fullduplex, then ethernet is shown as connected.

• BUT: i can not log into internet with an assigned PPPoE Connection

3.) i must changing Network => Ethernet => More Options => Ethernet manually in 10base/T and half Duplex Mode, then i can login to an PPPoE Connection.

Note: Doing step 3 first = no success. i have tried hours and hours of different options. only this order sequence worked, (of course i can set on step 2 manually to 100baseT to get the connected - but also without the possibility to login to PPPoE .

 

i have written an automator action which is doing the steps at startup for me. Its okay and it is doing the job. No crashs, freezes, panics ... i'm surfin with around 9.009 kbit/s download speed - BUT i would gladly use a faster internet connection. (got an 16 MBit/s line). Is there any way to get it worked with 100baseT or in fully Gigabit Mode?

If not - i would buy a PCI network card in the future ... is there any recommend - maybe working without third-party kext?

[eno]

i use nForceLAN_0.64.3 on a A8N-VM CSM Mobo. nForce 430 built in Gigabit. Installed OS: 10.5.8 with voodoo 9.5, anv 9.7 and anv 9.8 kernel

 

made this kext work for me is/was a little bit confusing:

1.) in systempreferences => network there is per default ethernet shown in red (not connected)

2.) i must set: more Options => ethernet => manually to 10baseT and fullduplex, then ethernet is shown as connected.

• BUT: i can not log into internet with an assigned PPPoE Connection

3.) i must changing Network => Ethernet => More Options => Ethernet manually in 10base/T and half Duplex Mode, then i can login to an PPPoE Connection.

Note: Doing step 3 first = no success. i have tried hours and hours of different options. only this order sequence worked, (of course i can set on step 2 manually to 100baseT to get the connected - but also without the possibility to login to PPPoE .

 

i have written an automator action which is doing the steps at startup for me. Its okay and it is doing the job. No crashs, freezes, panics ... i'm surfin with around 9.009 kbit/s download speed - BUT i would gladly use a faster internet connection. (got an 16 MBit/s line). Is there any way to get it worked with 100baseT or in fully Gigabit Mode?

If not - i would buy a PCI network card in the future ... is there any recommend - maybe working without third-party kext?

 

This might sound strange, but have you tried powercyling your PPPoE modem?

 

Have you tried reducing the mtu or the optimization mode? You change the mtu in ethernet settings. I would recommend dropping it to 1000 and see if that works. The optimization mode can be changed in the Info.plist file inside the extension. I would recommend trying mode 1 if changing the mtu has no effect.

[TheDirTchamber]

I installed ideneb lite 1.6 (10.5.8), and tried to use the nforce lan drivers on the dvd (they are called nForce Ethernet or something). The ethernet card is there in Network options, the MAC address is right, but it doesn't send any packets over the network. Just receives. So obviously the internet is not working. Or the LAN.

Then I tried using the nforcelan_0.643. This time there is traffic, and I can even browse the LAN, but no internet, and that's because the MAC address is wrong with this driver. And my ISP uses that MAC to sort of authenticate the clients on the network. I tried changing the MAC in terminal, but it doesn't change.

 

What can I do? I have a Asus P5N-E SLI mobo, with 650i SLI chipset. Any help is appreciated.

 

LE: Well, I fixed it, sort of. I found a little application that changes the MAC address, and it works after I do it. But the problem is that everytime I boot, the MAC is changed back, so it doesn't remember my modification...

[eno]

I installed ideneb lite 1.6 (10.5.8), and tried to use the nforce lan drivers on the dvd (they are called nForce Ethernet or something). The ethernet card is there in Network options, the MAC address is right, but it doesn't send any packets over the network. Just receives. So obviously the internet is not working. Or the LAN.

Then I tried using the nforcelan_0.643. This time there is traffic, and I can even browse the LAN, but no internet, and that's because the MAC address is wrong with this driver. And my ISP uses that MAC to sort of authenticate the clients on the network. I tried changing the MAC in terminal, but it doesn't change.

 

What can I do? I have a Asus P5N-E SLI mobo, with 650i SLI chipset. Any help is appreciated.

 

LE: Well, I fixed it, sort of. I found a little application that changes the MAC address, and it works after I do it. But the problem is that everytime I boot, the MAC is changed back, so it doesn't remember my modification...

 

Is the MAC backwards or is it getting set to a pseudo-random number?

[TheDirTchamber]

It's not backwards, it's a totally different MAC.

P.S. Now it's not working with that application anymore. It says that the MAC was changed, but looking into the advanced properties of the Ethernet connection I see the same wrong MAC...

[eno]

It's not backwards, it's a totally different MAC.

P.S. Now it's not working with that application anymore. It says that the MAC was changed, but looking into the advanced properties of the Ethernet connection I see the same wrong MAC...

 

Set the nForceLAN log level to 1 in the Info.plist and tell me what messages nForceLAN prints to the system log. The best way to get this information is:

sudo dmesg | grep nForceLAN

[TheDirTchamber]

I am sorry, I'm quite new to this...where can I find this info.plist to modify it?

Never mind, I found it. Here's what the log says:

 

Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: log verbosity to 1
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: message signaled interrupts (MSI): enabled (if available)
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: optimization mode: throughput
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: timer IRQ: enabled
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: probing...
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: found nVidia MCP51 Ethernet Controller device 10de:0269 with flags 0x0080030a
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: Version 0.64.3 starting
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: MAC address 04:4B:80:80:80:03 given by device is not valid. Generating a pseudo-random MAC....
Fri Jan 29 20:39:33 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: Ethernet address 00:00:80:6c:df:00
Fri Jan 29 20:39:33 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN(en0): enabling interrupts with mask: 0x000000df and msiEnable: 0x00000000
Fri Jan 29 20:39:35 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN(en0): Link speed now 100Mbps(duplex = Full, flow control = Yes), code 0x10064.

 

That MAC address that it says it's not valid is the right one. I really don't understand why it says it's invalid...

[TheDirTchamber]

So, eno, any solutions please?

[eno]

I am sorry, I'm quite new to this...where can I find this info.plist to modify it?

Never mind, I found it. Here's what the log says:

 

Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: log verbosity to 1
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: message signaled interrupts (MSI): enabled (if available)
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: optimization mode: throughput
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: timer IRQ: enabled
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: probing...
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: found nVidia MCP51 Ethernet Controller device 10de:0269 with flags 0x0080030a
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: Version 0.64.3 starting
Fri Jan 29 20:39:32 localhost kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: MAC address 04:4B:80:80:80:03 given by device is not valid. Generating a pseudo-random MAC....
Fri Jan 29 20:39:33 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN: Ethernet address 00:00:80:6c:df:00
Fri Jan 29 20:39:33 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN(en0): enabling interrupts with mask: 0x000000df and msiEnable: 0x00000000
Fri Jan 29 20:39:35 alexs-somemodelps2 kernel[0] <Debug>: nForceLAN(en0): Link speed now 100Mbps(duplex = Full, flow control = Yes), code 0x10064.

 

That MAC address that it says it's not valid is the right one. I really don't understand why it says it's invalid...

 

Thats because that MAC is invalid (MAC addresses should start with 00:). The 04:4B:80:80:80:03 MAC is the default for all nVidia NICs. If you see that MAC it means the true MAC is missing (the manufacturer screwed up) or it is corruptted in the BIOS. You might want to take a look on google and see how to fix the MAC on your motherboard, correct the MAC, then call your ISP and give them the correct MAC.

 

Alternatively, if you want to keep the bad MAC you can download the source code and remove the MAC address check.

 

As for why you are having trouble setting the MAC. I will have to look into that.

[TheDirTchamber]

Well, I found out that if I remove the network cable, I can change the MAC address, so this is what I'm doing every time I reboot.

[eno]

Well, I found out that if I remove the network cable, I can change the MAC address, so this is what I'm doing every time I reboot.

 

Cool, thanks. I will update nForceLAN to take the link down before setting the MAC. Expect the update on Wednesday.

[TheDirTchamber]

Cool, thanks. I will update nForceLAN to take the link down before setting the MAC. Expect the update on Wednesday.

You're welcome. I'll give it a test when you're done, but I think this is much more problematic than it should, so I guess it's way easier to get another network card. We'll see.

[eno]

You're welcome. I'll give it a test when you're done, but I think this is much more problematic than it should, so I guess it's way easier to get another network card. We'll see.

 

Or your could just give the card a proper MAC . If you google the MAC there are instructions on how to fix it. I am sure the motherboard came with a label showing the proper MAC (or you could make one up).

[TheDirTchamber]

Or your could just give the card a proper MAC . If you google the MAC there are instructions on how to fix it. I am sure the motherboard came with a label showing the proper MAC (or you could make one up).

True, but I don't know how to change the MAC on the chip, and it also sounds like a risky thing to do.

[eno]

True, but I don't know how to change the MAC on the chip, and it also sounds like a risky thing to do.

 

Yeah, it involves editing and flashing a new BIOS image.

 

Would a plist option to override the hardware MAC be useful?

[TheDirTchamber]

Yeah, it involves editing and flashing a new BIOS image.

 

Would a plist option to override the hardware MAC be useful?

I don't know. I already did that in the NetworkInterfaces.plist (I think) and still nothing. Also added the card id in the Info.plist of the kext. Still no go.

[eno]

I don't know. I already did that in the NetworkInterfaces.plist (I think) and still nothing. Also added the card id in the Info.plist of the kext. Still no go.

 

This option I have in mind would be something like:

<key>MACOverride</key>

<true/>

<key>OverrideMAC1</key>

<string>00:aa:bb:cc:dd:ee</string>

<key>OverrideMAC2</key>

<string>00:aa:bb:cc:dd:ef</string>

 

And nForceLAN would set the MAC on initialization (where it is setting the random MAC).

[TheDirTchamber]

Ok...I'll give it a shot.

[TheDirTchamber]

Did you manage to create that plist file eno?

[eno]

Did you manage to create that plist file eno?

 

Finally finished the update. To turn on the MAC override set MACOverride to true (the key is already in the plist but it is set to false by default) and set a string for OverrideMAC1 and/or OverrideMAC2 to the MAC address.

 

Ex:

<key>OverrideMAC1</key>

<string>01:23:45:67:89:ab</string>

[TheDirTchamber]

Thanks eno, it works now, with the override key. Just a small thing: before I modified the plist file, I tried changing the mac address again. With this new kext, right after I type the password and hit ok in the "Change MAC" application, the PC freezes completely and I have to restart. So it doesn't work like that anymore. Good thing the override solution works.

[eno]

Thanks eno, it works now, with the override key. Just a small thing: before I modified the plist file, I tried changing the mac address again. With this new kext, right after I type the password and hit ok in the "Change MAC" application, the PC freezes completely and I have to restart. So it doesn't work like that anymore. Good thing the override solution works.

 

Opps, I found a typo. Not sure why setting the MAC address worked for me when I tested it. Fixed in 0.64.5.

[normc]

Downloaded and installed 0.64.5, and kextstat still shows it at 0.64.2. Removed nForceLAN completely, and reinstalled and it still says 0.64.2.

 

This is from the Info.plist file:

<key>CFBundleVersion</key>

<string>0.64.2</string>

 

Am I somehow getting the wrong version on the download? What I have sort of works. I have to go into network settings each boot and enable the ethernet. It creates a new connection each time, so I have "Ethernet, Ethernet 2, Ethernet 3..." to the number of times I have booted and enabled it. Had a similar problem when running 10.5.6, but upgrading to 0.64.3 seemed to solve the problem. (kextstat shows 0.64.3 on my 10.5.6 install) I'm now running 10.6.0 trying to run nForceLAN 0.64.5 and the problem is back. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

Norm

[eno]

Downloaded and installed 0.64.5, and kextstat still shows it at 0.64.2. Removed nForceLAN completely, and reinstalled and it still says 0.64.2.

 

This is from the Info.plist file:

<key>CFBundleVersion</key>

<string>0.64.2</string>

 

Am I somehow getting the wrong version on the download? What I have sort of works. I have to go into network settings each boot and enable the ethernet. It creates a new connection each time, so I have "Ethernet, Ethernet 2, Ethernet 3..." to the number of times I have booted and enabled it. Had a similar problem when running 10.5.6, but upgrading to 0.64.3 seemed to solve the problem. (kextstat shows 0.64.3 on my 10.5.6 install) I'm now running 10.6.0 trying to run nForceLAN 0.64.5 and the problem is back. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

Norm

 

I must have forgotten to update the plist. If you downloaded and installed the 0.64.5 pkg then you have 0.64.5.

 

Not sure why it would show a different connection on each boot. Maybe it is a problem with the pseudo-random MAC generator (runs when the device has an invalid MAC). Is the device's MAC address the same on each boot?

[normc]

I must have forgotten to update the plist. If you downloaded and installed the 0.64.5 pkg then you have 0.64.5.

 

Not sure why it would show a different connection on each boot. Maybe it is a problem with the pseudo-random MAC generator (runs when the device has an invalid MAC). Is the device's MAC address the same on each boot?

 

I installed from the 0.64.5 package.

 

mac address is the same every boot. Tried to go to 0.64.3 (copied from my 10.5.6 install) and it doesn't work either. In fact it disconnects after a few mins of browsing.

 

Thanks,

Norm