If it does recognize it on boot other than having timeout problems that driver does work and there is a package/port version that may work better. A PCIe Intel 2.5Gbe card should work well if it /does /have issues or refuses to identify at all; they're inexpensive. Any of the Intel gigabit cards will also work if you don't want/need 2.5GbE service; if you want faster-than-2.5g or future capability to go that way I would buy a Mellanox Connect-X4 (all over FleaBay for short money -- just don't buy the branded Dell or similar ones unless you're willing to reflash with the "official" Mellanox firmware) and stuff the correct transceiver in it; those are very well-supported on FreeBSD and will work on Windows as well. I've got that setup in use here on server hardware without any problems.
I'm not a fan of the RealTek NICs at all under FreeBSD but my context is in an edge router where all manner of fun ensues with latency issues and timeouts; for end-device use it may run perfectly well.
On 11/3/2025 15:42, Frederick D Ullman wrote:
I own a Gigabyte X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 motherboard which was intended when purchased to dual boot Windows 11 and FreeBSD 14.3. Th windows side is already installed and fully functional. My understanding is that there are two major compatibility issues between this motherboard and FreeBSD: graphics and the included ethernet lan interface. Graphics is not a current concern. But access to the Internet is vital. The workaround I’ve seen suggested is to add a PCIe network card supported by FreeBSD. I’d prefer a 1GB card to match what my ISP provides but even a lower speed card will do to give me Internet access from FreeBSD. I freely admit my FreeBSD experience is quite old and rusty. I’ve just spent almost a full day going back and forth between the FreeBSD 14.3 release notes, Nic cards available for retail purchase online, and trying to determine the underlying chips of what I find available. I have absolutely nothing to show for my efforts other than the realization that many cards listed as compatible with some release of FreeBSD are many years obsolete. If memory serves, I don’t recall having to even think about Nic drivers the last time I installed FreeBSD. I’m recently retired and hoping someone will take pity on a struggling senior citizen by recommending a specific pcie Nic card or two that are known to be compatible with FreeBSD 14.3, stable, reliable and currently available, for example, on Amazon..
-- Karl Denninger [email protected] /The Market Ticker/ /[S/MIME encrypted email preferred]/
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