Re: [leaf-user] Intel PRO/1000 (e1000) module for Bering?

[Greg Morgan]

Dear Intel,

I am one of many volunteers on the http://leaf.sourceforge.net project. LEAF stands for Linux Embedded Appliance Firewall. This project is a micro linux distribution. The aim is to create a firewall out of old Intel hardware such as Pentium 100s and the like. In a way, it is a kind-of Recycle, Reduce and Reuse way of avoiding send old PCs into a landfill somewhere. Incidentally, the firewall primarily boots off a write protected floppy diskette and runs solid state in memory making it a very secure firewall/router.

However, the list has several people using newer equipment. They are using faster PCs with Intel Pro/1000 cards to function as company backbone routers. This is a smart strategy because it saves the cost of high dollar Cisco equipment and training. For the retail cost of several, say, Intel Pro/1000 MT Desktop Adapters and an older Intel PIII system, a LEAF user can have a high speed router for around $280US.

I know that Intel has written their own Linux drivers for the gigabit series of cards. I know that the driver cannot be included in the kernel because of licensing concerns. However, can the LEAF project compile the e1000 driver into a binary module and redistribute it with the various LEAF firewalls? There's lots of micronization going on in the project to fit a distribution onto one 1680K formatted diskette. Essentially, a developer on the project would download the e1000 software from your website. Then compile the driver for the stripped down LEAF environment on one of their development boxes. Only the e1000.o module would be uploaded to the LEAF site and provided as part of a disk image, or a separate download file.

Also may I post your answer to the list? Or will I need to summarize the answer and post it? I plan to post this initial letter to the list as part of answering Stefan Engel's question. I have included Stefan Engel's message as a sample e1000 question that was just posted to the user mailing list. Mailing list information can be found here http://leaf.sourceforge.net/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=12&page_id=5

Finally, I received your email address from a support question I posed to Intel some time ago.

Thank you,
Greg Morgan


Stefan Engel wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am having a little problem setting up a new machine (Dell PowerEdge
> 1650) with Intel PRO/1000 Dual ob board and Intel PRO/100 Dual
> as separate PCI card. I am trying to install Bering 1.0 rc4.
>
> I have been successful to setup the Intel PRO/100 Dual NIC
> (eepro100) but cannot find any module for the Intel PRO/1000 Dual
> (e1000). RedHat 8.0 is booting fine on this machine (from install
> CDs) and all NICs are recognized here. And that's how I found out
> about the missing e1000 module.
>
> Is there anybody out there who has the e1000.o module for
> Bering 1.0 rc4 already built? Or do I have to do it on my own?
>
> I already have the sources from the Intel WebSite but no Debian
> distro at our company (currently only RedHat 7.3/8.0 for testing
> and SuSE 7.3)?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Stefan



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