Mac OS X on x86 Hardware 2008–2024 Technical Archive
InfiniteMac OSx86 › Leopard 10.5 › Network support on OSx86
8,023 reads · 2008-01-20 – 2008-02-01
Dossier Leopard 10.5 ASUS P5K / P5Q AHCI / SATA

Network support on OSx86

This thread should be about networking problems and informations, like onboard drivers, wireless and how to set up a Mac/Windows Network. Working USB wireless sticks should be listed here too. I often heard about the problems with the…

Primary Author
@naquaada Published 2008-01-20
Collection
Leopard 10.5
Archival Footprint
8,023 historical reads · 17 curated field notes (from 24 dispatches) · 2008-01-20 – 2008-02-01
Credited Voices (13)
@braindead803 (4)@cgsheen (3)@LeeAMDMAC (3)@naquaada (2)@crawle (2)@rfuilrez (2)@zephyroth (2)@neolight@ace_ram@obs0lete@Bing@delian7@sh0td0wn

This thread should be about networking problems and informations, like onboard drivers, wireless and how to set up a Mac/Windows Network. Working USB wireless sticks should be listed here too.

I often heard about the problems with the forcedeth driver. I'm wondering about this, because on my systems it is working without problems. I have these controller chips:

Marvell 88E1115 on Asus A8N-SLI Premium, nForce 4 SLI chipset.
Realtek 8201CL on Asus A8N-E FM, nForce 4 chipset

Both are using the forcedeth driver, named forcedeth-d 1.0.0d2 in System Profiler. The network is controlled manually, static IP-Adresses, Router, 2 DNS-server adresses for my internet provider (T-Online). TCP/IP V6 is switched off. The speed is also set manually to 100/100 Full Duplex.
It was also easy to establish a network, using 'Connect to Server' in the 'Go' menu of the finder. The Marvell controller system could access a Leopard-Leopard-system without problems, Leopard-Tiger actually only with FTP, read-only. Maybe wrong settings. On the other board with the Realtek controller I had full access on both Leopard-Leopard and Leopard-Tiger systems. Copying of a complete DVD image (4,37 GB) needed 8:46 minutes (tested with stopwatch). It would be interesting to compare speeds, also in combination with a Windows network.

On the Premium board I also have an Marvell 88E0001 controller which must be used by sgke.kext. If somebody could give me a link to the package I would like to test this controller too.

Author Updates & Technical Revisions

Follow-up dispatches by @naquaada

Author Update #1 @naquaada 2008-01-24

@ cgsheen:

I have Realtek RTL8201CL on an nForce 4 board and it's working without problems. I'm using forcedeth.

BTW: I'm getting a D-Link DWL-G132 USB wireless stick next days. Has anyone tested this thing?

Synthesized Community Field Notes

17 technical responses curated from 24 original dispatches

Field Note #1 @crawle 2008-01-20

Selftested on a VIA chipset: pin xue.net/mac/viarhine.html - Via Rhine II Ethernet adapter
... haven't found bugs or similiar yet.
/crawle

Field Note #3 @neolight 2008-01-20

I havent been able to get nforce4lan working for the life of me without cpus=1. Both with forcedeth-d.kext that came with rev1 and the forcedeth-nockd.kext IF anyone has some ideas ill be glad to try em. Aside from lan not being reliable with both cpus everything seems to be working right.

System
processor = amd x2 4200+ 939
motherboard = asus a8n5x bios:0902
video card = bfg7950gtoc 512mb (flashed/nvinjected)
ram = 2gig mushkin
hdd=80gigsata(zephys leopard rev1)250gigsata(xp)

Field Note #4 @rfuilrez 2008-01-20

I sent Zeph a PM on the insanelymacs forum about the nForce4 lan freezing issue. Him and I both have the same Mainboard.

He said he had the onboard lan working with EFI v8 and the kexts from Rev. 1. I installed EFI and reinstalled leopard, and still have the same problems. I was wondering if there was anything found out about the nForce 4 onboard lan, and not using the cpu=1 workaround.

Asus A8N5X mainboard.
Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (Socket 939)
2gb Corsair DDR400 RAM
2 x 120gb WD SATA-II Drives
1 x 80gb Laptop 5400 RPM Drive
ATI x1600 Pro QE/CI Working

Field Note #5 @zephyroth 2008-01-20
[cite] rfuilrez:He said he had the onboard lan working with EFI v8 and the kexts from Rev. 1.

Not the kexts of Rev.1 but the original kexts from original ISO of Leopard.

Field Note #6 @rfuilrez 2008-01-21

Ohhhh. I thought you meant original as in the original release.

Which kexts would i need to use? What are the names if you don't mind.

Field Note #7 @braindead803 2008-01-23

i have a realtek wireless adapter and have no clue how to get this working. anyone have any ideas?

Field Note #8 @braindead803 2008-01-24

chipset is actually a broadcom wireless adapter. computer is a gateway mt3422

Field Note #9 @cgsheen 2008-01-24

According to the Gateway website, the wireless is probably a Broadcom BCM4318E...

I thought the Broadcom wireless cards were all well-supported in 10.5.1. My Compaq laptop has a Broadcom BCM94318MPG wireless mini-pci card and it worked right of the bat with Zephy... (OSX called it an "AirPort Card" - hee, hee...)

Here's the URL for the motherboard specs:
support.gat eway.com/s/Mobile/Q106/Bishop/4001189R/4001189Rsp4.shtml

The onboard LAN adapter is the infamous PHY8201 ( Realtek RTL8201CL ) that may be tricky - I haven't been able to get mine to work... Others use "forcedeth" or one of it's variants. Since yours is a laptop, you'll need to go to the gurus and get this working.

The audio is a SigmaTel 9200 - I've never heard of it. You'll probably have to search InsanelyMac...

Gateway.com has all sorts of interesting information...
support.gat eway.com/s/Mobile/2007/Apache/1014552R/1014552Rnv.shtml 1 to 11 of 11

Field Note #10 @obs0lete 2008-01-25

Question about 2 different lan ports...

I can't get my onboard lan to work, it is an Atheros L1 gigabit ethernet controler as identified by Windows. I've done a lot of searching but have not come up with any conclusions. I have as well a D-link DFE-538TX installed in my machine which was used with tugril's 10.4.10 version, which worked flawlessly. Now when I have installed Leopard, I cannot get this card to work. It does not even show up under PCI devices nor under Network in the System Profiler.

Anyone know how I can get either of these to work? I have a feeling that the Dlink card may be easier to setup than the onboard lan, but I'm not 100% sure how to go about and doing that…

Field Note #11 @LeeAMDMAC 2008-01-29

Hello, does anybody have an acer aspire 9301AWMSI, or something with the same sort of hardware and been able to get the network to work. In osx.5 one of my network cards is being picked up not sure if its wired or wireless, but all it says is cable unpluged. In osx.4 it doesnt pick up any network card what so ever.

Field Note #12 @cgsheen 2008-01-29

@LeeAMDMAC
Acer has the worst website EVER... I tried to find additional info on your Laptop there but I couldn't find any specifics. What you really need to know is the exact chipset they use - I just don't know how to go about finding it. You'll need to locate the correct ".kext" for your specific LAN adapter. Before you can do that, you'll have to know which LAN adapter they've used (wired and/or wireless)...

As an example: HP has nearly all the available information on their HP and Compaq laptops on their site. Including Service and Maintainence Manuals. You can find exactly what chip they use for everything (LAN, wireless, sound, firewire, PCMCIA, card slots, etc…) there. I was hoping Acer did the same, but I couldn't find it... Hope YOU can without tearing your laptop apart.

Does your wireless go in a seperate slot? My Compaq has a little removable "door" underneath - it unscrews and lifts off to reveal the small wireless card inside. I can read the make and model of the wireless card by taking that cover off... Just a thought.

Field Note #13 @LeeAMDMAC 2008-01-30

I know the wireless card is FOXCON Athereos AR5007EG. i have no idea what the ethernet card is, any ideas how to find out?

Field Note #14 @LeeAMDMAC 2008-01-30

I think it may be the mobile nvidia chipset one.

Field Note #15 @cgsheen 2008-01-30
[cite] LeeAMDMAC:I know the wireless card is FOXCON Athereos AR5007EG.

Did you search InsanelyMac to see if anyone else has an AR5007EG, has it working, made a .kext, etc. ?

i have no idea what the ethernet card is, any ideas how to find out?

If you can't find it in the specs, maybe the drivers will "give it away". OH! Running Windows? Check the Device Manager! It'll be listed under Network Adapters! (sorry - should have thought of that earlier - I AM old though, brain's hardening up…)

Field Note #16 @delian7 2008-02-01

Hi, I am new and nooby to all of this. I've recently installed leopard on my tiger installation, and the only way I am able to boot up leopard is through safe boot/ safe mode. Could the no internet problem be because i am safe booting. I am connecting through LAN (no wifi) and the network diagnosic wizard says that it's not working, not detecting this. Also could someone explain what the kexts are, and how to use them. Like I said i am a noob, so please speak slowly and carefully (in other words if you can, use great detail.) I don't think I can give you my specs because I don't know where to find everyone of them. My computer model is HP Media center TV PC m1800n. The link below is my pc's support page hopefully you can find your specs there. (I am sorry if this makes you think I am rude, I am not trying to be) Oh, I have installed this on a seperate IDE harddrive, but my system is still AMD

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?product=3440… ↗

thanks so much... Zephyroth ROCKS!

Field Note #17 @sh0td0wn 2008-02-01

Realtek RTL8201N? There's a Tiger kext but Leopard isn't fully supported.
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=73317&… ↗

In safe mode, go to /System/Library/Extensions/ and search for GeForce.kext, Ge*.kext, NV*.kext.

Reboot then you don't need to boot in safe mode.
But you will be stuck in 1024 x 768 resolution like me. I also have 6150 onboard. >_>

Corroborated & Participated: @ace_ram @zephyroth @braindead803 @Bing
Sources & Contributor Provenance (13 credited usernames · Thread #71)
UsernameDossier ContributionDispatchesActive Window
@braindead803Core Contributor42008-01-23 → 2008-01-24
@cgsheenCore Contributor32008-01-24 → 2008-01-30
@LeeAMDMACCore Contributor32008-01-29 → 2008-01-30
@naquaadaPrimary Author22008-01-20 → 2008-01-24
@crawleContributor22008-01-20
@rfuilrezContributor22008-01-20 → 2008-01-21
@zephyrothContributor22008-01-20 → 2008-01-23
@neolightContributor12008-01-20
@ace_ramContributor12008-01-23
@obs0leteContributor12008-01-25
@BingContributor12008-01-28
@delian7Contributor12008-02-01
@sh0td0wnContributor12008-02-01