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Hello

Does anyone know if ClearOS 6.9 supports any of these 10 Gbit SFP+ PCIe Adapters: NC522SFP or NC523SFP or NC550SFP or NC552SFP ?

Thank you
Monday, November 16 2020, 11:31 PM
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  • Accepted Answer

    Flash
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    Monday, February 08 2021, 01:15 PM - #Permalink
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    Hello

    Long time, no talk ;)
    I'm just writing this if maybe someone is interested how it worked out.

    First I bought the NC523SFP card. I installed it in the PCIe x16 slot, but the PC didn't boot. Then I installed this card in a different PC with Windows 10 and the card worked for about 5 minutes, got VERY hot and stopped working. The heat sink on the card got so hot, that I couldn't touch it with bare hands... Then I installed a fan on the card, and since then, this card is working in the Windows 10 PC.
    Then I bought the NC552SFP card. It should be a better card, doesn't run so hot and it draws less power.
    I installed it in the PC with ClearOS 6.10 and the PC also didn't boot, but the PC speaker beeped and beeped. This was an improvement from the previous card :) where only the fans spin but nothing else happens. So I searched on the internet and found out, that if you tape the 5 and 6 pin with electrical tape that it should work. So I did and it worked :)
    The PC booted and I saw the card in the webconfig, and I could set the IP and everything, but no mater what I did I couldn't get the connection between the NC552SFP card and my switch. I don't know what is wrong, maybe some compatibility issues between the card, SFP+ module or the switch... ? If I disconnect the fiber optical cable from the switch I can see red light coming out of the cable. It's also the same in the Windows PC, the card "works" but no connection.

    I don't know why the PC won't boot when I put in the NC523SFP card. It's a little bit old PC, but with the NC552SFP card it boots when I taped the 5 and 6 pin. I also tried to tape the 5 and 6 pin on the NC523SFP card, but it had no impact.

    I have a plan to buy a new PC in a month or two, maybe on the new motherboard the NC523SFP will work like it does on the Windows PC, which is a little bit newer than the ClearOS PC.

    If maybe someone has an idea what else should I try, please let me know.

    Thank you
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  • Accepted Answer

    Flash
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    Tuesday, November 24 2020, 07:20 PM - #Permalink
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    Yes, this is true.
    I have ordered the NC523SFP and I'll see if it will work ;)
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  • Accepted Answer

    Sunday, November 22 2020, 07:51 PM - #Permalink
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    AFAIK, you should always be able to run a PCIe card in a larger slot. Just not a smaller slot.
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  • Accepted Answer

    Flash
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    Saturday, November 21 2020, 09:59 PM - #Permalink
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    This is what I get with "modinfo qlcnic"

    filename: /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.6.3.v6.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic.ko
    firmware: phanfw.bin
    version: 5.3.63
    license: GPL
    description: QLogic 1/10 GbE Converged/Intelligent Ethernet Driver
    retpoline: Y
    srcversion: C9DD02EB9A25599F0D66568
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008440sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008040sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008C30sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008830sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008430sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008030sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00001077d00008020sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    depends:
    vermagic: 2.6.32-754.6.3.v6.x86_64 SMP mod_unload modversions
    parm: qlcnic_mac_learn:Mac Filter (0=disabled, 1=enabled) (int)
    parm: use_msi:MSI interrupt (0=disabled, 1=enabled) (int)
    parm: use_msi_x:MSI-X interrupt (0=disabled, 1=enabled) (int)
    parm: auto_fw_reset:Auto firmware reset (0=disabled, 1=enabled) (int)
    parm: load_fw_file:Load firmware from (0=flash, 1=file, 2=POST in fast mode, 3= POST in medium mode, 4=POST in slow mode) (int)

    Do you know, if there can be any other compatibility issues? The NIC uses PCIe x8, I don't have an PCIe x8, I only have a x16 where the GPU would go, but I don't use a dedicated GPU. So this NIC should work on x16, right?
    I did google it and found that it should work, but I'm asking anyway if you maybe know?
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  • Accepted Answer

    Wednesday, November 18 2020, 08:11 PM - #Permalink
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    All I can do is google like you. If it uses the "QLCNIC" driver, try "modinfo qlcnic". If it shows, you have the module. Then the question becomes, is it recent enough to support you NIC? That is where you need the PCI ID's, but those cards seem quite old so they are probably OK.
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  • Accepted Answer

    Flash
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    Wednesday, November 18 2020, 11:30 AM - #Permalink
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    I found this site: https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=10gbe-linux-4distro&num=1 where it says that the HP NC523SFP works in CentOS, does this mean, that it also works in ClearOS?
    On the second page it says: "The HP NC523SFP / QLogic cLOM8214 is supported by the mainline Linux kernel with the QLCNIC driver."

    And I also found this site: http://driverdownloads.qlogic.com/QLogicDriverDownloads_UI/SearchByProduct.aspx?ProductCategory=325&Product=1159&Os=65 where they have drivers for Linux Red Hat.
    Is this compatible with ClearOS 6.x and later with 7.x?

    Thank you Nick, if you would find some time maybe in January or February next year, to have a look, that would be great.
    I'll send you a six pack ;) :D
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  • Accepted Answer

    Tuesday, November 17 2020, 02:35 PM - #Permalink
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    So now you know all the PCI ID's it supports. At this point you can google each card to see what driver it requires, or you can look up the PCI ID's supported by the driver and see what thay are e.g. the line alias: pci:v00004040d00000100sv*sd*bc02sc00i00* gives the manufacturer as 4040 and the device ID as 0100. Looking that up, it shows as a NX3031 Multifunction 1/10-Gigabit Server Adapter. That may not help you as you don't necessarily know what each card has on it, but it may help you. You won't know until you try.

    Re the Bandwidth module, there is no appetite for looking at it for the moment. perhaps if I get some time next year I may have a look but at the moment there are more pressing things.
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  • Accepted Answer

    Flash
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    Tuesday, November 17 2020, 01:29 PM - #Permalink
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    Hi Nick, thanks for the answer.
    This is what I get when I check with modinfo netxen_nic

    filename: /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.6.3.v6.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic.ko
    firmware: phanfw-4.0.588.bin
    version: 4.0.82
    license: GPL
    description: QLogic/NetXen (1/10) GbE Intelligent Ethernet Driver
    retpoline: Y
    srcversion: 5C2AEBB8CAAC769656C2B9E
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000100sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000025sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000024sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000005sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000004sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000003sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000002sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    alias: pci:v00004040d00000001sv*sd*bc02sc00i00*
    depends:
    vermagic: 2.6.32-754.6.3.v6.x86_64 SMP mod_unload modversions
    parm: auto_fw_reset:Auto firmware reset (0=disabled, 1=enabled (int)


    For what should I look?

    I will be moving away as soon ClearOS 7.x gets the old bandwidth manager or I find another Linux with the same old bm.

    Will there be ClearOS 8 version? Maybe they implement the old bm into version 8 ;) :)
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  • Accepted Answer

    Tuesday, November 17 2020, 09:28 AM - #Permalink
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    You'll need to do a bit of googling and research. Something like "NC522SFP linux driver" although it took me a while. It looks like it needs the netxen_nic driver which exists in 7.x. You can check with a "modinfo netxen_nic" in 6.x. That will show you all the PCI ID's that the driver will support. Look up what those are and you may find it is the other cards or keep going with teh original search, but for the next NIC.

    If drivers are not directly available, try the ElRepo site but they will need re-compiling for 6.x (but not for 7.x).

    Really you should be moving away from 6.x as it has been end of life for over a year now and there have been no no security or stability updates since then.
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