diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4')
| -rw-r--r-- | share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4 | 36 |
1 files changed, 24 insertions, 12 deletions
diff --git a/share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4 b/share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4 index 76b9c21..18e55be 100644 --- a/share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4 +++ b/share/man/man4/man4.i386/ndis.4 @@ -49,33 +49,41 @@ network drivers to be used with The .Nm driver is provided in source code form and must be combined with -the Windows(r) driver supplied with your network adapter. The +the Windows(r) driver supplied with your network adapter. +The .Nm driver uses the .Xr ndisapi 9 kernel subsystem to relocate and link the Windows(r) binary so -that it can be used in conjunction with native code. The +that it can be used in conjunction with native code. +The .Xr ndisapi 9 subsystem provides an interface between the NDIS API and the .Fx -networking infrastructure. The Windows(r) driver is essentially -fooled into thinking it's running on Windows(r). Note that this +networking infrastructure. +The Windows(r) driver is essentially +fooled into thinking it's running on Windows(r). +Note that this means the .Nm driver is only useful on x86 machines. .Pp To build a functional driver, the user must have a copy of the -driver distribution media for his or her card. From this distribution, +driver distribution media for his or her card. +From this distribution, the user must extract two files: the .SYS file containing the driver binary code, and its companion .INF file, which contains the definitions for driver-specific registry keys and other installation -data such as device identifiers. These two files can be converted +data such as device identifiers. +These two files can be converted into a .Pa ndis_driver_data.h file using the .Xr ndiscvt 8 -utility. This file contains a binary image of the driver plus -registry key data. When the +utility. +This file contains a binary image of the driver plus +registry key data. +When the .Nm driver loads, it will create .Xr sysctl 9 @@ -84,13 +92,17 @@ nodes for each registry key extracted from the .INF file. The .Nm driver is designed to support mainly ethernet and wireless -network devices with PCI and PCMCIA bus attachments. (Cardbus -devices are also supported as a subset of PCI.) It there can -support many different media types and speeds. One limitation +network devices with PCI and PCMCIA bus attachments. +(Cardbus +devices are also supported as a subset of PCI.) +It there can +support many different media types and speeds. +One limitation however, is that there is no consistent way to learn if an ethernet device is operating in full or half duplex mode. The NDIS API allows for a generic means for determining link -state and speed, but not the duplex setting. There may be +state and speed, but not the duplex setting. +There may be driver-specific registry keys to control the media setting which can be configured via the .Xr sysctl 8 |
