Current version: 1.0.19 1.0.15 (as of 2018-12-10)
Realtek GBE USB
- Gigabit ethernet
- USB hub
- Launch
System Preferences
->Network
- See
USB 10/100/1000 LAN
- https://i.imgur.com/Bm7D0Ld.png (mirror)
- https://i.imgur.com/wcMZFh8.png (mirror)
- Launch
System Information
(also known asSystem Profiler
) ->Hardware
->USB
- https://i.imgur.com/NJi9yC4.png (mirror)
- Launch
System Information
(also known asSystem Profiler
) ->Software
->Extensions
- https://i.imgur.com/64QCxxS.png (mirror)
- Launch a terminal/shell
ioreg -p IOUSB -w0
ioreg -p IOUSB -w0 -l
: For more info
+-o Root <class IORegistryEntry, id 0x100000100, retain 14>
+-o Root Hub Simulation Simulation@14000000 <class AppleUSBRootHubDevice, id 0x1000002fa, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (6 ms), retain 13>
+-o USB2.0 Hub @14100000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x1000002fb, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (43 ms), retain 14>
+-o Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad@14400000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x1000002ff, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (96 ms), retain 22>
+-o USB3.0 Hub @14500000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x100000363, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (54 ms), retain 15>
| +-o USB 10/100/1000 LAN@14540000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x100000418, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (73 ms), retain 18>
+-o Bluetooth USB Host Controller@14300000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x1000003d8, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (58 ms), retain 24>
Terminal output snippet from `ioreg -p IOUSB -w0 -l`
+-o USB3.0 Hub @14500000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x100000363, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (54 ms), retain 15>
| | {
| | "sessionID" = 2480892594
| | "iManufacturer" = 1
| | "bNumConfigurations" = 1
| | "idProduct" = 2066
| | "bcdDevice" = 37009
| | "Bus Power Available" = 900
| | "USB Address" = 5
| | "bMaxPacketSize0" = 9
| | "iProduct" = 2
| | "iSerialNumber" = 0
| | "bDeviceClass" = 9
| | "Built-In" = No
| | "locationID" = 340787200
| | "bDeviceSubClass" = 0
| | "bcdUSB" = 768
| | "USB Product Name" = "USB3.0 Hub "
| | "PortNum" = 5
| | "non-removable" = "no"
| | "IOCFPlugInTypes" = {"9dc7b780-9ec0-11d4-a54f-000a27052861"="IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBLib.bundle"}
| | "bDeviceProtocol" = 3
| | "IOUserClientClass" = "IOUSBDeviceUserClientV2"
| | "IOPowerManagement" = {"DevicePowerState"=0,"CurrentPowerState"=3,"CapabilityFlags"=65536,"MaxPowerState"=4,"DriverPowerState"=3}
| | "Device Speed" = 3
| | "USB Vendor Name" = "VIA Labs, Inc. "
| | "idVendor" = 8457
| | "IOGeneralInterest" = "IOCommand is not serializable"
| | "IOClassNameOverride" = "IOUSBDevice"
| | }
| |
| +-o USB 10/100/1000 LAN@14540000 <class AppleUSBDevice, id 0x100000418, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (73 ms), retain 18>
| {
| "sessionID" = 3379212797
| "iManufacturer" = 1
| "bNumConfigurations" = 2
| "idProduct" = 33107
| "bcdDevice" = 12288
| "Bus Power Available" = 900
| "USB Address" = 8
| "bMaxPacketSize0" = 9
| "iProduct" = 2
| "iSerialNumber" = 3
| "bDeviceClass" = 0
| "Built-In" = No
| "locationID" = 341049344
| "bDeviceSubClass" = 0
| "bcdUSB" = 768
| "USB Product Name" = "USB 10/100/1000 LAN"
| "PortNum" = 4
| "non-removable" = "no"
| "IOCFPlugInTypes" = {"9dc7b780-9ec0-11d4-a54f-000a27052861"="IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBLib.bundle"}
| "bDeviceProtocol" = 0
| "IOUserClientClass" = "IOUSBDeviceUserClientV2"
| "IOPowerManagement" = {"ChildrenPowerState"=4,"DevicePowerState"=0,"CurrentPowerState"=4,"CapabilityFlags"=32768,"MaxPowerState"=4,"DriverPowerState"=4}
| "Device Speed" = 3
| "USB Vendor Name" = "Realtek"
| "idVendor" = 3034
| "IOGeneralInterest" = "IOCommand is not serializable"
| "USB Serial Number" = "002427FE48F6"
| "IOClassNameOverride" = "IOUSBDevice"
| }
|
- Launch a terminal/shell
ifconfig
en4: flags=8863<UP,BROADCAST,SMART,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
options=2b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_HWTAGGING,TSO4>
ether 00:24:27:fe:48:f6
inet 192.168.1.135 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255
media: autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex,flow-control>)
status: active
The driver is located at
/System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleRTL815X*.kext
/Library/Extensions/AppleRTL815X*.kext
Here are the namespaces:
com.realtek.driver.AppleRTL815XEthernet
com.realtek.driver.AppleRTL815XComposite
See http://osxdaily.com/2015/06/24/load-unload-kernel-extensions-mac-os-x/
With normal operation with only the network cable plugged in, I only see com.realtek.driver.AppleRTL815XEthernet
loaded.
# Unload
sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/AppleRTL815XEthernet109.kext
sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/AppleRTL815XComposite109.kext
# Load
sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/AppleRTL815XEthernet109.kext
sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/AppleRTL815XComposite109.kext
# Find if loaded
kextstat | grep com.realtek.driver.AppleRTL815XEthernet
kextstat | grep com.realtek.driver.AppleRTL815XComposite
Perhaps clear the Kernel cache
sudo rm -rf /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches
I got a new USB ethernet adapter because the old one had lots of issues (hence the gist in the first place). But it still uses the same Realtek 8153 chip although am using the native driver though now, AppleUSBECM.kext
In terms of my previous issues, I remember that when I clicked the little lock in the browser to view the cert, it would crash my computer. But the disconnects that required a restart were the bigger issue. (personal reference link)
I'm currently running macOS Mojave 10.14
After re-checking the datasheets for the Realtek 8153, it appears that there's a lack of hardware support for CDC-NCM. Or at least, it is only listed as supporting CDC-ECM whereas the datasheet for the Realtek 8156 used in some 2.5Gbps adapters like Plugable's explicitly lists support for both CDC-ECM and CDC-NCM.
Realtek 8153 datasheet
Realtek 8156 datasheet
I'm not a hardware engineer so am unsure whether this is truly a hardware limitation or if Realtek simply hasn't provided reference CDC-NCM drivers. It's worth noting that the official Linux 5.13 support from April 2021 that Realtek contributed for both the 8153 and 8156 was only a CDC-ECM driver.
Determine if you're running the ECM driver
You can tell if you're running the ECM driver by running one of these commands below.
On Big Sur or later:
kmutil showloaded | grep -i com.apple.driver.usb.cdc.ecm
Mojave or earlier:
kextstat | grep -i com.apple.driver.usb.cdc.ecm
If you see output similar to this, you're running the ECM driver.
You can slightly modify the above to determine if you're running the NCM driver.
On Big Sur or later:
kmutil showloaded | grep -i com.apple.driver.usb.cdc.ncm
Mojave or earlier:
kextstat | grep -i com.apple.driver.usb.cdc.ncm
This latter output shows the NCM driver loaded for my Plugable 2.5Gbps (Realtek 8156-based) adapter. It works without any driver fuss as macOS Big Sur and above provide full NCM drivers for it in-the-box.