How to compile and install latest realtek network driver in pfSense 2.5.1-RELEASE (amd64) (FreeBSD 13.4-RELEASE)

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How to compile and install latest realtek network driver in pfSense 2.5.2-RELEASE (FreeBSD 13.4-RELEASE)

  1. Download FreeBSD 13.4 VMDK and create a VM with it as HDD.

  2. Get FreeBSD source tree for your exact FreeBSD version and uncompress it to /usr/src:

    fetch -o /tmp ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/`uname -s`/releases/`uname -m`/`uname -r | cut -d'-' -f1,2`/src.txz
tar -C / -xvf /tmp/src.txz

  3. Download latest Realtek network driver (you need to input an email address).

  4. Uncompress driver:

    tar xvzf 0007-rtl_bsd_drv_v194.01.tgz

  5. Make driver:

    cd rtl_bsd_drv_v194.01
make

    1. If the last command fails, change the following line in file if_re.c

      From: #include <dev/re/if_rereg.h>

      To: #include "if_rereg.h"

  6. Copy the file if_re.ko to the /boot/kernel folder in pfSense device.

    scp if_re.ko root@<pfSense device IP>:/boot/kernel

  7. Change file permissions in if_re.ko file accessing through SSH to pfSense.

    chmod 555 /boot/kernel/if_re.ko

  8. Modify /boot/loader.conf file and add the following line at the end of the file: if_re_load="YES"

    • Through console: vi /boot/loader.conf
    • Through web: Diagnostics > Edit File and click Load. When finished editing click Save.

  9. Reboot pfSense.

  10. After restart, verify if module is installed through ssh with kldstat. Example execution:

    [2.5.2-RELEASE][root@pfSense.local]/root: kldstat
    Id Refs Address            Size     Name
     1    7 0xffffffff80200000 2c3ea98  kernel
     2    1 0xffffffff82e3f000 80900    if_re.ko
     3    1 0xffffffff83021000 46c6     cryptodev.ko

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