NetBSD/Mac Ethernet Networking HowTo

If you have a Macintosh with an Ethernet connection, this document describes how to translate the configuration information from either MacTCP or Open Transport TCP/IP into the configuration files used by NetBSD/Mac.

Most of the configuration information you need can be read out of the control panel under MacOS. There are only three other things you need to know. Once you have this information skip to the links at the end of this page.

The machine name (in the Domain Name System) of your Mac. If you don't know what it is ask your local Network Guru. For the example I'm using it's "macbsd-iici" and the full name of the machine is "macbsd-iici.jpl.nasa.gov".
The version of NetBSD/Mac you are using. Version 1.2.x is configured differently from version 1.3 (and -current after April 1, 1997).
The Ethernet driver used for your interface.

The only driver in version 1.2 is the ae driver. There are three Ethernet drivers in version 1.3.

ae, for NuBus cards using the 8390 chip. This includes most Apple and Asante cards.
sn, for interfaces using the SONIC chip. This includes the Dayna NuBus card and most Quadra motherboard interfaces (except the AV models). Note that the Sonic brand NuBus card actually uses the 8390 and may work with the ae driver.
mc, for the MACE chip. This is the Ethernet interface on the motherboard of the Quadra 660AV and the Quadra 840AV.

One of the files you will create is /etc/hostname.??0 (for 1.2.x) or /etc/ifconfig.??0 (for 1.3). Replace the ?? with ae, sn, or mc based on which driver your machine uses. If it isn't obvious from your machine type which one of the drivers you should use then you can look at the output of dmesg (after booting the machine into NetBSD). For example the following verifies the existance of an ae0 device on my machine.

% dmesg | fgrep ae0
ae0 at nubus0 slot d: MacCon Ethernet, 32KB memory
ae0: Ethernet address 00:00:94:21:30:5e
%

The only two classes of interfaces not supported are the newer Apple NuBus cards that have a 68000 controller on the board, and the Ethernet boxes that connect via the SCSI interface. Specific models of interfaces may not work for various reasons. If you have an Ethernet interface that doesn't work, can determine which chip is used, and are willing to run some debugging probes to find the required addresses then email port-mac68k@netbsd.org with your specifics and you may get some help making your interface work with one of the existing drivers.

If you are using MacTCP (that's the name of the control panel you have installed) then look here for NetBSD 1.2.x or look here for NetBSD 1.3.

If you are using Open Transport (the control panel is named TCP/IP) then look here for NetBSD 1.2.x or look here for NetBSD 1.3.