NAME

       ng_eiface — generic Ethernet interface netgraph node type

SYNOPSIS

       #include <netgraph/ng_eiface.h>

DESCRIPTION

       The  eiface  netgraph node implements the generic Ethernet interface.  When eiface node is created, a new
       interface appears which is accessible via ifconfig(8).  These interfaces are  named  “ngeth0”,  “ngeth1”,
       etc.   When  a  node is shut down, the corresponding interface is removed, and the interface name becomes
       available for reuse by future eiface nodes.  New nodes always take the first unused interface.

HOOKS

       An eiface node has a single hook named ether, which should be connected to the Ethernet  downstream,  for
       example,  to  the ng_vlan(4) node.  Packets transmitted via the interface flow out this hook.  Similarly,
       packets received on the hook go to the protocol stack as packets received by any real Ethernet interface.

CONTROL MESSAGES

       This node type supports the generic control messages, plus the following:

       NGM_EIFACE_SET (set)
               Set link-level address of the interface.   Requires  struct  ether_addr  as  an  argument.   This
               message  also  has  an ASCII version, called “set”, which requires as an argument an ASCII string
               consisting of 6 colon-separated hex digits.

       NGM_EIFACE_GET_IFNAME (getifname)
               Return the name of the associated interface as a NUL-terminated ASCII string.

       NGM_EIFACE_GET_IFADDRS
               Return the list of link-level addresses associated with the node.

SHUTDOWN

       This node shuts down upon receipt of a NGM_SHUTDOWN control message.  The associated interface is removed
       and its name becomes available for reuse by future eiface nodes.

       Unlike most other node types, an eiface node does not go away when  all  hooks  have  been  disconnected;
       rather, and explicit NGM_SHUTDOWN control message is required.

SEE ALSO

       netgraph(4), ng_ether(4), ng_iface(4), ng_vlan(4), ifconfig(8), ngctl(8)

HISTORY

       The eiface node type was implemented in FreeBSD 4.6.

AUTHORS

       The eiface node type was written by Vitaly V Belekhov.  This manual page was written by Gleb Smirnoff.

Debian                                          February 3, 2005                                    NG_EIFACE(4)