Dennis HilkLinux diagnosticsDE

Ethernet & networking

Broadcom/QLogic BCM57711

The BCM57711 NetXtreme II generation uses bnx2x and host-loaded initialization firmware. This is a different software path from tg3 gigabit controllers and newer bnxt_en devices.

Editorial source review: Share public profileOpen in the identification tool
On this page
  1. Overview & identity
  2. Driver & binding
  3. Firmware
  4. Read-only diagnostics
  5. Limitations & related issues
  6. References

Overview & identity

164f resolves to CHIP_NUM_57711 and the corresponding bnx2x PCI table entry. The source uses both Broadcom and QLogic naming; neither identifies an exact OEM board.

Curated identifiers
pci 14e4:164f

A numeric match establishes a candidate family within the reviewed evidence. Marketing names, board variants, subsystem conditions and successful operation remain separate questions.

Driver & binding

BCM57711 follows the E1H firmware branch. The pinned implementation first requests its current E1H image and then an older revision fallback; match the actual kernel’s request, not an arbitrary file with a similar name.

  • bnx2x — kernel driver/module candidate

Detected, bound, operational: learn the difference

Firmware

Host-loaded firmware required

These current and fallback filenames are resolved from the pinned version constants and E1H branch. A different running kernel may request a different version; the log is the authoritative observation.

Checked examples or filename branches, not a complete installation list:

  • bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.13.21.0.fw
  • bnx2x/bnx2x-e1h-7.13.15.0.fw

Inspect firmware packaging on your distribution

Read-only diagnostics

Run one displayed command at a time. Replace uppercase placeholders with the affected device, interface or module from your own output. Commands are never executed here. Read-only output can still contain private identifiers.

Check the PCI function and bound driver

lspci -nnk -s BDF

Replace BDF with the domain:bus:device.function address. Look for [14e4:164f] and Kernel driver in use. bnx2x in Kernel modules is only a candidate, not proof of binding.

Identify the network interface driver

ethtool -i INTERFACE

Replace INTERFACE with the real interface name. Driver and bus-info connect this interface to its device. A displayed firmware-version is adapter information; it does not prove a file was loaded. Candidate: bnx2x.

Compare supported modes with the current link

ethtool INTERFACE

Supported/advertised link modes describe capability or negotiation offers. Speed, Duplex and Link detected describe the current link, not measured throughput. An unsupported query is a limitation of the interface/driver.

Separate PCIe transport from Ethernet speed

sudo lspci -vv -s BDF

Elevated access may be needed. Root can expose the full PCI configuration. If PCIe capabilities exist, compare LnkCap with LnkSta: maximum and negotiated PCIe speed/width are different from Ethernet speed. Legacy PCI or virtual functions may omit these fields.

Inspect initialization and firmware requests

sudo journalctl -k -b --no-pager

Elevated access may be needed. Root reads the current boot kernel journal. Locate this controller/interface and the exact requested filename or Safe Mode message. Module-wide firmware declarations are not proof that every listed file was requested for this device.

Limitations & related issues

Board partitioning, offload settings and adapter firmware remain additional context. An available bnx2x module without successfully loaded initialization firmware is not proof of an operational network interface.

These guides are linked for relevant observations, not as known defects of every device in this family.

Choose a hardware diagnostic workflow · Inspect a log excerpt in Fix Lab

References

Source review records a checked implementation or document, not a reproduced hardware test. Version-specific tables do not establish a minimum kernel or guaranteed operation.