CIPHY(4)

📦
version 11.0 · 2 versions
, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 CIPHY(4) — like, the Cicada PHY driver manual, but make it make sense

okay so picture this: it's the Kernel Interfaces Manual, section 4, and this page is literally called ciphy. Bestie, we're about to learn about a NIC driver's tiny little helper chip. Stay with me, it's honestly iconic. ✨

🌸 NAME 🌸

ciphy — the driver for Cicada 10/100/1000 copper Ethernet PHYs

Like, yes, that's the whole name section. It's giving minimalism. 💅

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

ciphy* at mii? phy ?

That's it. That's the config line. Copy it exactly, don't get creative, we do not freestyle config files in this house. 🫶

🎀 DESCRIPTION 🎀

So the ciphy driver supports PHYs — and bestie, a PHY is the physical-layer chip, the little guy that actually touches the copper — that are commonly integrated on VIA Networking Technologies VT6122 Gigabit Ethernet adapters.

Translation: if you've got a VT6122 card, its built-in PHY is probably one of these, and this driver is the one holding its hand. 🤝

⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

Go read those too, iykyk. 📚

👑 HISTORY 👑

Real talk: this driver is ported from FreeBSD, and it first appeared in NetBSD 3.0. So it's got lore. Ancient lore. 🏛️

💖 AUTHORS 💖

The driver was originally written by Bill Paul ⟨wpaul@windriver.com⟩. Shoutout to Bill, an absolute legend, no cap. 🙌

Heads up bestie: everything above is the whole page — nothing skipped, nothing added. If it's not here, it wasn't in the original, and we do not invent facts about kernel drivers. Ever. 💀

✨ and that's the whole vibe ✨ — this page came from the Kernel Interfaces Manual, source/version line said Debian, and it's dated February 20, 2005. Slay, vintage. 🎀🦋💜

📦 where this page comes from