[CentOS] RealTek 8168B (Rev 02) Issue

Sun Jun 7 23:27:52 UTC 2009
Ben Mohilef <benm at dsl-only.net>

The 8168B (02) NIC works well except that it does not go into promiscuous 
mode despite advertising itself in that mode after being so directed with 
ifconfig. Unfortunately, the little box is destined to be an IDS monitor, so that 
function is essential. The board is an Intel Atom  330 run as x86_64, the nic 
is 
internal. 

We tried three drivers: the one in the 2.6.18-128.1.10.el5 kernel yields a 
high 
count of dropped packets (known problem), and the drivers from Realtek 
and 
El Repo. None solve the promiscuous problem (although they fix the funny 
dropped counter issue).

Apparently the chip has no MII capability either. 

Anyone have any idea as how to make this chip do the promiscuous mode 
thing other than adding another nic card ?