Re: A question about ixg(4)

[Alexander Schreiber <als%thangorodrim.ch@localhost>]

On Sat, May 02, 2026 at 02:20:04PM +0300, Staffan Thomen wrote:
> Hello list,
> 
> I have a pair of ixg(4) devices in one of my systems, 82599EB is the
> model I think ("Intel(R) PRO/10GbE PCI-Express Network Driver, Version -
> 4.0.1-k")
> 
> Now I haven't used SFP+ before, but I have heard that there might be
> vendor lock-in going on that some NICs only accept modules of their own
> manufacture.

Yes, Intel is particularly infamous for e.g. their 10G NICs typically only
officially wanting to use Intel marked optics. So you can either buy the
Intel optics or ... have optics marked as Intel. E.g. FS.com offers to
mark transceivers/DACs as whatever vendor you need. Alternatively, one
can use tools like the Flexoptix Flexbox to that that oneself.

Similar revenue-enhancing games are also played by some switch vendors.

> My question then is, will this be a problem for this intel one?

Quite likely. Observed behaviour from Intel X553 on Linux with non-Intel
DAC:
 - external "link detected" LED comes on and stays on
 - poking around with ethtool indicates that the "non-supported" DAC is
   quite functional, but the NIC refuses to pass traffic because the DAC
   doesn't say Intel
Plug in a non-Intel DAC marked as Intel: all is fine.

Kind regards,
            Alex.
-- 
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and
 looks like work."                                      -- Thomas A. Edison