ix —
Interlan Np100 10 Mb/s Ethernet interface
np0 at uba0 csr 166000 vector npintr
NOTE: This driver has not been ported from 4.4BSD yet.
The ix interface provides access to a 10
    Mb/s Ethernet network through an Interlan Np100 controller used as a
    link-layer interface.
This interface is unusual in that it requires loading firmware
    into the controller before it may be used as a network interface. This is
    accomplished by opening a character special device, and writing data to it.
    A program to load the image is provided in
    /usr/src/new/np100. The sequence of commands would
    be:
# ./npload np.image [/dev/np<board #> if other than np00]
# sleep 10
# ifconfig ix0 ...
 
Each of the host's network addresses is specified at boot time
    with an SIOCSIFADDR
    ioctl(2). The
    ix interface employs the address resolution protocol
    described in arp(4) to
    dynamically map between Internet and Ethernet addresses on the local
    network.
  - ix%d: Req failed, cmd %x, stat %x, ust error %x,%x.
- The firmware in the controller refused to honor a request from
      UNIX in initializing packet level communications.
      The board may need to be reset and reloaded. Or, you may not have allowed
      enough time between loading the board and issuing the request to begin
      UNIX network operation.
- ix%d: can't initialize.
- The interface was unable to obtain UNIBUS resources required for
      operation.
- ix%d: failed to reinitialize DLA module.
- The interface got sick after attempting to reprogram its physical Ethernet
      address. Try reloading the firmware. The attempt is made only when this
      interfaces is not the first one configured for XNS.
- ix%d: can't handle af%d.
- The interface was handed a message with addresses formatted in an
      unsuitable address family; the packet was dropped.
- ix%d: stray xmit interrupt, npreq=%x.
- This may happen if the board is reloaded while network processes are still
      running.
- ixrint: cqe error %x, %x, %x.
- This will result if an
      ifconfig(8) request is
      made at an inopportune time, such as not allowing enough time after
      loading the firmware. After 100 such errors are logged, the
      UNIX network driver will shut itself down,
    saying:
- ixrint: shutting down unix dla.
- The recourse is to reload the firmware and allow more time.
Theix driver appeared in
  4.3BSD.