Compaq AA-RNG2A-TE Configure Section for a Network Driver, Start Section for a Network Driver

Table 1–1: Driver-Specific Macros (cont.)

Macro	Description
READ_RXS	Read from the 3Com 3C5x9 device’s receive status
	register.
READ_FDP	Read from the 3Com 3C5x9 device’s FIFO diagnostic
	port register.

1.3 Configure Section for a Network Driver

The configure section for a network device driver contains a configure interface. The cfgmgr framework calls the driver’s configure interface at system startup to handle static configuration requests. The cfgmgr framework can also call the driver’s configure interface to handle user-level requests to dynamically configure, unconfigure, query, and reconfigure a device driver at run time. If you implement the driver as a single binary module, the configure interface can handle both static and dynamic configuration.

1.4 Autoconfiguration Support Section for a Network Driver

The autoconfiguration support section for a network device driver contains the following entry points:

•A probe interface, which determines if the network device exists and is functional on the system

•An attach interface, which establishes communication with the device and initializes the driver’s ifnet data structure.

You define the entry point for each of these interfaces in the driver data structure.

1.5 Initialization Section for a Network Driver

The initialization section for a network device driver prepares the network to transmit and receive data packets.

1.6 Start Section for a Network Driver

The start section for a network device driver contains a start interface, which transmits data packets on the network interface. You define the entry point for the start interface in the ifnet data structure. However, before this interface can be called, the network adapter must be enabled for data packet transmission and reception. You enable the network adapter by invoking the SIOCSIFADDR ioctl command.

1–10Network Device Driver Environment