what USB can support iPXE boot

[robertkwild]

hi all,

now that the laptops that we get supplied by our vendor, dont come with a built in NIC so we have to get USB ethernet dongles, what ones please support fog

ive tried the ugreens here and they dont work

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Ethernet-Aluminum-Internet-Compatible-Sliver/dp/B07M91X2NW?crid=39DJT89SU3DNA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.flP7eut-xH1BMFFeV0vScpFyNPEOftHnqD7oKVXagQM_yJhn1pvyecWJmF3OxOvHXPh1PhfQeU5eo5tRApgJkLPAVxH0FPPH_eHSXHEQqKfZPa7-vR3RohqR1HF88epPn7lplvcIayGku-S9NnuTl2rXna0girUriR3z1Jz6X3nnFKusvwfFM6zVBMDOW6YM1jjhjSTtv3S9rJyy7I0HsC-2l9XZwFgFFwFFa27Akqk.3REpD4LvEoBE230Zu3bRnzs7Nd2ecrYgb4BfWFPCgyA&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb+ethernet+adapter&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730973452&sprefix=usb+ether%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-5

but now im buying these and im hopefull

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0095EFXMC?ref=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_QWCC5DKSN1MF4PQJTJV4&ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_QWCC5DKSN1MF4PQJTJV4&social_share=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_QWCC5DKSN1MF4PQJTJV4&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&th=1

what makes it compatible with pxe boot, is it the chipset or is it on the fog server, it needs to support it?

thanks,
rob

[robertkwild]

is there a way to update fog with the latest NIC drivers, so it knows about the usb ethernet adapter?

[george1421]

@robertkwild You have two things at play here.

1. The laptops don’t have built in nics so you can pxe boot them.
2. If you don’t purchase usb nic drivers that is supported by the laptop vendor they will not pxe boot.

You have to consider that uefi bios is much like a linux kernel. The uefi firmware vendor has control over what usb nics they support for pxe booting. If the laptop vendor doesn’t support the nic you will not be able to pxe boot. This isn’t a fog issue, its between the laptop vendor and the nic vendor.

The second issue is when ipxe boots it must have the correct nic driver onboard to boot.

The third issue bzImage boots that is the FOS Linux kernel. That is in the realm of fog developers. If the driver is available for linux, it can be included in bzImage. You will have better luck if the usb nic is a bit older and a bit more generic and linux will probably have a driver.

Now if you have a usb nic that is supported by linux but not the vendor, you can always usb boot right into FOS linux (bzImage) and bypass pxe booting altogether. This won’t work in a campus environment but will work on the imaging bench. I think I have a tutorial to usb flash drive into iPXE to get more normal imaging experience. Booting right into bzImage has a few caveats.

[robertkwild]

@george1421 ahh ok thanks george, makes sense, so basically the usb nic needs to support the laptop, nothing to do with fog even tho ive updated the kernel via this to the latest 6.6.49

https://docs.fogproject.org/en/stable/reference/manual_kernel_upgrade.html

[george1421]

@robertkwild Yes right now pxe booting issue is between uefi firmware and network adapter. Typically the hardware vendor will have a recommended usb adapter (typically hardware vendor branded $$) that supports pxe booting, where the driver for the usb adapter is built into uefi.

I the imaging process once bzImage is loaded (FOS kernel) and you have a network issue then the issue with with the “FOG kernel”. You are not there yet in the booting process.

[jmeyer]

@george1421
Do you mean using brand adapteur certified for PXE such as :
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-adapter-usb-30-to-ethernet-pxe-boot/apd/443-bbbd/pc-accessories
or
https://www.lenovo.com/fr/fr/p/accessories-and-software/cables-and-adapters/cables-and-adapters_adapters/4x90s91831

[george1421]

@jmeyer said in what USB can support iPXE boot:

Do you mean using brand adapteur certified for PXE such as :

Exactly. They have to say pxe boot and then be branded to the device manufacturer. UEFI firmware is not like linux (well it is minux/linux) but in a general purpose linux it has one of every common driver, where uefi only needs drivers for the hardware actually installed in the device, there is no need for a 3com isa driver in a Dell laptop with a 14 gen processor (contrasting something really old with something new).

Typically if the uefi bios sees a uefi compatible nic adapter in the computer, the F12/boot manager will list pxe booting as an option. If its not listed then the network device is not supported by the uefi firmware.

[robertkwild]

@george1421 result!!!

i bought a HP NIC as i have a HP laptop and it works

this one if anyone is inteerested

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HP-N7P47AA-Network-DesignJet-Adapters-Black/dp/B01618WGMY?th=1

as literally star tech, ugreen, tp link, realtek or asix chipsets didnt work