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Intel Network adapters on OS X: Small Tree drivers

Update: Success with Intel 10GB NICs
The commands below are for a single NIC, such as the X520-DA1. If you have the X520-DA2 or similar, you will need to run them on both the devices. Also, be sure to change the enp2s0 to the proper NIC(s) on your machine. I underlined that part below.

Flashing an Intel X520-DA1 (or X520-DA2) to Use Sonnet Drivers
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32a value 0x12
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32b value 0x72
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32c value 0xb8
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32d value 0x16

Flashing an Intel X520-DA1 (or X520-DA2) to Use Small Tree Drivers
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32a value 0x0a
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32b value 0x00

These two commands only needed if cross-flashing Sonnet to Small Tree:
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32c value 0x86
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32d value 0x80

I hope this helps someone else. I am going to try these on Fujitsu D2755-A11 cards which are Fujitsu versions of the X520-DA2 and will report back. Hopefully this helps someone else.

I just wanted to come in here and say that I followed these instructions specifically and they worked perfectly. Thank you so much!
 
I'm still using SmallTree drivers, now in Ventura and they still work. KP'd once, but so far so good.
I'm wondering if Sonnet drivers officially support post-Big Sur macOSes. SmallTree dropped support after Big Sur, IIRC.

I just wanted to come in here and say that I followed these instructions specifically and they worked perfectly. Thank you so much!
 
Update: Success with Intel 10GB NICs
Below are ethtool commands used in a USB boot of Ubuntu 16.04 that were successful in modifying the EEPROM of an stock Intel X520-DA1 to work with either the Small Tree Driver or Sonnet Drivers. These commands apply to any Intel X520-based card (other than Dell), but your mileage may vary.

I demonstrated success using the Small Tree and Sonnet Drivers in a Catalina with my Hackintosh with X520-DA1 in PCIe Slot.

I also demonstrated success using the Sonnet Drivers in Big Sur using my 2017 Macbook Pro (touch bar) with a Thunderbolt 3 PCIe enclosure, the OWC Mercury Helios 3S.

The commands below are for a single NIC, such as the X520-DA1. If you have the X520-DA2 or similar, you will need to run them on both the devices. Also, be sure to change the enp2s0 to the proper NIC(s) on your machine. I underlined that part below.

Flashing an Intel X520-DA1 (or X520-DA2) to Use Sonnet Drivers
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32a value 0x12
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32b value 0x72
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32c value 0xb8
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32d value 0x16

Flashing an Intel X520-DA1 (or X520-DA2) to Use Small Tree Drivers
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32a value 0x0a
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32b value 0x00

These two commands only needed if cross-flashing Sonnet to Small Tree:
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32c value 0x86
sudo ethtool -E enp2s0 magic 0x10fb8086 offset 0x32d value 0x80

I hope this helps someone else. I am going to try these on Fujitsu D2755-A11 cards which are Fujitsu versions of the X520-DA2 and will report back. Hopefully this helps someone else.
This worked beautifully on my Intel x520-DA2, plugged into my M2 MacBook Pro (Ventura 13.2.1) using an OWC Helios 3S. Thanks a lot! Now I can use a Sonnet driver and set Jumbo frames! The stock Apple IXGBE driver wasn't letting me.. Anyways, as to how I achieved it, I used an Ubuntu 22.10 Bootable USB to patch it and basically copied your code. :D

I guess my question is, if I ever want to go back to using Intel's Subsystem Vendor ID and Subsystem ID, what were the values for again? I totally forgot to take a screenshot out of excitement... lol

UPDATE: While the Sonnet driver technically worked, I was having weird issues with it (kernel panicked and slow iperf3 performance) so I uninstalled the drivers. Oh well..
 
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hi guys! I want to buy an X540 NIC but I'm on Big Sur. Did anyone make it works on big sur?
 
Hi all,

Has anyone succeed to install the X540-AT1 on Big Sur? I made the EEPROM change when I was running Mojave and it was working with SmallTreeIntel8259x. Since the Big Sur upgrade, I can't make it work. Do you think I should change the EEPROM again on Linux? And maybe try another driver?

Thanks.
did you manage to make it work?
 
This worked beautifully on my Intel x520-DA2, plugged into my M2 MacBook Pro (Ventura 13.2.1) using an OWC Helios 3S. Thanks a lot! Now I can use a Sonnet driver and set Jumbo frames! The stock Apple IXGBE driver wasn't letting me.. Anyways, as to how I achieved it, I used an Ubuntu 22.10 Bootable USB to patch it and basically copied your code. :D

I guess my question is, if I ever want to go back to using Intel's Subsystem Vendor ID and Subsystem ID, what were the values for again? I totally forgot to take a screenshot out of excitement... lol

UPDATE: While the Sonnet driver technically worked, I was having weird issues with it (kernel panicked and slow iperf3 performance) so I uninstalled the drivers. Oh well..
Did you manage to use small tree drivers on M2? i am in the same situation before trying to check if it is practical to use Sonnet/small tree driver... thx)
 
I have an idea for Intel 10GbE NICs using NVM Update utility.


Following is interesting.

I attached x299x Designare 10g with x550T inventory xml
 

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I'm not sure what your idea is. Anyway Intel X550 should now have native support if AppleVTD is enabled.
 
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