AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet won't use ax88179_178a

[davidshen84]

Hi,

I have "Bus 004 Device 003: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet" connected to my system through a USB-C port. "lsusb -t" shows it uses the "cdc_ncm" driver, instead of the ax88179_178a driver.

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/:  Bus 004.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 5000M
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Communications, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 1, Class=CDC Data, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M

I have tried to blacklist the cdc_ncm module, add udev rule to load ax88179_178a for the device. But nothing works. The cdc_ncm is always used for this device.

The Internet says ax88179_178a gives better stability and performance for this device. Is it still true in 2025?

How to use ax88179_178a for my device?

Thanks

[NeddySeagoon]

davidshen84,

On a USB3 A port I get ...

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/:  Bus 002.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 5000M
        |__ Port 002: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=ax88179_178a, 5000M
        |__ Port 004: Dev 004, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=ax88179_178a, 5000M

Notice the vendor and device IDs in modinfo.

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 # modinfo ax88179_178a
filename:       /lib/modules/6.12.41-v8-16k+/kernel/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.ko.xz
license:        GPL
description:    ASIX AX88179/178A based USB 3.0/2.0 Gigabit Ethernet Devices
srcversion:     E4BEF6D15D44F81FF22E01D
alias:          usb:v07C9p0010d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v07C9p000Fd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v07C9p000Ed*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v0711p0179d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v0930p0A13d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v050Dp0128d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v17EFp304Bd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v04E8pA100d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v0DF6p0072d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v2001p4A00d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v04B4p3610d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v0B95p178Ad*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
alias:          usb:v0B95p1790d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFip00in*
depends:        
intree:         Y
name:           ax88179_178a
vermagic:       6.12.41-v8-16k+ SMP preempt mod_unload modversions aarch64

which matches the last alias entry.

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Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet

You have

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Port 001: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Communications

I get

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Port 002: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class

That's odd we should both get the same thing there.

Please pastebin your

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lsusb -vvv

output.

For completeness, my info is from a Raspberry Pi 5.

[davidshen84]

lsusb -s 04:03 -vvv

https://bpa.st/VBEA

My ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet is part of a Ugreen adaptor that connects to my laptop using a USB-C port. Not sure if the vendor can do something fishy to mess up the Class type.

[Anon-E-moose]

Have you turned on the driver option in the kernel?

IIRC, if you don't specify a driver you get a default cdc driver

[davidshen84]

Have you turned on the driver option in the kernel?

IIRC, if you don't specify a driver you get a default cdc driver

Do you mean build the kernel module? I use the Gentoo kernel bin. It builds almost all the modules. I checked I have that module. I can load it manually, but the device still won't use it.

[NeddySeagoon]

davidshen84,

Don't you hate vendors that change the hardware but not the DeviceID.
My device report ...

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Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
Negotiated speed: High Speed (480Mbps)
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.10
  bDeviceClass          255 Vendor Specific Class
  bDeviceSubClass       255 Vendor Specific Subclass
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x0b95 ASIX Electronics Corp.
  idProduct          0x1790 AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
  bcdDevice            1.00
  iManufacturer           1 ASIX Elec. Corp.
  iProduct                2 AX88179
  iSerial                 3 00000000002C99
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x0027
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              248mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           3
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              4 Network_Interface
      Endpoint Descriptor
... :

They need 248mA from the bus and report

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 bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class

everywhere.

Your interface reports

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  MaxPower              184mA

so its clearly a different piece of silicon. Then it reports

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    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           4
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
...
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         2 Communications
      bInterfaceSubClass     13 [unknown]

Notice the

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bInterfaceClass         2 Communications

As we are not comparing like with like, I don't know where to go from here. or even if it matters.
My AX88179 are Amazon Basics (from Amazon Warehouse, from a few years ago.

[Anon-E-moose]

I have the ugreen with AX88179, it only shows 184mA max, though I don't use the ethernet port so I've not compiled the modules for it.

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Bus 006 Device 004: ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               3.20
  bDeviceClass            0 [unknown]
  bDeviceSubClass         0 [unknown]
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0         9
  idVendor           0x0b95 ASIX Electronics Corp.
  idProduct          0x1790 AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
  bcdDevice            2.00
  iManufacturer           1 ASIX
  iProduct                2 AX88179A
  iSerial                 3 0040E472
  bNumConfigurations      3
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x0046
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              184mA

bcdusb is different Neddy.

[davidshen84]

So, is it not the same chip, or have they modified its configuration? I know Chinese companies like to mod stuff.

[Anon-E-moose]

davidshen84, you and I have the same chip and looks like same generation/version
Neddy's seems to be a slightly older generation/versison.

When you hand load the ax88179 driver does it stay loaded, or immediately unload?

If loaded is the usbnet driver also loaded, it should be loaded before the ax driver

What happens if you disable building the cdc_ncm driver?

[NeddySeagoon]

Anon-E-moose,

usbnet provides TCP/IP over USB. It should not me needed with a USB/Ethernet adaptor but that raises an interesting question.

davidshen84,

What is the name of the interface you get on the ASIX converter?
You will probably need to look in dmesg as the kernel names are most useful and udev will have renamed your interfaces to something meaningless.

[Anon-E-moose]

Neddy, you're right usbnet isn't needed, I was doing other things and didn't double check.

David, it would probably be useful to post dmesg output just after boot, along with an "lsmod" list, so we can see what it looks like after boot.
Please use wgetpaste (or equiv)

Edit to add: just compiled a new kernel with ax88179 and another realtek usb net adapter
they both depend on usbnet, according to modinfo.

And cdc_ncm is being selected over ax88179_178a driver

so looks like usbnet gets loaded as all usb network adapters seem to need it,
but it pulls in cdc_ether, which then loads cdc_ncm,

ETA2: I've tried several different combinations and I can't get the ax88179_178a driver to load and work, it loads, but that's it.
OTOH, with the cdc_ncm driver it's recognized and it works, along with a r8153 usb network adapter that I have in another hub.

So I think you're stuck with the cdc_ncm driver which shouldn't have bad performance.

[Anon-E-moose]

EDIT TO ADD: This is superseded by my next post, left for historical reasons



There might be a way to force the ax88179 driver, I had run across a post about changing something via udev rules, but didn't understand what it was doing.

But when I ran lsusb -tv it showed what was going on

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        |__ Port 003: Dev 004, If 0, Class=Communications, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
        |__ Port 003: Dev 004, If 1, Class=CDC Data, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet

if "If 0" then you get a Class=Communications
and with
"If 1" you get a Class=CDC

Thus 2 modes. I haven't tried, but I would think that "If 0" would use the ax88179 driver instead of the cdc one.

I also have a r8153 ethernet adapter in another hub, that only has one state, and that's a communication class and it doesn't select the cdc_ncm driver, but it does use the cdc_ether and usbnet modules.


Udev rule might work, but not tested and no guarantees
ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0b95", ATTR{idProduct}=="1790", ATTR{bConfigurationValue}!="1", ATTR{bConfigurationValue}="1"

[NeddySeagoon]

Team,

Raking through my 'gander box' I found to more AX8817 USB to Ethernet transceivers.
Another old one, that I've already posted about and a newer one that only advertises a need for 124mA.
That's probably not useful.

None or mine advertise Communication Class.
They both show

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/:  Bus 004.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=ax88179_178a, 5000M
        ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet

Notice that there is no If 1, for my devices.

[Anon-E-moose]

Found the answer, set an option

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$ tail -2 /etc/modprobe.d/options.conf 

options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=Y

It's set to N by default

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parm:           prefer_mbim:Prefer MBIM setting on dual NCM/MBIM functions (bool)

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 /:  Bus 006.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/1p, 10000M
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 10000M
        |__ Port 002: Dev 003
        |__ Port 003: Dev 004, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=ax88179_178a, 5000M

Neddy, once I set the option, it no longer shows 2 "If's" only one, but it now works.


Edit to add: it really is screwy, if CDC_MBIM is sst then in cdc_ncm.c prefer_mbim gets set to true.
If not set, then prefer_mbim gets declared but not set (very stupid) so it's always luck as to what's in the bool.

I'm not sure if the ax88179 driver would get used if CDC_MBIM is set and the module built. Might need to be blacklisted if it does interfer.

Even funnier, I originally messed up and set prefer_mbim option for cdc_ether instead of cdc_ncm, and it still applied it.

[davidshen84]

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/:  Bus 004.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 5000M
        ID 05e3:0626 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Communications, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 1, Class=CDC Data, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
        |__ Port 002: Dev 004, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M
            ID 05e3:0749 Genesys Logic, Inc. SD Card Reader and Writer

https://bpa.st/VI5A

After I set the option, it still uses the cdc module. In the 'lsusb -tv', it shows 'If 1, Class=CDC Data'. I don't have the vendor-specific class for the Ethernet port. Maybe I have a different model?

[Anon-E-moose]

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/:  Bus 004.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    |__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 5000M
        ID 05e3:0626 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Communications, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
        |__ Port 001: Dev 003, If 1, Class=CDC Data, Driver=cdc_ncm, 5000M
            ID 0b95:1790 ASIX Electronics Corp. AX88179 Gigabit Ethernet
        |__ Port 002: Dev 004, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M
            ID 05e3:0749 Genesys Logic, Inc. SD Card Reader and Writer

https://bpa.st/VI5A

After I set the option, it still uses the cdc module. In the 'lsusb -tv', it shows 'If 1, Class=CDC Data'. I don't have the vendor-specific class for the Ethernet port. Maybe I have a different model?

You have a 1 you have a 0, it's just how to get to it. (1 implies that you have 2 interface numbers, 0 & 1)
Once a driver is successfully attached to the hardware then you will not see two options.

all the cdc_* and ax88179, along with usbnet are all modules, correct?
where did you put the prefer_mbim option?

would you wgetpaste (or equiv) dmesg output after a boot and show what lsmod returns.
A copy of your .config would also help

[davidshen84]

all the cdc_* and ax88179, along with usbnet are all modules, correct?

Yes

where did you put the prefer_mbim option?

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david@xps9560 ~ % cat -p /etc/modprobe.d/cdc.conf          
# options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=Y

# blacklist cdc_mbim

Here's the dmesg output: https://bpa.st/WJDA, and lsmod output: https://bpa.st/46EA

Thanks

[Anon-E-moose]

where did you put the prefer_mbim option?

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david@xps9560 ~ % cat -p /etc/modprobe.d/cdc.conf          
# options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=Y

# blacklist cdc_mbim

Uncomment them and add cdc_wdm to the blacklist?

Then after reboot post output of

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dmesg | grep cdc_
lsmod | grep cdc_ 

Output should be small enough to post here.

Edit to add:
This is the problem with making all modules, sometimes they will have to be blacklisted to keep the wrong ones from doing what you don't want

[davidshen84]

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dmesg | grep cdc_
lsmod | grep cdc_
[    5.517580] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[    5.722567] cdc_ncm 4-1.1:2.0: MAC-Address: 6c:1f:f7:00:3d:ab
[    5.722572] cdc_ncm 4-1.1:2.0: setting rx_max = 16384
[    5.735589] cdc_ncm 4-1.1:2.0: setting tx_max = 16384
[    5.745768] cdc_ncm 4-1.1:2.0 eth0: register 'cdc_ncm' at usb-0000:3e:00.0-1.1, CDC NCM (NO ZLP), 6c:1f:f7:00:3d:ab
[    5.757389] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ncm
[    5.761370] cdc_ncm 4-1.1:2.0 usb_net0: renamed from eth0
cdc_ncm                40960  0
cdc_ether              24576  1 cdc_ncm
usbnet                 57344  2 cdc_ncm,cdc_ether

I even added cdc_ether to the blacklist, but it is still loaded. I cannot block usbnet, right?

[Anon-E-moose]

You need usbnet, leave cdc_ether alone it's only pulled in if needed,


So, don't blacklist AX88179*, cdc_ether, cdc_ncm.
prefer_mbim option set to Y and uncommented
and no udev rules affecting 0b95:1790


if it still doesn't apply the ax88179 driver, try setting prefer_mbim to N and see what that does.

If it still doesn't work wgetpaste your .config file.

[davidshen84]

I tried everything, but the ax module is still not loaded. I also noticed there's a "/etc/modprobe.d/network.conf" file, and it does not belong to any packages on my system. I tried with and without this conf file but nothing changes.

options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=N

# blacklist cdc_mbim
# blacklist cdc_wdm
# blacklist cdc_ether
install ax88179_178a /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install ax88179_178a

I guess I will give up

Thanks for your help!

[Anon-E-moose]

WRONG

options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=N

# blacklist cdc_mbim
# blacklist cdc_wdm
# blacklist cdc_ether
install ax88179_178a /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install ax88179_178a

a # means it is commented out and does nothing

RIGHT

options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=Y # or N

blacklist cdc_wdm
blacklist cdc_mbim

also what does this return
zgrep AX88179 /proc/config.gz

[cmm]

Hi,

I too have been struggling with adaptors containing variants of the AX88179 chips and have finally, after several weeks, got them all working full duplex!

I've never posted on any forum before and joined here just to pass on the solution that worked for me.

I have several Raspberry Pi's without onboard ethernet. After trying several Chinese 100Mb/s USB adaptors from Ali Express with varying success I bought some TP-Link UE306 and the first couple worked fine at 1000Mb/s, full duplex. This was probably a couple of years ago.

Recently I bought a few more UE306's and some of the Amazon Basics ones. None of them worked full duplex. They all selected the cdc_ncm driver.

I scoured the internet forums for a solution and tried the many things proposed but none worked. I even downloaded the driver code from several sources and compiled it for the various devices but alas no joy.

The I stumbled upon this: https://github.com/FlorianLaunay/asix-ax88179-dkms

I couldn't get the source to download using his script so worked through his process manually using the source code I already had and hey-presto - full duplex with the correct driver!

On my next Pi I couldn't compile the driver. I had updated the kernel with rpi-update and couldn't download the correct headers. I thought I'd try just creating the Udev rule and the blacklist - it worked!

On the next device all I did was create the Udev rule - success!

I had tried this rule some days ago and failed. I created my rule with sequence 99 (I don't know why). Florian's rule starts with 90 so I guess the order is important.

[davidshen84]

You said

So, don't blacklist AX88179*, cdc_ether, cdc_ncm.

So I commented then all.

I will give it another try on the weekend. Thanks

[davidshen84]

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options cdc_ncm prefer_mbim=Y

blacklist cdc_mbim
blacklist cdc_wdm
blacklist cdc_ether

Tried both Y and N. Both give the same result.

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zgrep -i ax88179 /proc/config.gz
CONFIG_USB_NET_AX88179_178A=m