---
name: "ale"
section: "4"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ale/4"
---

# ale(4)

Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 10/100/1Gb Ethernet device

## NAME

**ale** – Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 10/100/1Gb Ethernet device

## SYNOPSIS

**ale\* at pci?** **atphy\* at mii?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **ale** driver provides support for Ethernet interfaces based on the Atheros AR8121 Gigabit Ethernet chipset and the AR8113/AR8114 Fast Ethernet chipsets, also known as the Attansic L1E.

The **ale** driver supports IPv4 receive IP/TCP/UDP checksum offload and VLAN tag insertion and stripping.

The following *media* types are supported:

- **autoselect**

  Enable autoselection of the media type and options.

- **10baseT**

  Set 10Mbps operation.

- **100baseTX**

  Set 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) operation.

- **1000baseT**

  Set 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet) operation.

For more information on configuring this device, see [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md). To view a list of media types and options supported by the card, try **ifconfig** **\<device\>** **media**. For example, **ifconfig** **ale0** **media**.

## SEE ALSO

[arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [atphy(4)](/atphy/4.md), [ifmedia(4)](/ifmedia/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [netintro(4)](/netintro/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [hostname.if(5)](/hostname.if/5.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **ale** device driver first appeared in OpenBSD 4.5.

## AUTHORS

The **ale** driver was written by Pyun YongHyeon for FreeBSD and ported to OpenBSD by Kevin Lo ⟨*kevlo@openbsd.org*⟩.