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

# axe(4)

ASIX Electronics AX88172/AX88178/AX88772 10/100/1Gb USB Ethernet device

## NAME

**axe** – ASIX Electronics AX88172/AX88178/AX88772 10/100/1Gb USB Ethernet device

## SYNOPSIS

**axe\*   at uhub?** **rgephy\* at mii?** **rlphy\* at mii?** **eephy\* at mii?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **axe** driver provides support for USB Ethernet adapters based on the ASIX Electronics AX88172, AX88178, and AX88772 USB 2.0 chipsets, including the following:

- Apple USB Ethernet Adapter A1277

  - ATEN UC-210T

  - BAFO BF-320

  - Billionton Systems USB2AR

  - Buffalo(MELCO) LUA-U2-GT

  - Buffalo(MELCO) LUA-U2-KTX

  - Corega FEther USB2-TX

  - D-Link DUB-E100

  - Delock Gigabit USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter

  - Good Way GWUSB2E

  - Hawking UF200

  - Intellinet USB 2.0 to Ethernet (rev A)

  - IO-Data ETG-US2

  - JVC MP-PRX1

  - Konig CMP-NWUSB20

  - Lenovo USB 2.0 Ethernet

  - Level One USB-0200

  - Level One USB-0301

  - Linksys USB200M

  - Linksys USB1000

  - Logitec LAN-GTJ/U2

  - Netgear FA120

  - Nintendo Wii USB Lan Ethernet Adapter RVL-015

  - OQO model 01+ Ethernet

  - Sitecom LN-029

  - SMC 2209USB/ETH

  - SnapPort USB 2.0 LAN Adapter

  - ST Lab USB 2.0 Fast Ethernet

  - Surecom EP-1427X-2

  - System TALKS SGC-X2UL

  - TRENDnet TU2-ET100

  - Z-TEK ZK-R01-2

  The AX88172, AX88178, and AX88772 are USB 2.0 devices designed to work with either Ethernet or HomePNA transceivers. The AX88172 and AX88772 contain 10/100 Ethernet MACs with MII interfaces. The AX88178 contains a 10/100/1Gb Ethernet MAC with a GMII/MII interface. All adapters will operate with either USB 1.x or USB 2.0 controllers, however performance with 1.x controllers will be limited since the USB 1.x standard specifies a maximum transfer speed of 12Mbps. Users with USB 1.x controllers should therefore not expect to actually achieve 100Mbps speeds with these devices.

A 64-bit multicast hash table is supported, single perfect filter entry for the station address, all-multicast mode, and promiscuous mode. Packets are received and transmitted over separate USB bulk transfer endpoints.

The **axe** driver supports the following media types:

- autoselect

  Enable autoselection of the media type and options (this is the default). The user can manually override the autoselected mode by adding media options to the appropriate [hostname.if(5)](/hostname.if/5.md) file.

- 10baseT

  Set 10Mbps operation.

- 100baseTX

  Set 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) operation.

- 1000baseT

  Set 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet) operation (AX88178 only).

The **axe** driver supports the following media options:

- full-duplex

  Force full-duplex operation.

- half-duplex

  Force half-duplex operation.

The interface will operate in half-duplex mode if no media option is specified.

For more information on configuring this device, see [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md).

## DIAGNOSTICS

- axe0: watchdog timeout

  A packet was queued for transmission and a transmit command was issued, however the device failed to acknowledge the transmission before a timeout expired.

- axe0: no memory for rx list

  The driver failed to allocate an mbuf for the receiver ring.

## SEE ALSO

[arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [eephy(4)](/eephy/4.md), [ifmedia(4)](/ifmedia/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [netintro(4)](/netintro/4.md), [rgephy(4)](/rgephy/4.md), [rlphy(4)](/rlphy/4.md), [usb(4)](/usb/4.md), [hostname.if(5)](/hostname.if/5.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md) *ASIX AX88172 data sheet*, https://www.asix.com.tw.

## HISTORY

The **axe** device driver first appeared in OpenBSD 3.6.

## AUTHORS

The **axe** driver was written by Bill Paul ⟨*wpaul@windriver.com*⟩ and ported to OpenBSD by Greg Taleck ⟨*taleck@oz.net*⟩.