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

# epic(4)

SMC 83C170 (EPIC/100) 10/100 Ethernet device

## NAME

**epic** – SMC 83C170 (EPIC/100) 10/100 Ethernet device

## SYNOPSIS

**epic\* at pci?** **acphy\* at mii?** **lxtphy\* at mii?** **qsphy\* at mii?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **epic** interface provides access to the 10Mb/s and 100Mb/s Ethernet networks via the SMC EPIC chipset. This driver provides support for the SMC EtherPower II 10/100 Ethernet cards.

The **epic** supports several media types, which are selected via the [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md) command. The supported media types are:

- **media** autoselect

  Attempt to autoselect the media type (default)

- **media** 100baseFX **mediaopt** full-duplex

  Use 100baseFX (fiber), full duplex

- **media** 100baseFX **mediaopt** half-duplex

  Use 100baseFX (fiber), half duplex

- **media** 100baseTX **mediaopt** full-duplex

  Use 100baseTX, full duplex

- **media** 100baseTX **mediaopt** half-duplex

  Use 100baseTX, half duplex

- **media** 100baseTX **mediaopt** loopback

  Put the interface into loopback mode

- **media** 10baseT **mediaopt** full-duplex

  Use 10baseT, full duplex

- **media** 10baseT **mediaopt** half-duplex

  Use 10baseT, half duplex

- **media** 10baseT **mediaopt** loopback

  Put the interface into loopback mode

## SEE ALSO

[acphy(4)](/acphy/4.md), [arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [ifmedia(4)](/ifmedia/4.md), [inet(4)](/inet/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [lxtphy(4)](/lxtphy/4.md), [netintro(4)](/netintro/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [qsphy(4)](/qsphy/4.md), [hostname.if(5)](/hostname.if/5.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **epic** device driver first appeared in NetBSD 1.4. OpenBSD support was added in OpenBSD 3.8.

## AUTHORS

The **epic** driver was written by Jason R. Thorpe ⟨*thorpej@wasabisystems.com*⟩ and ported to OpenBSD by Brad Smith ⟨*brad@openbsd.org*⟩.