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

# pcn(4)

AMD PCnet-PCI 10/100 Ethernet device

## NAME

**pcn** – AMD PCnet-PCI 10/100 Ethernet device

## SYNOPSIS

**pcn\* at pci?** **acphy\* at mii?** **amphy\* at mii?** **lxtphy\* at mii?** **nsphy\* at mii?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **pcn** device driver supports Ethernet interfaces based on the AMD PCnet-PCI family of Ethernet chips. The chips supported by the **pcn** driver include:

- Am79c970 PCnet-PCI Single-Chip Ethernet Controller for PCI Local Bus

- Am79c970A PCnet-PCI II Single-Chip Full-Duplex Ethernet Controller for PCI Local Bus

- Am79c971 PCnet-FAST Single-Chip Full-Duplex 10/100Mbps Ethernet Controller for PCI Local Bus

- Am79c972 PCnet-FAST+ Enhanced 10/100Mbps PCI Ethernet Controller with OnNow Support

- Am79c973/Am79c975 PCnet-FAST III Single-Chip 10/100Mbps PCI Ethernet Controller with Integrated PHY

PCnet-PCI chips are found on some Hewlett-Packard PCI Ethernet boards, and on the Allied Telesyn AT-2700TX PCI Ethernet board. They are also found on some processor evaluation boards as an example peripheral.

The **pcn** driver also supports the emulated PCnet-PCI interface provided by VMware.

## SEE ALSO

[acphy(4)](/acphy/4.md), [amphy(4)](/amphy/4.md), [arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [ifmedia(4)](/ifmedia/4.md), [lxtphy(4)](/lxtphy/4.md), [mii(4)](/mii/4.md), [netintro(4)](/netintro/4.md), [nsphy(4)](/nsphy/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **pcn** driver first appeared in NetBSD 1.6. OpenBSD support was added in OpenBSD 3.8.

## AUTHORS

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