---
name: "tl"
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/tl"
---

# tl(4)

Texas Instruments ThunderLAN 10/100 Ethernet device

## NAME

**tl** – Texas Instruments ThunderLAN 10/100 Ethernet device

## SYNOPSIS

**tl\* at pci?** **lxtphy\* at mii?** **mlphy\* at mii?** **nsphy\* at mii?** **tlphy\* at mii?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **tl** driver provides support for PCI Ethernet adapters based on the Texas Instruments ThunderLAN Ethernet controller chip. This includes a large number of Compaq PCI-bus Ethernet adapters as well as the integrated Ethernet controllers built in to several models of Compaq Prosignia servers and Compaq Deskpro desktop machines. This driver also supports the Olicom OC-2135/2138, OC-2325 and OC-2326 10/100 TX UTP adapters and the Racore 8165 10/100baseTX and 8148 10baseT/100baseTX/100baseFX multi-personality cards.

The ThunderLAN controller has a standard MII interface that supports up to 32 physical interface devices (PHYs). It also has a built-in 10baseT PHY hardwired at MII address 31, which may be used in some 10Mbps-only hardware configurations. In 100Mbps configurations, a National Semiconductor DP83840A or other MII-compliant PHY may be attached to the ThunderLAN's MII bus. If a DP83840A or equivalent is available, the ThunderLAN chip can operate at either 100Mbps or 10Mbps in either half-duplex or full-duplex modes. The ThunderLAN's built-in PHY and the DP83840A also support autonegotiation.

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

- autoselect

  Enable autoselection of the media type and options. Note that this option is only available on those PHYs that support autonegotiation. Also, the PHY will not advertise those modes that have been explicitly disabled using the following media options.

- 10baseT

  Set 10Mbps operation.

- 100baseTX

  Set 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) operation.

- 10base5

  Enable AUI/BNC interface (useful only with the built-in PHY).

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

- full-duplex

  Force full duplex operation.

- half-duplex

  Force half duplex operation.

- hw-loopback

  Enable hardware loopback mode.

Note that the 100baseTX media type is only available if supported by the PHY. For more information on configuring this device, see [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md).

## DIAGNOSTICS

- tl0: couldn't map memory

  A fatal initialization error has occurred.

- tl0: couldn't map interrupt

  A fatal initialization error has occurred.

- tl0: device timeout

  The device has stopped responding to the network, or there is a problem with the network connection (cable).

- tl0: no memory for rx list

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

- tl0: no memory for tx list

  The driver failed to allocate an mbuf for the transmitter ring when allocating a pad buffer or collapsing an mbuf chain into a cluster.

## SEE ALSO

[arp(4)](/arp/4.md), [ifmedia(4)](/ifmedia/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [lxtphy(4)](/lxtphy/4.md), [mlphy(4)](/mlphy/4.md), [netintro(4)](/netintro/4.md), [nsphy(4)](/nsphy/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [tlphy(4)](/tlphy/4.md), [hostname.if(5)](/hostname.if/5.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **tl** device driver first appeared in FreeBSD 2.2. OpenBSD support first appeared in OpenBSD 2.4.

## AUTHORS

The **tl** driver was written by Bill Paul ⟨*wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu*⟩.