# Ethernet overview Ethernet technology is designed to transmit data over a channel using wired technology at different link speeds. It uses cables to transmit data in network models, such as local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) for a reliable, secure, and better network connectivity. Ethernet connectivity is integrated into IoT devices and sensors, allowing them to transmit data to the network. It’s defined under IEEE 802.3 standards and provides a standardized interface for these devices to communicate with gateways. Qualcomm^®^ Linux^®^ provides Ethernet features, architecture, and tools that can help you develop Ethernet applications on Qualcomm Dragonwing^TM^ RB3 Gen 2 Development Kit, Qualcomm Dragonwing^TM^ IQ-9075 Evaluation Kit (EVK), Qualcomm Dragonwing^TM^ IQ-8275 EVK, and Qualcomm Dragonwing^TM^ IQ-615 EVK. Additionally, Qualcomm Linux offers capabilities to bring up the Ethernet functionality, configure its features, and enable logging to debug issues. Note See [Hardware SoCs](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70022-115/soc.html) that are supported on Qualcomm Linux. ## Ethernet interfaces The following table lists the reference kits and their supported Ethernet interfaces. | Reference kit | SoC | Ethernet interfaces | | --- | --- | --- | | [Dragonwing RB3 Gen 2 Development Kit](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70022-251/rb3_hardware_overview.html#ethernet) | QCS6490 | | | [Dragonwing IQ-9075 EVK](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70022-261/iq9-ug-hw-overview.html#evk-ports-and-interfaces) | IQ-9075 | 1 x RJ45 connector | | Dragonwing IQ-8275 EVK | IQ-8275 | 1 x RJ45 connector | | Dragonwing IQ-615 EVK | IQ-615 | 1 x RJ45 connector | ## Ethernet features Tab QCS6490 Tab IQ-9075 Tab IQ-8275 Tab IQ-615 - *class* tabincludedirective - ### Energy efficient Ethernet EEE is an optional operational mode that helps in reducing the consumption of power while transmitting and receiving data. When there is no data to transmit or receive, this feature allows the MAC sublayer and a family of physical layers (PHY) to operate in the low-power idle (LPI) mode. During link negotiation, the link partners learn about the capabilities and features, such as EEE, supported by the remote entity. Based on the supported capabilities, features, and data transfer state, the MAC determines whether the system should enter or exit the LPI mode and communicates this information to the PHY. The EEE feature specifies the capabilities and negotiation methods that the link partners can use to: - Determine whether EEE is supported. - Select the set of parameters that are common to both the devices. Note EEE feature is supported only on QEP8121 PHY. For configuration details, see [Configure EEE](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/configure-ethernet-features.html#configure-eee). - *class* tabincludedirective - Basic Ethernet features such as interface enumeration and data path are supported on IQ-9075 EVK. - *class* tabincludedirective - Basic Ethernet features such as interface enumeration and data path are supported on IQ-8275 EVK. - *class* tabincludedirective - ### Precision time protocol Precision time protocol (PTP) is a network protocol used to synchronize clocks throughout a device. It’s defined in the IEEE 1588 standard and is especially useful in systems that require very precise time coordination, such as industrial automation. For configuration details, see [Configure PTP](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/configure-ethernet-features.html#configure-ptp). ### TCP segmentation offload TCP segmentation offload (TSO) is a network optimization feature that enhances system performance by offloading the task of segmenting large data blocks into smaller TCP packets from the CPU to the network interface card (NIC). The operating system breaks down large chunks of data into smaller segments that fit within the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the network. With TSO enabled, the OS can hand off a large data buffer to the NIC, which then handles the segmentation process. This reduces CPU overhead, allowing it to focus on other tasks, and improves overall throughput. For configuration details, see [Configure TSO](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/configure-ethernet-features.html#configure-tso). ## Next steps > > > - [Get started with Ethernet](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/get-started-with-ethernet.html#get-started-with-ethernet) > - [Bring up Ethernet](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/bring_up-ethernet.html#bring-up-ethernet) > - [Perform Ethernet operations](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/perform-ethernet-operations.html#perform-ethernet-operations) > - [Configure Ethernet features](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/configure-ethernet-features.html#config-ethernet-features) > - [Troubleshoot Ethernet issues](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70022-26/topic/troubleshoot-ethernet-issues.html#troubleshoot-ethernet-issues) Last Published: Nov 10, 2025 [Previous Topic Ethernet documentation](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-70022-26/topics/ethernet-documentation.md) [Next Topic Get started with Ethernet](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-70022-26/topics/get-started-with-ethernet.md)