linux-drivers/
drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc

Intel I225/I226 "Foxville" 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Controllers

Intel's I225 and I226 "Foxville" family of 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe controllers, found on a huge range of desktop motherboards, mini-PCs, NAS units, and industrial systems from 2019 onward. The chips come in consumer (V), industrial-temperature (IT), and managed (LM) variants and are Intel's mainstream successor to the I21x gigabit parts.

keep conf=0.95 deploy=high replacement=none subsystem=net category=networking-ethernet
95%

recommendation

It should stay in the kernel because the I225 and I226 are Intel's current 2.5 Gbps Ethernet controllers, widely integrated on consumer and industrial motherboards, and Intel itself only schedules them for discontinuance in 2027 and 2033 respectively. Upstream activity is healthy: Intel pushed igc fixes through netdev in 2025 and a 2026 series adds a build_skb RX path, so the driver is still gaining features rather than winding down.

repository signals

26 files
18,584 source lines
274 commits, 5y
+6,083 / −2,113 lines added / removed, 5y
75 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 274 total · active in 56/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 11 commits · +723 −183 2021-05: 6 commits · +13 −16 2021-06: 9 commits · +700 −49 2021-07: 11 commits · +276 −204 2021-08: 5 commits · +268 −52 2021-09: 3 commits · +6 −4 2021-10: 5 commits · +3 −11 2021-11: 7 commits · +38 −22 2021-12: 6 commits · +28 −12 2022-01: 2 commits · +9 −13 2022-02: 2 commits · +0 −4 2022-03: 3 commits · +11 −55 2022-04: 3 commits · +19 −25 2022-05: 0 commits · +0 −0 2022-06: 4 commits · +25 −9 2022-07: 2 commits · +0 −5 2022-08: 2 commits · +83 −46 2022-09: 2 commits · +49 −2 2022-10: 1 commit · +10 −10 2022-11: 1 commit · +0 −19 2022-12: 10 commits · +283 −81 2023-01: 2 commits · +9 −10 2023-02: 7 commits · +108 −27 2023-03: 2 commits · +10 −11 2023-04: 6 commits · +151 −11 2023-05: 5 commits · +36 −9 2023-06: 14 commits · +279 −112 2023-07: 6 commits · +257 −83 2023-08: 3 commits · +38 −3 2023-09: 4 commits · +125 −55 2023-10: 3 commits · +29 −13 2023-11: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-12: 9 commits · +69 −36 2024-01: 6 commits · +26 −29 2024-02: 7 commits · +321 −44 2024-03: 5 commits · +9 −40 2024-04: 3 commits · +233 −50 2024-05: 3 commits · +7 −3 2024-06: 6 commits · +204 −24 2024-07: 8 commits · +182 −35 2024-08: 2 commits · +6 −3 2024-09: 1 commit · +0 −4 2024-10: 1 commit · +163 −195 2024-11: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-12: 2 commits · +21 −4 2025-01: 8 commits · +77 −129 2025-02: 5 commits · +115 −37 2025-03: 16 commits · +513 −75 2025-04: 10 commits · +93 −58 2025-05: 9 commits · +232 −100 2025-06: 5 commits · +73 −16 2025-07: 2 commits · +4 −4 2025-08: 2 commits · +11 −11 2025-09: 2 commits · +13 −3 2025-10: 2 commits · +1 −3 2025-11: 3 commits · +40 −23 2025-12: 1 commit · +3 −2 2026-01: 1 commit · +26 −11 2026-02: 6 commits · +53 −16 2026-03: 0 commits · +0 −0 2026-04: 0 commits · +0 −0

sources

  1. intel.com

    Intel lists I226-V as launched in Q2'22 with expected discontinuance in 1H'33, indicating the family remains an actively sold product well past 2025.

  2. intel.com

    Intel lists I225-V as launched in Q4'19 with expected discontinuance in 1H'27, showing the earlier igc-supported generation was still in-market in 2025.

  3. intel.com

    Intel ARK shows the I226 series currently includes I226-V, I226-IT, and I226-LM 2.5G PCIe controllers, matching an ongoing product family rather than a legacy-only niche.

  4. spinics.net

    A March 2026 netdev thread discusses a 2-patch igc series enabling the build_skb RX path, evidence of ongoing upstream feature and performance work rather than retirement.

  5. lore-kernel.gnuweeb.org

    An August 2025 Intel Wired LAN update for netdev included igc fixes, showing the driver is still part of active Intel-maintained upstream update streams.

  6. spinics.net

    A June 2025 pull request for igc added queue-priority harmonization and preemptible queue support, indicating active enhancement work and no visible removal trajectory.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

In-tree inspection via exec_command showed `config IGC` plus PCI IDs for I225/I226 variants, so this is a live dedicated hardware driver with no natural replacement driver. Recent local `git log` output (exec_command) showed substantive 2025-2026 fixes. External URLs were obtained via web search: Intel ARK/spec pages show I225/I226 products still marketed with future discontinuance dates; netdev/lore mirror results show active 2025-2026 patch traffic and no removal discussion surfaced in the allotted search budget. Given ongoing upstream work and hardware still shipping into the 2030s for I226, the correct recommendation is keep.