[NTLUG:Discuss] tap[0-9]* modules?

[Lee Heath]

Brian wrote:
> 
> Anybody know what these modules (or aliases) are for?  They started
> appearing in my boot messages after upgrading to the 2.2.12 kernel,
> appearing as in "module not found: tap0"..."module not found: tap15".  A
> grep of the usual suspects (/etc/modules.conf, /etc/rc.d) turned up no
> references to anything looking like tap[0-9]*.

from
/usr/src/linux/Documentation/networking/ethertap.txt

"Ethertap provides packet reception and transmission for user
space programs. It can be viewed as a simple Ethernet device,
which instead of receiving packets from a network wire, it receives
them from user space.
 
Ethertap can be used for anything from AppleTalk to IPX to even
building bridging tunnels. It also has many other general purpose
uses.
 
Ethertap also can do ARP for you, although this is not enabled by
default."

There is more in there, this is just the intro.  I can't tell you where
it is being called from, would depend on your distro.  This is a device
specifically, but if your init scripts are trying to use the device, it
may be looking for the tapxx device, but can't load it because it can't
find the module.  It should be under the Networking section, but I
didn't have time to look right now.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

-- 
MadHat