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How does something like this access my network? Like if I'm connected to WiFi, what's the stack look like for this chip getting access to that without the OS co
by laweijfmvo 4y ago
How does something like this access my network? Like if I'm connected to WiFi, what's the stack look like for this chip getting access to that without the OS cooperating?
- mmis1000 4y agoBecause the intel me 'is' a standalone system. So it can do anything on its own. Of course it won't connect to your WiFi because it didn't know the password. But lan connections don't need password so it can connect and listen to it in that case.
- erik_seaberg 4y agoThere is a standard for LAN authentication, though I think only high-end network hardware enforces it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.1X https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.1X
- laweijfmvo 4y agoMost laptops don't even have an RJ-45 anymore
- wmf 4y agoWPA Enterprise is basically 802.1x over Wi-Fi and yes, the ME has drivers for Intel Wi-Fi cards.
- snuxoll 4y agoDepends on your definition of "high-end", while I personally stick with Mikrotik and Juniper gear a TP-Link TL-SG2008 is only $70 and gives you 8x1GbE ports and support for 802.1x just fine. For wireless you'd use WPA-Enterprise, which is pretty common on most consumer grade routers (for some reason), readily accessible on anything you can install OpenWRT on, and then on prosumer stuff like Ubiquiti AP's.
- kevin_thibedeau 4y agoIt has an enhanced 486 running Minix and unrestricted access to everything on the system bus.
- wmf 4y agoIt requires an Intel NIC which connects to both the main CPU and the ME at the same time. The ME has drivers for Intel NICs and a full TCP/IP stack. From the docs: https://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implementation_and_Reference_Guide/WordDocuments/intelamtrelease202122architecture.htm https://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implement... "The Intel 82566 Gigabit Network Connection identifies out-of-band (OOB) network traffic (traffic targeted to Intel AMT) and routes it to the Intel ME instead of to the CPU. Intel AMT traffic is identified by dedicated IANA-registered port numbers. The [southbridge] holds the filter definitions that are applied to incoming and outgoing in-band network traffic (the message traffic to and from the CPU). These include both internally-defined filters and the application filters..."
- ridgered4 4y agoDoes this mean if your motherboard lacks an Intel NIC (or if you use an add on card instead) that it cannot communicate?
- wmf 4y agoYes, that is my interpretation.
- jrmg 4y agoHow common are these Intel NICs?
- wmf 4y ago100% of business PCs have Intel NICs because it's required for vPro. In the consumer market Intel NICs are generally considered (marginally) higher quality than Realtek. Intel Wi-Fi is also very common.