On a fresh installed FreeBSD 14.1 system and ifconfig returns only the loop (lo0) device and my RTL8125 was not even listed!! Offline with no options … Compiling the net/realtek-re-kmod does not work due to distfile requirements that have to be downloaded.

root@:" # pciconf -1v I grep -A1-B3 network none2@pc10:6:0:0:
vendor class=0x028000 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00 vendor=0x10ec device=0xc852 subvendor=0x10ec subdevice=0xc852
= 'Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.' device = 'RTL8852CE PCIe 802.11ax Wireless Network Controller'
class = network
none3@pcie:7:0:0:
class=0x020008 rev=0x05 hdr=0x00 vendor=0x10ec device=0x8125 subvendor=0x1458 subdevice=0xe000
vendor 'Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.' ='RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller'
device class = network
subclass = ethernet
root@: # ifconfig-a
100: flags=1008049 metric 8 mtu 16384 options=688003
inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0x1100000
inet6:1 prefixlen 128
inet6 fe80:: 1%100 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x1 groups: lo nd6 options=21
roote: #

Solution:

1. download the Realtek driver (realtek-re-kmod-1100.00.pkg) on a USB and mount it on your system. [https://freebsd.pkgs.org/14/freebsd-amd64/realtek-re-kmod-1100.00.pkg.html]
2. tar xzf realtek-re-kmod-1100.00.pkg (uncopress the .pkg file)
3. cd boot/modules
4. cp if_re.ko /boot/modules/ #copy the module to your boot directory
5. modify the /etc/rc.conf in order to load the kernel module at boot-up. Should contain the following 2 lines:
   • if_re_load=”YES”
     if_re_name=”/boot/modules/if_re.ko”
6. reboot and follow the typical ethernet setup according to the Handbook