Rejected ixgbe patch to accept 1G copper SFPs on Intel X550EM as 1G SX

A proposed ixgbe patch would have let X550EM NICs recognise otherwise-unsupported 1G copper SFPs by treating them as 1G SX through a new module parameter, mirroring the existing unsupported-SFP handling. Without the change these NICs simply refuse the copper module, so operators wanting cheap 1G copper uplinks on X550EM-based cards had no supported way to enable them under the mainline driver.

• Hardware: Intel X550EM
• Transceivers: 1G copper SFP
• Form factor: SFP

Symptoms / messages:

1G copper SFP not recognised on X550EM