diff --git a/headers/private/net/ether_driver.h b/headers/private/net/ether_driver.h
index f05f0ffb49..b5110da1e5 100644
--- a/headers/private/net/ether_driver.h
+++ b/headers/private/net/ether_driver.h
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ enum {
 	ETHER_GETFRAMESIZE,						/* get frame size */
 	ETHER_ADDTIMESTAMP,						/* (try to) add timestamps to packets (BONE ext) */
 	ETHER_HASIOVECS,						/* does the driver implement readv/writev ? (BONE ext) (bool *) */
-	ETHER_GETIFTYPE							/* get the IFT_ type of the interface (int *) */
+	ETHER_GETIFTYPE,						/* get the IFT_ type of the interface (int *) */
+	ETHER_GETLINKSTATE						/* get line speed, quality, duplex mode, etc. */
 };
 
 
@@ -52,6 +53,16 @@ typedef struct ether_init_params {
 	unsigned long mem;
 } ether_init_params_t;
 
+/*
+ *  info returned from ETHER_GETLINKSTATE
+ */
+
+typedef struct ether_link_state {
+	float  link_speed; 	 /* In Mbits per second */
+	float  link_quality; /* Set to zero if not connected */
+	char   duplex_mode;  /* Set to 1 for full duplex, 0 for half */
+} ether_link_state_t;
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm440x/b44um.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm440x/b44um.c
index 41a604e914..1d2ebf1813 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm440x/b44um.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm440x/b44um.c
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ status_t b44_ioctl(void *cookie,uint32 op,void *data,size_t len) {
 				 b44_LM_SetReceiveMask(&pUmDevice->lm_dev,
 					pUmDevice->lm_dev.ReceiveMask & ~LM_PROMISCUOUS_MODE);
 			return B_OK;
+		case ETHER_GETLINKSTATE: {
+			ether_link_state_t *state_buffer = (ether_link_state_t *)(data);
+			state_buffer->link_speed = (pUmDevice->lm_dev.LineSpeed == LM_LINE_SPEED_10MBPS) ? 10 : 100;
+			state_buffer->link_quality = (pUmDevice->lm_dev.LinkStatus == LM_STATUS_LINK_DOWN) ? 0.0 : 1.0;
+			state_buffer->duplex_mode = (pUmDevice->lm_dev.DuplexMode == LM_DUPLEX_MODE_FULL);
+			} return B_OK;
 	}
 	return B_ERROR;
 }
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm570x/b57um.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm570x/b57um.c
index 9304d285f6..59bfb96506 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm570x/b57um.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/network/bcm570x/b57um.c
@@ -438,6 +438,12 @@ status_t b57_ioctl(void *cookie,uint32 op,void *data,size_t len) {
 				 LM_SetReceiveMask(&pUmDevice->lm_dev,
 					pUmDevice->lm_dev.ReceiveMask & ~LM_PROMISCUOUS_MODE);
 			return B_OK;
+		case ETHER_GETLINKSTATE: {
+			ether_link_state_t *state_buffer = (ether_link_state_t *)(data);
+			state_buffer->link_speed = pUmDevice->lm_dev.LineSpeed;
+			state_buffer->link_quality = (pUmDevice->lm_dev.LinkStatus == LM_STATUS_LINK_DOWN) ? 0.0 : 1.0;
+			state_buffer->duplex_mode = (pUmDevice->lm_dev.DuplexMode == LM_DUPLEX_MODE_FULL);
+			} return B_OK;
 	}
 	return B_ERROR;
 }