diff --git a/app/test/test_devargs.c b/app/test/test_devargs.c
index 151ac2a..63242f1 100644
--- a/app/test/test_devargs.c
+++ b/app/test/test_devargs.c
@@ -78,19 +78,19 @@ test_devargs(void)
 		goto fail;
 	if (rte_eal_devargs_type_count(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL) != 0)
 		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "eth_ring0") < 0)
+	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "net_ring0") < 0)
 		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "eth_ring1,key=val,k2=val2") < 0)
+	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "net_ring1,key=val,k2=val2") < 0)
 		goto fail;
 	if (rte_eal_devargs_type_count(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL) != 2)
 		goto fail;
 	free_devargs_list();
 
 	/* check virtual device with argument parsing */
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "eth_ring1,k1=val,k2=val2") < 0)
+	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL, "net_ring1,k1=val,k2=val2") < 0)
 		goto fail;
 	devargs = TAILQ_FIRST(&devargs_list);
-	if (strncmp(devargs->virt.drv_name, "eth_ring1",
+	if (strncmp(devargs->virt.drv_name, "net_ring1",
 			sizeof(devargs->virt.drv_name)) != 0)
 		goto fail;
 	if (!devargs->args || strcmp(devargs->args, "k1=val,k2=val2") != 0)
diff --git a/app/test/test_eal_flags.c b/app/test/test_eal_flags.c
index 6202f05..91b4066 100644
--- a/app/test/test_eal_flags.c
+++ b/app/test/test_eal_flags.c
@@ -414,13 +414,13 @@ test_invalid_vdev_flag(void)
 
 	/* Test with valid vdev option */
 	const char *vdevval1[] = {prgname, prefix, "-n", "1",
-	"-c", "1", vdev, "eth_ring0"};
+	"-c", "1", vdev, "net_ring0"};
 
 	const char *vdevval2[] = {prgname, prefix, "-n", "1",
-	"-c", "1", vdev, "eth_ring0,args=test"};
+	"-c", "1", vdev, "net_ring0,args=test"};
 
 	const char *vdevval3[] = {prgname, prefix, "-n", "1",
-	"-c", "1", vdev, "eth_ring0,nodeaction=r1:0:CREATE"};
+	"-c", "1", vdev, "net_ring0,nodeaction=r1:0:CREATE"};
 
 	if (launch_proc(vdevinval) == 0) {
 		printf("Error - process did run ok with invalid "
diff --git a/app/test/test_pmd_ring.c b/app/test/test_pmd_ring.c
index 47374db..2cdf60d 100644
--- a/app/test/test_pmd_ring.c
+++ b/app/test/test_pmd_ring.c
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ test_pmd_ring(void)
 	/*  create the rings and eth_rings in the test code.
 	 *  This does not test the rte_pmd_ring_devinit function.
 	 *
-	 *  Test with the command line option --vdev=eth_ring0 to test rte_pmd_ring_devinit.
+	 *  Test with the command line option --vdev=net_ring0 to test rte_pmd_ring_devinit.
 	 */
 	rxtx[0] = rte_ring_create("R0", RING_SIZE, SOCKET0, RING_F_SP_ENQ|RING_F_SC_DEQ);
 	if (rxtx[0] == NULL) {
@@ -448,11 +448,11 @@ test_pmd_ring(void)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	tx_porta = rte_eth_from_rings("eth_ringa", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
-	rx_portb = rte_eth_from_rings("eth_ringb", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
-	rxtx_portc = rte_eth_from_rings("eth_ringc", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
-	rxtx_portd = rte_eth_from_rings("eth_ringd", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
-	rxtx_porte = rte_eth_from_rings("eth_ringe", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
+	tx_porta = rte_eth_from_rings("net_ringa", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
+	rx_portb = rte_eth_from_rings("net_ringb", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
+	rxtx_portc = rte_eth_from_rings("net_ringc", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
+	rxtx_portd = rte_eth_from_rings("net_ringd", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
+	rxtx_porte = rte_eth_from_rings("net_ringe", rxtx, NUM_RINGS, rxtx, NUM_RINGS, SOCKET0);
 
 	printf("tx_porta=%d rx_portb=%d rxtx_portc=%d rxtx_portd=%d rxtx_porte=%d\n",
 			tx_porta, rx_portb, rxtx_portc, rxtx_portd, rxtx_porte);
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ test_pmd_ring(void)
 	if (test_pmd_ring_pair_create_attach(rxtx_portd, rxtx_porte) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	/* find a port created with the --vdev=eth_ring0 command line option */
+	/* find a port created with the --vdev=net_ring0 command line option */
 	for (port = 0; port < nb_ports; port++) {
 		struct rte_eth_dev_info dev_info;
 
diff --git a/doc/guides/contributing/documentation.rst b/doc/guides/contributing/documentation.rst
index b2cc903..6d4c277 100644
--- a/doc/guides/contributing/documentation.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/contributing/documentation.rst
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ The following are some guidelines for use of Doxygen in the DPDK API documentati
       * @param devargs
       *  A pointer to a strings array describing the new device
       *  to be attached. The strings should be a pci address like
-      *  `0000:01:00.0` or **virtual** device name like `eth_pcap0`.
+      *  `0000:01:00.0` or **virtual** device name like `net_pcap0`.
       * @param port_id
       *  A pointer to a port identifier actually attached.
       *
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ The following are some guidelines for use of Doxygen in the DPDK API documentati
 * Doxygen supports Markdown style syntax such as bold, italics, fixed width text and lists.
   For example the second line in the ``devargs`` parameter in the previous example will be rendered as:
 
-     The strings should be a pci address like ``0000:01:00.0`` or **virtual** device name like ``eth_pcap0``.
+     The strings should be a pci address like ``0000:01:00.0`` or **virtual** device name like ``net_pcap0``.
 
 * Use ``-`` instead of ``*`` for lists within the Doxygen comment since the latter can get confused with the comment delimiter.
 
diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/port_hotplug_framework.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/port_hotplug_framework.rst
index fe6d72a..6e4436e 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/port_hotplug_framework.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/port_hotplug_framework.rst
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ Port Hotplug API overview
         returns the attached port number. Before calling the API, the device
         should be recognized by an userspace driver I/O framework. The API
         receives a pci address like "0000:01:00.0" or a virtual device name
-        like "eth_pcap0,iface=eth0". In the case of virtual device name, the
+        like "net_pcap0,iface=eth0". In the case of virtual device name, the
         format is the same as the general "--vdev" option of DPDK.
 
 *       Detaching a port
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
index 1a1bab3..6ca8af1 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ eal_common_usage(void)
 	       "                      [NOTE: PCI whitelist cannot be used with -b option]\n"
 	       "  --"OPT_VDEV"              Add a virtual device.\n"
 	       "                      The argument format is <driver><id>[,key=val,...]\n"
-	       "                      (ex: --vdev=eth_pcap0,iface=eth2).\n"
+	       "                      (ex: --vdev=net_pcap0,iface=eth2).\n"
 	       "  -d LIB.so|DIR       Add a driver or driver directory\n"
 	       "                      (can be used multiple times)\n"
 	       "  --"OPT_VMWARE_TSC_MAP"    Use VMware TSC map instead of native RDTSC\n"
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_vdev.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_vdev.c
index 6dab782..1956bed 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_vdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_vdev.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ rte_eal_vdev_init(const char *name, const char *args)
 		/*
 		 * search a driver prefix in virtual device name.
 		 * For example, if the driver is pcap PMD, driver->name
-		 * will be "eth_pcap", but "name" will be "eth_pcapN".
+		 * will be "net_pcap", but "name" will be "net_pcapN".
 		 * So use strncmp to compare.
 		 */
 		if (!strncmp(driver->driver.name, name,
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ rte_eal_vdev_uninit(const char *name)
 		/*
 		 * search a driver prefix in virtual device name.
 		 * For example, if the driver is pcap PMD, driver->name
-		 * will be "eth_pcap", but "name" will be "eth_pcapN".
+		 * will be "net_pcap", but "name" will be "net_pcapN".
 		 * So use strncmp to compare.
 		 */
 		if (!strncmp(driver->driver.name, name,
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
index c66895f..88120a1 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ extern struct rte_devargs_list devargs_list;
  * "04:00.0,arg=val".
  *
  * For virtual devices, the format of arguments string is "DRIVER_NAME*"
- * or "DRIVER_NAME*,key=val,key2=val2,...". Examples: "eth_ring",
- * "eth_ring0", "eth_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1".
+ * or "DRIVER_NAME*,key=val,key2=val2,...". Examples: "net_ring",
+ * "net_ring0", "net_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1".
  *
  * The function parses the arguments string to get driver name and driver
  * arguments.
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ int rte_eal_parse_devargs_str(const char *devargs_str,
  * "04:00.0,arg=val".
  *
  * For virtual devices, the format of arguments string is "DRIVER_NAME*"
- * or "DRIVER_NAME*,key=val,key2=val2,...". Examples: "eth_ring",
- * "eth_ring0", "eth_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1". The validity of the
+ * or "DRIVER_NAME*,key=val,key2=val2,...". Examples: "net_ring",
+ * "net_ring0", "net_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1". The validity of the
  * driver name is not checked by this function, it is done when probing
  * the drivers.
  *
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
index 7218b6f..5540ecd 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
@@ -1767,7 +1767,7 @@ int rte_eth_dev_release_port(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
  * @param devargs
  *  A pointer to a strings array describing the new device
  *  to be attached. The strings should be a pci address like
- *  '0000:01:00.0' or virtual device name like 'eth_pcap0'.
+ *  '0000:01:00.0' or virtual device name like 'net_pcap0'.
  * @param port_id
  *  A pointer to a port identifier actually attached.
  * @return
@@ -4320,7 +4320,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_l2_tunnel_offload_set(uint8_t port_id,
 
 /**
 * Get the port id from pci adrress or device name
-* Ex: 0000:2:00.0 or vdev name eth_pcap0
+* Ex: 0000:2:00.0 or vdev name net_pcap0
 *
 * @param name
 *  pci address or name of the device
