
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT 5
                                                                       ---------
[LETTERHEAD OF GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP]
400 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1825
Phone:  650-833-2000    Fax:  650-327-3699    www.graycary.com

July 18, 2001

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As legal counsel for Extreme Networks, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), we are rendering this opinion in connection with the registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to 4,000,000 shares of the
Common Stock, $0.001 par value, of the Company which may be issued pursuant to
the exercise of options and purchase rights granted under the 2001 Nonstatutory
Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

We have examined all instruments, documents and records which we deemed relevant
and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed.  In such
examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to
the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.  We are admitted to
practice only in the State of California and we express no opinion concerning
any law other than the law of the State of California, the corporation laws of
the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United States.  As to matters
of Delaware corporation law, we have based our opinion solely upon our
examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the authorities
administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial compilations.
We have not obtained opinions of counsel licensed to practice in jurisdictions
other than the State of California.

Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that the 4,000,000 shares of
Common Stock which may be issued under the Plan are duly authorized shares of
the Company's Common Stock, and, when issued against receipt of the
consideration therefor in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  We hereby consent to the filing
of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above
and the use of our name wherever it appears in said Registration Statement.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP

GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP

