[SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

Kei · 2011-04-28 08:20:19

Hello,

Since I replaced the mainboard of my computer, I have problems with my onboard network chip (r8169). Whenever I boot into Arch, the network works, i.e., ping google.com works. After generating some network flow, like surfing the web with any browser, the network stops working completely. Then no program, including ping, can reach any address anymore. The IP address is kept, as ifconfig tells me.

Note that I can verify that on a second computer on the same network (also running Arch) still has full network and internet access.

Interestingly, the output of "route" changes: when the network works, the default route to my dsldevice shows the _name_ "dsldevice.lan". After the breakdown, its IP address is shown instead.

And here comes the big hit. After some time the network just works again! Ping works again, as well as the name resolution in the output of route. There is no additional log message in the output of dmesg. However, after some time the network failure repeats. (It goes on this way.)

The network address is assigned using dhcp. IPv6 is disabled via "alias net-pf-10 off" in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf.

The output of "dmesg | grep eth0":

r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: RTL8169b/8111b at 0xffffx90001179e000, 1c:6f:65:af:04:32, XID 0x900800 IRQ 43
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link down
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link down
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up
r8169 0000:05:00.0: eth0: link up

Please help me to get rid of this annoying problem, as it renders my linux system useless.

Regards

EDIT: I'm running linux 2.6.38 x86_64 on a Gigabyte GA-870A-USB3 mainboard.

Last edited by Kei (2011-05-01 15:38:16)

combuster · 2011-04-30 01:08:03

+1

r8169 also... 2.6.38.4 custom.

/etc/rc.d/network restart

helps... GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3 here.

I've tried to switch to static addressing but the problem remains, dhcpcd is a usual suspect but not in this case...

combuster · 2011-05-01 00:03:36

OK, this is only happening when booting into Arch after Windows session, so I guess that W7 driver is leaving NIC in some f*cked up state.

davvil · 2011-05-01 08:04:33

I had the same problem with my intel card (driver iwlagn). I solved it by putting this line in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf

options iwlagn 11n_disable50=1 11n_disable=1

More info, for example, here.

combuster · 2011-05-01 10:46:39

I don't think that this is related, with those parameters you disabled 802.11n - wich applies only to wireless nic's (at least those that support b/g/n).

Kei · 2011-05-01 11:23:56

Thanks for your replies!

combuster wrote:

OK, this is only happening when booting into Arch after Windows session, so I guess that W7 driver is leaving NIC in some f*cked up state.

That's interesting. The problem occurs since I've installed Windows7 on my computer. I'm not 100% sure though, since I installed Windows shortly after installing ArchLinux..

However, for me the problem persists even when doing a cold start. "/etc/rc.d/network restart" works for the moment, but after some time the network fails again.

sudokill · 2011-05-01 15:14:17

I know for sure there's a problem with 8111/8168 cards not sure about 8169.

I have 8168 and it always uses the wrong kernel driver (8169) on all Linux systems which means the NIC will stop working completely until you reset the CMOS. I think it's something to do with dual booting with Windows but the realtek network bug is years old no one seems to have looked into it.

Theres a link to fix it for Ubuntu- http://djlab.com/2010/10/fixing-rtl8111 … an-ubuntu/
I'm not sure how to apply that for Arch

In the Arch wiki it says something about 8168 cards so it might relate to you even though you have 8169, try going into device manager in Win7 and make sure Wake On Lan Shutdown is enabled for your network card see if it helps.

I personally would just buy an Intel NIC or something for peace of mind that's what I'm planning on

Kei · 2011-05-01 15:37:50

It seems that enabling wake on lan in BIOS solves my problem. At least I think "onboard lan boot rom" means enabling wake on lan

Thank you very much for your help!
regards

combuster · 2011-05-01 16:45:34

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=34172

I've filed a bug report JIC. I'll try WOL later and enabling PXE boot. I forgot to mention that cold boot isn't enough, I have to kill the power to the PSU, wait a few seconds and then turn it back on (power cycle).

combuster · 2011-05-01 17:18:23

Nope, enabling PXE boot doesn't work for me:

[   37.316999] EXT4-fs (sda3): re-mounted. Opts: commit=0
[   37.320630] EXT4-fs (sda5): re-mounted. Opts: commit=0
[   88.413754] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
[   97.828970] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
[  110.197706] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
[  113.715597] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
[  119.475435] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
[  135.667395] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up

Funny thing, I've disabled all powermanagement related features in BIOS (wake up on ring etc, but I havent saw an option for WOL) ??? It's time for RTFM and possibly a friendly chat with gigabyte

combuster · 2011-05-01 17:56:34

OK, the manual says that enabling ErP will disable WOL option, but even with that option disabled there is no Wake On LAN option in the BIOS. I've opened up a ticket with the gigabyte tech support, I presume that WOL is always enabled regardless of what I choose in the BIOS. I remember that on my old Epox 8RDA+ when I disable WOL, the power to the NIC is cut off upon shutdown (no need to kill the power plug), LED on my router switches off on the port where I connected my ethernet cable, now this is not the case.

Last edited by combuster (2011-05-01 17:57:12)

Kei · 2011-05-01 19:32:19

combuster wrote:

OK, the manual says that enabling ErP will disable WOL option, but even with that option disabled there is no Wake On LAN option in the BIOS.

On my Gigabyte board there is no Wake on Lan option, too. I think the option "onboard lan boot rom" does the same thing with a different name, but I guess you've already tried enabling that option.

btw thanks for filing the bug report

Last edited by Kei (2011-05-01 19:32:53)

combuster · 2011-05-01 21:45:00

OK, this is 100% Windows driver fault. I'm gonna disable that sucker alltogether, I use Windows only for gaming (and I don't play online ). I've tried disabling power management with windows driver, but then Linux driver wont even establish a connection. I haven't had these problems before the update of Realtek drivers on windows, I've changed my mainboard for B3 revision, network adapter in Windows was disabled (unable to start due to error uknown, you gotta love Windows), I've reinstalled the driver with the latest and greatest from Realtek and then the trouble started...

So for now, all the combinations I've tried to make things work on both OS's failed, and I don't think that this is GigaByte or r8169 modules fault, this is Realtek driver for Windows tripping...

maveloth · 2011-06-05 21:51:04

Hi to all! Sorry for my intomission(and also for my bad english)
Today i decide to reinstall my laptop due to some change in the partition, so I made my backup and start reinstalling the system, without any problem. I installed Arch using as source the network using the ethernet card:

03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 03)
    Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:3659]
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 42
    I/O ports at 4000 [size=256]
    Memory at d4104000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Memory at d4100000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Expansion ROM at d4110000 [disabled] [size=64K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: r8169
    Kernel modules: r8169

with the stock kernel of the installation cd works.

When I rebooted I had installed the X xerver and gnome, without any problem usign the network daemon, then I installed wicd and start GNOME so when I try to get my backup back from my pc using scp I had my system goes in kernel panic (I presume cause the led of the capslock was blinking). This issue doesn't complain with power management cause I try to disable and neither to X.

The only things I can notice is that my log are full of this message:

Jun  5 20:42:14 localhost kernel: [ 1549.811306] net_ratelimit: 20 callbacks suppressed
Jun  5 20:42:14 localhost kernel: [ 1549.811314] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:15 localhost kernel: [ 1550.077472] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:15 localhost kernel: [ 1550.303654] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:15 localhost kernel: [ 1550.563185] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:15 localhost kernel: [ 1550.822596] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:16 localhost kernel: [ 1550.875828] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:16 localhost kernel: [ 1550.945719] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:16 localhost kernel: [ 1551.215171] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:16 localhost kernel: [ 1551.291660] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up
Jun  5 20:42:16 localhost kernel: [ 1551.544553] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up

after this the kernel stop logging and the system crash. The next mesages are the boot mesages.

I hope this could help, even if your problem seems not the same as mine.

Tomorrow I'll try to check my BIOS config, but I'm not sure to have WOL option, maybe the boot rom and I'm sure is disabled.

Before I reinstall I was using Arch with the kernel 2.6.39.1 sel compiled, and if I remember well(I'm not really sure) I didn't had this issue, as I'll had time I'll try to rebuild it and try.

Maveloth

TripleSpeeder · 2011-08-11 20:15:12

I am hit by exactly the same problem. According to the the bug at kernel bugzilla it seems to be solved soon :-)

student975 · 2011-10-28 04:55:37

Currently (linux-3.0.7) the problem still exists. I have met strange situation with the way the problem has appeared. I also use GigaByte motherboard with Realtek 8111 chip. But all was OK till I decided to upgrade a RAM (from 2x2GB to 2x4GB). After upgrading I got complete system lock after, say, 40 minutes, or an hour. I have replaced RAM (also 2x4GB, but another manufacturer) but have got the same result. Both RAMs pass memtest86. So I have looked at log and found "link up"... and so on, up to replacing r8169 with r8168 from AUR (of course, it resolves the isuue).

You see, I don't want to say "me too", rather to emphasize hardware upgrade can lead to arising of (previously slept!!) issue.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-04-28 08:20:19

[SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#2 2011-04-30 01:08:03

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#3 2011-05-01 00:03:36

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#4 2011-05-01 08:04:33

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#5 2011-05-01 10:46:39

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#6 2011-05-01 11:23:56

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#7 2011-05-01 15:14:17

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#8 2011-05-01 15:37:50

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#9 2011-05-01 16:45:34

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#10 2011-05-01 17:18:23

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#11 2011-05-01 17:56:34

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#12 2011-05-01 19:32:19

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#13 2011-05-01 21:45:00

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#14 2011-06-05 21:51:04

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#15 2011-08-11 20:15:12

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

#16 2011-10-28 04:55:37

Re: [SOLVED] Network always stops working after a short amount of time

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