[PLUG] Network issues

[Denis Heidtmann]

On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 10:19 AM, drew wymore <drew.wymore at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 10:09 AM, Denis Heidtmann
> <denis.heidtmann at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 6:50 AM, Steve D... <blitters at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 10:38 PM, Denis Heidtmann
>>> <denis.heidtmann at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I had previously posted this:
>>>> 00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200]
>>>> Ethernet (rev a2)
>>>>        Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 82f2
>>>>        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 2300
>>>>        Memory at fcf7c000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
>>>>        I/O ports at c880 [size=8]
>>>>        Memory at fcf7f400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
>>>>        Memory at fcf7f000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16]
>>>>        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
>>>>        Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask+ 64bit+ Queue=0/4 Enable+
>>>>        Capabilities: [6c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
>>>>        Kernel driver in use: forcedeth
>>>>        Kernel modules: forcedeth
>>>>
>>>> This tells me the driver name.  It is not clear to me what to do with
>>>> this information.
>>>
>>>  It sounds like you may have a flaky kernel module for that ethernet
>>> chip.  The command "modinfo forcedeth" will show you the module
>>> version.  You can check if the motherboard or chipset manufacture has
>>> a more recent module available.  You will probably need to install the
>>> kernel source code and software build tools to compile the new module.
>> ...
>>> Steve D...
>>
>> I found this: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1095682
>> I do not know if it relates to my issue.
>>
>>
>> parents at R2D4:~$ modinfo forcedeth
>> filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.28-17-generic/kernel/drivers/net/forcedeth.ko
>> license:        GPL
>> description:    Reverse Engineered nForce ethernet driver
>> author:         Manfred Spraul <manfred at colorfullife.com>
>> srcversion:     9C1164A059BC26160F21FCA
>> alias:          pci:v000010DEd00000AB3sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>> ... (long list)...
>> alias:          pci:v000010DEd000001C3sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
>> depends:
>> vermagic:       2.6.28-17-generic SMP mod_unload modversions
>> parm:           max_interrupt_work:forcedeth maximum events handled
>> per interrupt (int)
>> parm:           optimization_mode:In throughput mode (0), every tx &
>> rx packet will generate an interrupt. In CPU mode (1), interrupts are
>> controlled by a timer. (int)
>> parm:           poll_interval:Interval determines how frequent timer
>> interrupt is generated by [(time_in_micro_secs * 100) / (2^10)]. Min
>> is 0 and Max is 65535. (int)
>> parm:           msi:MSI interrupts are enabled by setting to 1 and
>> disabled by setting to 0. (int)
>> parm:           msix:MSIX interrupts are enabled by setting to 1 and
>> disabled by setting to 0. (int)
>> parm:           dma_64bit:High DMA is enabled by setting to 1 and
>> disabled by setting to 0. (int)
>> parm:           phy_cross:Phy crossover detection for Realtek 8201 phy
>> is enabled by setting to 1 and disabled by setting to 0. (int)
>>
>> I do not see a module version in a form that is familiar to me.
>>
>> It occurred to me that since the machine supports wake-on-lan, that as
>> long as there is power to the box the network "card" must be active.
>> This could explain why a change in state only occurs through a
>> power-off cycle.  Does this help?
>>
>> -Denis
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
> I would give the command that was used in that post you linked a try
> and see what happens, it can't hurt.
>
> I would try:
>
> ethtool -s eth0 speed 100 duplex full autoneg off
>
> You can also try the suggestion of adding to rc.local since it seem so
> to be a transient error that clears itself on reboot if I recall you
> wrote correctly.
>
> What kernel version are you using? It might be possible to grok the
> mod version of the NIC module from knowing what kernel it was built
> into.
>
> Drew-

parents at R2D4:~$ uname -a
Linux R2D4 2.6.28-17-generic #58-Ubuntu SMP Tue Dec 1 21:27:25 UTC
2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux

This is also in the modinfo's first line.

Since the failures occur much less frequently than proper operation, a
trial such as "ethtool -s eth0 speed 100 duplex full autoneg off"
would take a long time to prove anything.

A string of commands to try when the network has failed at least gives
immediate feedback.  Is network restart a possible candidate?  Do I
need to rmmod as well?  If I remove the module, what puts it back? The
modprobe man page seems to have some errors in it, so I am reluctant
to experiment.  (BTW, my system has no such command as "network").

-Denis