Wired Ethernet problem........

[John the Fatbloke]

Had a search, but don't understand most of the replies.

Issue is no wired ethernet (wireless is provided by powerline network adapters I believe).

I know that there's ways of interrogating my system to find out about what's going on, but I don't have a "technical memory" for such stuff.

All I know for certain, is that I seem to be connecting this pc via the wifi that the powerline adapters can do. The wired ethernet (pc to powerline adapter to router to external) doesn't seem to be working. If I look at the network connection facility, it seems to be trying to connect via the wired, but keeps prompting me that the wired connection is disabled.

Searches have shown me some detail, but I can't remember what I've tried - I "think" it's something to do with the network card chipset, but the stuff I've tried randomly on a hit or miss basis, seems to be all miss..........

Hell, I can't even remember how to check what version of anything is installed......

Stumped as to how to work out what I need to be doing/trying.......

[catweazel]

Stumped as to how to work out what I need to be doing/trying.......

Please post the output of this terminal command:

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inxi -Fxz

Enclose the results between [ⅽode] and [/ⅽode] code markers by selecting </> from the mini toolbar above the textbox where you type your reply.

Also do the same for this command:

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lspci | grep Ethernet

[John the Fatbloke]

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$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: johnspc Kernel: 4.15.0-34-generic x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.9 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1)
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: p6799uk v: xxx0204GRxxxxxxxx0 serial: N/A
           Mobo: MSI model: 2A9C v: 1.1 serial: N/A
           BIOS: American Megatrends v: 6.14 date: 11/05/2010
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i5 650 (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Nehalem rev.5 cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 12769
           clock speeds: max: 3201 MHz 1: 2058 MHz 2: 2193 MHz 3: 1536 MHz
           4: 1605 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GF108 [GeForce GT 420] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1680x1050@59.95hz
           OpenGL: renderer: NVC1 version: 4.3 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 NVIDIA GF108 High Def. Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-2 Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Def. Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-34-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCIE Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8168 v: 8.045.08-NAPI port: d800 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Ralink RT3090 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe
           driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: wlp4s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1500.3GB (1.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST31500341AS size: 1500.3GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 458G used: 18G (5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: /home size: 912G used: 571M (1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda3
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 5.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/sda2
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 48.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 49.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 217 Uptime: 1:23 Memory: 1163.7/3807.9MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56 

and

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$ lspci | grep Ethernet
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 03)

Is what I get from those two commands (I "think" I may have tried the lspci one before, as it's ringing mental bells, and I'm thinking that was what led me to possible problems with the network card - just not sure what it all means or suggests)........

[John the Fatbloke]

Because I don't really know what I'm doing to sort this issue out, I've been looking at replacing the network card (presuming that the issue is to do with the realtek driver for it).

Pretty hard to find something different, as they don't often give enough detail etc (some zooming on some of the pictures show them as having a realtek main chip on the board)........

So the next question to try and sort this out is whether one with an Intel chip would work out of the box etc ?

[AscLinux]

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lspci -k

Will show if the driver is loaded.
Also look at dmesg, all hardware initialization is there.
Then ethtool will tell if there is physical connection.
In case there is try pinging the router, if you get to the router but no internet then there is likely a DNS issue.

[John the Fatbloke]

thank you for the kind response.

I can do some of the commands (copy and paste or type in) but I have no idea what the responses mean. I haven't managed to find anything that explains how to interpret the information.........

[John the Fatbloke]

this is what I can see from the result of lspci -k

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02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
        Kernel driver in use: r8168
        Kernel modules: r8168

If I click on the network icon, it says "setting network address" but then stops and just leaves me with the wifi connection (which is how I can post here without trying to use my phone).......

[AscLinux]

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ethtool enp2s0

This will tell you if there is physical (layer 1) connection.

[srq2625]

this is what I can see from the result of lspci -k

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02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
        Kernel driver in use: r8168
        Kernel modules: r8168

One piece of good news is that you've successfully found the right part of the output.

thank you for the kind response.

I can do some of the commands (copy and paste or type in) but I have no idea what the responses mean. I haven't managed to find anything that explains how to interpret the information.........

To help, there's not much here that is open to interpretation .... the next to last line pretty much says it all. There is a kernel driver for your ethernet controller, it is installed, and it's running.

What I find interesting is that I get the following:

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0a:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 09)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. P8 series motherboard
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169

Note that lspci says we have almost exactly the same chip (I'm not sure about the significance of my 0a:00.0 vs your 02:00.0) but I have a different kernel module/driver in use: r8169 vs your r8168. Hmmmmm - that's beyond me.

All that having been said, in re-reading your posts, I don't see anything indicating that you've tested the connection between your computer and your switch/router. Do you, in fact, actually know:

• That your wire between your NIC and your switch/router is intact and correct?
  • Some NIC will have flashing LEDs when the connection is sound and active - do you have such?
  • Have you attempted to replace your Cat5 patch cord with another?
• That your switch/router is actually working?
  • Have you successfully attempted to connect a different device to your router - a WiFi device, a phone?
  • Having done that, do you have an internet connection
• In a previous post, someone asked if you could successfully ping your router. To get the address, run the command ip r. In the output below (from my computer), my router address is found in the first part of the first line (192.168.1.1):

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  $ ip route
  default via 192.168.1.1 dev enp10s0 proto static metric 100 
  169.254.0.0/16 dev enp10s0 scope link metric 1000 
  192.168.1.0/24 dev enp10s0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.1.134 metric 100 
  

  To actually ping your router, run a command similar to ping -4 -c 5 192.168.1.1. By way of example of what to expect, for my computer and router, I got

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  $ ping -4 -c 5 192.168.1.1
  PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.253 ms
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.238 ms
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.210 ms
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.209 ms
  64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=0.216 ms
  
  --- 192.168.1.1 ping statistics ---
  5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4094ms
  rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.209/0.225/0.253/0.019 ms

[AscLinux]

r8168 vs. r8169

The latter is included with kernel and most network cards that identify as RTL8111/8168/8411 work with it. However, it may give firmware load errors. dmesg | grep -i firm will tell. It works despite firmware loading error, I believe some power saving mode is not enabled as a result.

r8168 is out-of-kernel driver and usually comes with firmware.

[GS3]

Issue is no wired ethernet (wireless is provided by powerline network adapters I believe).

I believe that is self-contradictory. Powerline ethernet adapter connects to your machine with a very wiry wired ethernet cable. To the machine that is a wired connection.

[John the Fatbloke]

so, the ping result is as follows

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ping -4 -c 5 192.168.0.1
PING 192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=17.5 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=1.64 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=55.7 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=53.9 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=62.2 ms

--- 192.168.0.1 ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4006ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 1.645/38.219/62.297/24.083 ms

So I'm guessing that means it's sort of working.

The little error message I see that keeps popping up says

Wired interface (enps20 (or something like that))
IP network address not set

Well I think that's what it's saying (it tried to connect to the wired connection about 5 times then defaults to the wireless), but it disappears quite quickly.

I don't know how to force it to use this "r8169" thing (sorry, I'm sure it has a correct name, but I don't know what it is).......

[John the Fatbloke]

Issue is no wired ethernet (wireless is provided by powerline network adapters I believe).

I believe that is self-contradictory. Powerline ethernet adapter connects to your machine with a very wiry wired ethernet cable. To the machine that is a wired connection.

You could be completely correct.

The issue being that the pc doesn't actually have any wireless ability as far as I know, I just used the powerline adapters so I didn't have to go running cat5 round the house, but so it also had it's built in wireless ability so we can use that for phones, tablets etc, and that seems to work fine i.e. my phone and erindoors tablet connect to the wireless.

Hence, I don't follow why I see wireless connections available to the PC, but they show on the list and I can connect to them (like now, as I'm typing this).

I can't use the devolo software to see if it's possibly some sort of issue with the adapters as that's windows only and I somehow managed to kill the windows install when I first started trying to sort this (actually I killed the whole lot somehow, but I don't know what I did). As I'm comfortable in installing the OS, I just re-installed it to the whole hard drive without bothering with the windows (shame as it took some pictures and stuff with it).

[John the Fatbloke]

well this is all still proving a bit weird.......

I've ordered some more powerline network adapters as there does seem to be some issue with them. I "think" that will confirm that there's no issue there.

I still have a sneaking suspicion that it's either the network card thing or an upgrade thing. The whole set up was working fine until a couple of weeks ago and seems to have "broken" when I did some of the upgrades recommended. I could be miles off (brought about by my technical ignorance), but I'll have to wait and see once the new adapters turn up this week.........

If nothing else, it's taught me a few things. Like I didn't know that this PC was wireless capable, or that Mint is dropping the KDE version, and that I should read and try to research more to understand how things are supposed to work (killing the partition table from windows was not the smartest move on my part, I just wish I knew how I managed to do that).........