Problem with Realtek RTL-8110SC/8169SC

**Alf72** · 28-Jul-2008, 10:09

Hi all,

I have a problem with my ethernet card Realtek RTL-8110SC/8169SC on my Asus P5K Premium Board.

I use openSuSE 10.3... the module used is "r8169".
I use a static IP... no DHCP.

I don't think that the configuration is incorrect, because mostly the network works fine.

Sometimes - unfortunately not reproduceable - the ethernet connection fails with "link down"... more often it fails with "lower speed" (10MBit or 100MBit instead of 1000MBit).

If the network fails I have to restart the computer until the network has been initialised correctly (sometimes more than one restart). "rcnetwork restart" doesn't help

I tried to change the switch and the cable but the problem is still the same.

With Windows - on the same machine - there seem to be no problems with the network card

Yes I tried the Windows setting "Wake-on-lan after shutdown"... but that makes no difference. The problem also exists between two Linux boots.

I already asked for help within a thread in the german forum Linux-Club, but no one could help me to solve the problem

Thanks for your help

Alf

**dobby9** · 29-Jul-2008, 06:56

Did you use PPPE ?
Are you sure that it not should be IP dynamic ?
Before I run DHCP I use a Belkin ethernet card It chip was Realtek and it only
works properly with PPPE IP dynamic
dobby9

**Alf72** · 29-Jul-2008, 07:12

Hi dobby,

I'm not sure, but as far as I know I only need PPPoE for e.g. DSL connections

My problem is the ethernet connection between the computer (network card) and the network switch.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Alf

**dobby9** · 29-Jul-2008, 08:12

Well first a misread you,re thread ,sorry fore that.
But when I was still working , every time I longin on our network I get I new IP adres ,when I have shutdown my computer
They only a sign fixed IP to the servers and
network printers
So I do not know how you,res is set up

dobby9

**Alf72** · 29-Jul-2008, 10:23

Now the connection problem appears again while booting

/var/log/messages:

Code:

Jul 29 18:00:31 computer ifup:     eth0      device: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8110SC/8169SC Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)
Jul 29 18:00:31 computer kernel: r8169: eth0: link down
Jul 29 18:00:31 computer ifup:     eth0
Jul 29 18:00:31 computer ifup: IP address: 192.168.0.24/24
Jul 29 18:00:31 computer ifup:
Jul 29 18:00:32 computer kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jul 29 18:00:32 computer kernel: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
Jul 29 18:00:32 computer kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
Jul 29 18:00:32 computer kernel: Mobile IPv6
Jul 29 18:00:32 computer kernel: ip6_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team

... and some seconds later ...

Code:

Jul 29 18:00:38 computer kernel: r8169: eth0: link up
Jul 29 18:00:39 computer kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready

The connection speed is only 100MBit:

Code:

Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ TP ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 100Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Port: Twisted Pair
        PHYAD: 0
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Supports Wake-on: pumbg
        Wake-on: g
        Current message level: 0x00000033 (51)
        Link detected: yes

The command "ethtool -s eth0 speed 1000" disables the connection completly

Log output:

Code:

Jul 29 18:16:01 computer kernel: r8169: eth0: link down

Someone an idea

**Alf72** · 29-Jul-2008, 10:34

After reboot the speed was only 10MBit...

Code:

Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ TP ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 10Mb/s
        Duplex: Half
        Port: Twisted Pair
        PHYAD: 0
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Supports Wake-on: pumbg
        Wake-on: g
        Current message level: 0x00000033 (51)
        Link detected: yes

And after the third reboot everything is ok...

Code:

Settings for eth0:
        Supported ports: [ TP ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Speed: 1000Mb/s
        Duplex: Full
        Port: Twisted Pair
        PHYAD: 0
        Transceiver: internal
        Auto-negotiation: on
        Supports Wake-on: pumbg
        Wake-on: g
        Current message level: 0x00000033 (51)
        Link detected: yes

I'm confused

**Alf72** · 30-Aug-2008, 02:25

Hi,

for the sake of completeness...

After 2 Mainboard changes it seems that the Realtek ethernet card on the Asus board is buggy (same problem on all 3 boards!)

The board has another ethernet card (Marvell) and everything works fine with it

So I will use the Marvell card

**0moriarty0** · 01-Sep-2008, 05:02

I have a giga-byte ga-945gcm motherboard with a realtek 8111C ethernet chip, Suse installs the r8169 module but Realtek specify the r8168 module.After much reading and many failed attempts to install the r8168 module using tar balls, I found this link to a rpm source,
Index of /repositories/home:/bitshuffler/openSUSE_10.3_update/x86_64
Select the default kernel and left clicked on this file and saved to my download directory.
Then left clicked and installed with YAST.
As root, in a terminal
insmod lib/modules/2.6.22.18-0.2-default/updates/r8168.ko
to install the r8168 driver
and to stop running r8169 driver, edit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
by adding blacklist r8169
To check what modules are loaded
lspci | grep thernet to check what driver is detected
lsmod | grep r* to check what module is loaded
Hope this helps