Ethernet intermittently stops working

General Help
1

Hello I'm having the exact same issue. My Ethernet worked then stopped. Then two days ago I booted the machine and it was working. Now it's out again. It was fine at first install and has worked perfectly for months till recently. So I'm pretty sure an update killed the connection. Wi-Fi still works. I can't understand why Ethernet was working but was intermittent.

TIA for any help provided.

info on hardware.
carl@carlp7:~$ sudo lshw -C network
[sudo] password for carl:
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet
vendor: Qualcomm Atheros
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
logical name: enp1s0
version: 08
serial: 78:e3:b5:bb:9a:10
size: 1Gbit/s
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm pciexpress msi msix bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=alx driverversion=5.15.0-82-generic duplex=full latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=1Gbit/s
resources: irq:19 memory:fea00000-fea3ffff ioport:e000(size=128)
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: RT5390R 802.11bgn PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Ralink corp.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
logical name: wlp4s0
version: 00
serial: b8:76:3f:36:98:7e
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rt2800pci driverversion=5.15.0-82-generic firmware=0.40 ip=192.168.1.27 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
resources: irq:19 memory:fe900000-fe90ffff
carl@carlp7:~$

2

Gday @CwMont ,
First, can i ask you to update your profile to indicate the Zorin OS Edition your using please.
https://forum.zorin.com/t/how-to-indicate-zorin-edition-in-profile/15375/2

Is the BIOS firmware/drivers up to date?
If not please update.

Have tried refreshing the main Gateway/Routers?

The output of lshw-C multimedia looks good.

As this has happened before, do you know what the pc repair shop had done to the pc, that may help us here?

Added:
Is the dual boot?

3

Also,
Are you dual booting with Windows OS?
Is Secure Boot enabled in your BIOS /EFI Settings?

4

Zorin 16.3 PRO

My PC is an older HP P7-1534 AMD A8-5500 16 GIG RAM all BIOS and firmware up to date. System is NOT dual boot and was a fresh install of 16 PRO on a new Samsung SSD. Secure boot is currently disabled. It's been a while since I did the install but I'm pretty sure I disabled it prior to install.

The system was working fine with both Ethernet and wi-fi. Spectrum Cable modem with separate wi-fi router. Both have been rebooted in attempts to solve this issue without success.

The machine has been working perfectly since the install months ago. Only within the past two to three weeks has this issue appeared. I thought it might be my hardwired connection but it checks out fine with my Windoze laptop.

Last weekend when I booted up the machine the Ethernet connected right up. The next day it didn't and hasn't since. No repairs done to the machine. However the secondary HDD was replaced by me with an SSD a few months back but the machine worked fine after that.

Since my lshw-C multimedia looks good. I'm at a loss as to what's going on. Also this is my first Linux box so maybe I'm missing something? I still can't help but feel an update of some type caused this.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

1 Like
5

Can you please boot into the Grub Menu, either by tapping esc or tab at boot.
Select Advanced Options for Zorin and choose to boot Zorin OS on an earlier kernel (perhaps the -56 or -76).
Once booted, test the Ethernet connection.

6

my choices are
5.15.0-82 generic and generic recovery
5.15.0-79 generic and generic recovery

I tried booting to both versions using the "generic" option and the result is the same. No Ethernet connection.

I do have timeshift installed and did a snapshot on 07/05/2023 the Ethernet connection was working at that time. Do you think I should I try and restore that snapshot?

Thanks

7

First, can you relay the terminal output for

sudo dpkg -s linux-modules-extra-$(uname -r) | grep Status

What we are looking for is the linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic package. If not present, try installing it

sudo apt install linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic

and booting into and testing the -82 kernel.

8

arl@carlp7:~$ sudo dpkg -s linux-modules-extra-$(uname -r) | grep Status
[sudo] password for carl:
Status: install ok installed
carl@carlp7:~$ sudo apt install linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic
E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic'
carl@carlp7:~$

9

A recent Zorin OS update included the HWE kernel and related packages.

Can you please try:

sudo apt install --reinstall linux-generic linux-generic-hwe-20.04

Reboot to test... Sorry for all this run-around...

11

This is an HP tower with wi-fi built in. I don't see a hot key on the KB to turn it on and off.

12

I did that and rebooted with no success. When I run the uname -r I get this. Don't worry about the run around. After using Windows for decades I'm used to run arounds and frequent re-installs

carl@carlp7:~$ uname -r
5.15.0-82-generic
carl@carlp7:~$

13

*** I ask because previous versions of the driver were sometimes installed and started force disabled (toggled off). ***

I wonder if that's what happened. The wired connection tries to connect, gives an unable to connect message then toggles itself off with any user input.

1 Like
15

Well it's getting late here so I'll sleep on it and try again tomorrow. Thanks to all for your help. Keep posting and I'll try suggestions again tomorrow.

2 Likes
16

Cable and connection to router is good works fine with my windows laptop. Zorin shows wired as trying to connect then fails to authenticate and toggles the wired connection off.

Wired details shows the correct hardware MAC address according to PC BIOS but for last used it says NEVER which is surprising as it worked in the past.

18

Since I'm somewhat of a newbie when it comes to Zorin, I'll just post the full lines. Maybe someone will see something I missed.

root
sudo snap connect ausacity:alsa
sudo snap connect audacity:alsa
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo ufw status
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status
sudo apt install gufw
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt install gufw
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool
sh -c 'busybox wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
sh -c 'wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
sh -c 'curl deb.trendtechcn.com/install -Lo /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
h -c 'busybox wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
sh -c 'busybox wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
sh -c 'busybox wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install
sh -c 'busybox wget deb.trendtechcn.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo su
sudo su apt-get install libdvd-pkg
sudo apt-get install libdvd-pkg
apt-get install vlc browser-pligin-vlc
sudo apt-get install vlc browser-plugin-vld
sudo apt-get install vlc browser-plugin-vlc
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:heyarje/makemkv-beta
sudo a
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install makemkv-bin makemkv-oss
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gnome-tweaks
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:starlabs/beta
sudo apt update
sudo apt install starlabstheme
sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool
sudo apt install starlabstheme-gtk starlabstheme-icons starlabstheme-backgrounds starlabstheme-cursor
sudo apt update && sudo apt install arc-theme
sudo apt update; sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo apt install vlc gimp gparted 0ad
sudo apt install timeshift
cat /etc/os-release
sudo apt install zorin-os-upgrader
cat /etc/os-release
inxi -Fx
sudo apt install inxi
inxi -Fx
unamer -a
uname -a
sudo lshw -C network
sudo lshw -class network -short
sudo ethool enp1s0
sudo ethtool enp1s0
ip a
1p a s enp1s0
ip a s enp1s0
sudo ethtool enp1s0
nmcli device status
lshw -c network
sudo modprobe -r alx && sudo modprobe alx
inxi -Fxz
sudo apt install inxi
inxi -Fxz
sudo lshw -class network -short
ip a s enp1s0
lspci -knnd ::0200
sudo -E hw-probe -all -upload
lspci -vv | grep Atheros
sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-generic linux-headers-uname -r
sudo modprobe alx
sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.4-precise-generic
linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-precise-generic
sudo apt -get installlinux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-precise-generic
sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.4-precise-generic
sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-precise-generic
lspci -nn
lspci -knn | grep -i net A2
sudo lshw -C network
resolvectl flush-caches
sudo service network-manager restart
sudo lshw -C network
sudo modprobe -r e1000e && sudo modprobe e1000e
cat /etc/os-release
sudo dpkg -s linux-modules-extra-$(uname -r) | grep Status
sudo apt install linux-modules-extra--5.15.0-82-generic
sudo apt install --reinstall linux-generic linux-generic-hwe-20.04
uname -r
sudo apt install --reinstall linux-generic linux-generic-hwe-20.04
uname -r
/var/log/apt/history.log

20

I disabled the firewall and IIRC the original install was 16.0 then I purchased the pro version and received the code to download the 16.3 pro.

22

When I purchased the PRO version I used the download link provided and then as instructed I used the Upgrade Zorin OS from the System Tools menu. I just now tried to run it again but it says I've already upgraded to 16.3.

I have a spare tower that is the exact same machine. Just to see, I tried to install the latest version of MINT on a blank Samsung ssd and encountered the exact same error of not being able to connect to the wired network.

So the same error with two different versions of Linux tells me it's a driver issue within the OS as the hardware checks out fine. Very Strange.

Well I'm out of town for a couple days. I'll work on it some more when I get back. In the meantime can any reccommend a network card that has built in drivers that work in Zorin? It's lookin like I might have to install a new card .

23

Actually, HWE updated about a week ago to 5.15.0-82, I believe.

How did you test the hardware?
The same error with two different versions of Linux may actually have two different drivers.
Accordingly, the Atheros AR8161 is an older card and very strongly supported:

It could be a driver issue - or it could be that when the HWE kernel was upgraded, the modules got moved to the HWE stack and that is where the issue is.

But I do not see any reason mentioned here to rule out the hardware or another cause just yet...

24

** How did you test the hardware?**
The hardware shows in BIOS and address in Zorin matches that address. It originally worked when this was a windows machine and when I installed Zorin and I wiped the drive prior to a clean install. It also worked one time on startup and was fine but upon the next restart failed again. This was after the upgrade to 16.3. I guess it's possible the hardware failed ,but in two identical machines with different Linux OS's? Not saying that couldn't happen but the odds...

When the issue first showed up I did a google search of "Atheros AR8161 Linux issues" brought up a multitude of people having problems with running the card on different distros. Many have not had success with getting the Ethernet access back. My wi-fi which uses the Realtek chip set works flawlessly. So I do have web access but slower than my hard wire so I'd like to find out why the hardwired connection is not working.

So if the modules did get moved to the HWE stack, how do I proceed?

Again thanks for the help.

25

I am sorry - I missed an important detail:

And focused only on the Two Different OS's.

If this is two machines with the same hardware - I agree completely that the odds are slim that both pieces of hardware failed, at the same time.
Much more likely the drivers.

I actually tried this above with the

That reinstall command should have done the trick if such was the case.

Which brings us to:

Me too.

Not unusual for me to get stumped, though. Will keep researching this to see if I find anything...