[ubuntu-uk] e1000e driver woes on 10.10

[daveg at boavon.plus.com]

> Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:22:04 +0000
> From: Tim Dobson <lists at tdobson.net>
> Subject: [ubuntu-uk] e1000e driver woes on 10.10
> To: British Ubuntu Talk <ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com>
> Cc: Andy Halsall <andyhalsall at ictsc.com>
> Message-ID: <4D1B35FC.20901 at tdobson.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Heya,
>
> I'm having some issues with my parent's recently upgraded maverick
> desktop and I wondered if anyone had any thoughts here.
>
> The issue is that the ethernet connectivity appears to (in about 50% of
> boots) bounce continuously giving the users no connectivity.
>
> When the interface doesn't come up properly here are the results of:
> cat /var/log/syslog | grep e1000e
> http://pastebin.com/ctKj9HPX
>
> FYI, a successful boot where looks like this; http://pastebin.com/L4c8YmPA
>
> It's a Lenovo thinkcentre and is connected to a router right next to it
> with a 0.5m length of Cat5 Ethernet. The router has other things hanging
> off it and does not loose connectivity. The Ethernet cable has been
> swapped out and switch ports have been changed. This hasn't made a
> difference.
>
> I suspect the issue has only occurred since the upgrade to 10.10.
>
> lspci -nn for the interface gives:
> 00:19.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82566DM Gigabit
> Network Connection [8086:104a] (rev 02)
>
> tim at vitalstatistix:~$ lsmod | grep e100
> e1000e                151787  0
>
> On a successful boot querying ethtool gives:
>
> tim at vitalstatistix:~$ sudo ethtool eth0
> 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 pause frame use: No
> 	Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
> 	Speed: 100Mb/s
> 	Duplex: Full
> 	Port: Twisted Pair
> 	PHYAD: 1
> 	Transceiver: internal
> 	Auto-negotiation: on
> 	MDI-X: on
> 	Supports Wake-on: pumbag
> 	Wake-on: g
> 	Current message level: 0x00000001 (1)
> 	Link detected: yes
>
> I know I've probably not really got enough data of it failing for people
> to be able to help that much, what would be useful to include?
>
> Thanks in advance :)
>
> Tim
>
> (Sorry to summon the hivemind, however I've been in bed for the past two
> weeks with flu and you know how frustrating it is doing parental tech
> support at the best of times!) :)

You could ditch NM and try WICD instead - I find it much more robust.
DaveG