Help debugging network problem

[scott]

Michael Peek wrote:
> Hi gurus,
>
> I have a machine running 2.6.24-19-server from the amd64 version of
> 8.04LTS, and I have a strange networking problem. Periodically
> (every few minutes) the network connection will stop working. The
> strange thing is that 50% of the time, any active SSH connections
> to the machine continue to work, I can ping the machine from the
> outside, but new connections don't happen.
>
> As an example:
>
> In one window I ran tcpdump, while in the other window I attempted
> to use apt-get to install a package. Apt said it was attempting to
> contact http://us.archive.ubuntu.com, but no packets showed up in
> tcpdump. Eventually apt quit with "Could not resolve
> 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'", and when I quit tcpdump it said: "664
> packets dropped by kernel"
>
> The network will work for a few minutes, then seize up for a few
> minutes, then magically start working again -- for a few minutes.
> During the network blackout, I can bring things back by
> ifdown/ifup the interface. Then things will work again -- for a
> few minutes.
>
> The ethernet is built in to a SuperMicro X7DWE, and is an Intel
> 82563EB. I tried both the e1000 driver that came with the stock
> kernel, and compiled the newer version that came on the motherboard
> driver CD.
>
> Anybody have any idea why the kernel would drop packets? Is this a
> driver issue, a hardware failure, or something completely
> different?
>
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Michael
>
I just noticed you are using wired. My bad.