The Intel e1000e kernel NIC driver is constantly reconnecting to my network causing flowstops and errors. I do not know in which exact kernel the problem started since I do not use this laptop wired regularly. Firstly I suspected faulty networking equipment, but the problem persisted on other hardware.
WORKAROUND: Fetch driver directly from Intel:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=15817&ProdId=3003&lang=eng
Error:
Feb 13 12:04:52 stevieray kernel: [ 1451.580536] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Down
Feb 13 12:04:53 stevieray kernel: [ 1453.229010] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx
Feb 13 12:04:53 stevieray kernel: [ 1453.229024] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: 10/100 speed: disabling TSO
Feb 13 12:04:53 stevieray NetworkManager[1088]: <info> (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 100)
Feb 13 12:05:01 stevieray CRON[3406]: (root) CMD (command -v debian-sa1 > /dev/null && debian-sa1 1 1)
Feb 13 12:05:14 stevieray NetworkManager[1088]: <info> (eth0): carrier now OFF (device state 100, deferring action for 4 seconds)
Feb 13 12:05:14 stevieray kernel: [ 1473.312198] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Down
Feb 13 12:05:15 stevieray kernel: [ 1474.944394] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx
Feb 13 12:05:15 stevieray kernel: [ 1474.944409] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: 10/100 speed: disabling TSO
Feb 13 12:05:15 stevieray NetworkManager[1088]: <info> (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 100)
Feb 13 12:05:27 stevieray NetworkManager[1088]: <info> (eth0): carrier now OFF (device state 100, deferring action for 4 seconds)
Feb 13 12:05:27 stevieray kernel: [ 1486.340811] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Down
Feb 13 12:05:28 stevieray kernel: [ 1488.008923] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx
Feb 13 12:05:28 stevieray kernel: [ 1488.008938] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: 10/100 speed: disabling TSO
Feb 13 12:05:28 stevieray NetworkManager[1088]: <info> (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 100)
With the Intel Driver:
[ 2214.353191] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: PCI INT A disabled
[ 2824.335482] e1000e: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - 2.2.14-NAPI
[ 2824.335491] e1000e: Copyright(c) 1999 - 2012 Intel Corporation.
[ 2824.335548] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 20 (level, low) -> IRQ 20
[ 2824.335570] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 2824.335753] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: Interrupt Throttling Rate (ints/sec) set to dynamic conservative mode
[ 2824.347221] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 50 for MSI/MSI-X
[ 2824.578329] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: (PCI Express:2.5GT/s:Width x1) f0:de:f1:67:84:e9
[ 2824.578340] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
[ 2824.578405] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: MAC: 11, PHY: 11, PBA No: 1000FF-0FF
[ 2824.737160] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 50 for MSI/MSI-X
[ 2824.840802] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 50 for MSI/MSI-X
[ 2824.843896] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
[ 2824.845415] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
[ 2867.226514] e1000e: e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx
[ 2867.226529] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: eth0: 10/100 speed: disabling TSO
[ 2867.229384] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.1
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC1: nikolaj 2516 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/controlC0: nikolaj 2516 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xd8320000 irq 53'
Mixer name : 'Conexant CX20590'
Components : 'HDA:14f1506e,17aa21cf,00100000 HDA:14f12c06,17aa2122,00100000'
Controls : 20
Simple ctrls : 10
Card1.Amixer.info:
Card hw:1 'NVidia'/'HDA NVidia at 0xd6000000 irq 17'
Mixer name : 'Nvidia GPU 11 HDMI/DP'
Components : 'HDA:10de0011,10de0101,00100100'
Controls : 24
Simple ctrls : 4
Card29.Amixer.info:
Card hw:29 'ThinkPadEC'/'ThinkPad Console Audio Control at EC reg 0x30, fw unknown'
Mixer name : 'ThinkPad EC (unknown)'
Components : ''
Controls : 1
Simple ctrls : 1
Card29.Amixer.values:
Simple mixer control 'Console',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
MachineType: LENOVO 428449G
MarkForUpload: True
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB:
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-37-generic root=UUID=1077668b-a0a6-43e4-8c7d-1a57dd5d35bf ro nofb nomodeset noplymouth nosplash elevator=noop
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-37.58-generic 3.2.35
PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-37-generic N/A
linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-37-generic N/A
linux-firmware 1.79.1
StagingDrivers: mei
Tags: precise staging
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-37-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-05-11 (277 days ago)
UserGroups: pkcs11
dmi.bios.date: 12/06/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 8BET60WW (1.40 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 428449G
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr8BET60WW(1.40):bd12/06/2012:svnLENOVO:pn428449G:pvrThinkPadW520:rvnLENOVO:rn428449G:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 428449G
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad W520
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
Working Driver