[AR8161][1969:1091][wired connection failed] wired connection could not be established until re-insert alx kernel module or re-enable "networking" via network manager indicator

[Taihsiang Ho]

CID: 201308-14111 (Dell Inspiron One 2330) (AIO)

OS: Updated Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS
       (Updated for AR8161 alx driver, LP: #927782)

Steps to reproduce bugs:
  1. install Ubuntu 12.04.2 on this machine
  2. after the installation, boot into the system. The wire connection could not be used because of LP: #927782.
  3. use wireless or an externel usb wire adapter to connect to internet
  4. launch the "update manager"
  5. click "check" of "update manager" GUI to make sure the package information is up-to-date
  6. click "update" of "update manager"
  7. after the update, plug your wire to the ethernet card AR8161. Then reboot the system

Expected Result:
  After booting into the system, the wired connection should be established automatically

Actual Result:
  System will try to establish the wired connection again and again, but the connection could not be established.

Fail Rate:
100%

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-39-generic 3.5.0-39.60~precise1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-39.60~precise1-generic 3.5.7.17
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-39-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.25.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.4
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 1776 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf7f10000 irq 48'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC887-VD'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0887,10280548,00100302'
   Controls : 27
   Simple ctrls : 11
Date: Wed Sep 11 11:15:54 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=f5736270-0759-46b8-b1ca-a607a66f715e
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20130213)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron One 2330
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-39-generic root=UUID=fa3dbf04-79fd-4570-a075-4e8c124d3a47 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-39-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-39-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.6
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/13/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A13
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 13
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 00
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA13:bd05/13/2013:svnDellInc.:pnInspironOne2330:pvr00:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct13:cvr00:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron One 2330
dmi.product.version: 00
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Taihsiang Ho (tai271828)]

Two ways could re-establish the wire connection:

A. Re-enable the networking
  1. click the "Enable Networking" of the network manager indicator on the upper-right coner of the desktop to disable the networking
  2. click the "Enable Networking" again right after the networking is disabled.
  3. the system will establish the wire connection automatically if the wire has been plugged in the machine.

B. Re-insert the alx kernel module
  1. command "lsmod | grep alx" to make sure the alx is in use and it trys to operate AR8161
  2. command "sudo modprobe -r alx"
  3. make sure the connection is lost
  4. command "sudo modprobe alx"
  5. the system will establish the wire connection automatically if the wire has been plugged in the machine.

[Taihsiang Ho (tai271828)]

12.04.3 has the same bug as well.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.11 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.11-saucy/

[Taihsiang Ho (tai271828)]

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.11-saucy/ has the same issue.

[Ara Pulido (ara)]

This system is currently blocked by https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1223647

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Taihsiang Ho, given the Quantal updates was done in 2013-02-18, it would be helpful to know if upstream has provided a backport support fix for this issue via the linux-next latest development release -> http://drvbp1.linux-foundation.org/~mcgrof/rel-html/backports/ . If you boot into this, does anything change?

[Edward Lin (airken)]

Tested with latest trusty kernel and upstream 3.16-r2, the bug still exists.

Will try the driver from https://github.com/erikarn/alx to see if bug could be fixed.

[Edward Lin (airken)]

Some experiments,
1. Try the driver mentioned in #9. The bug still exists.

2. Blacklisted alx and inserting the module after the booting, the system is still failed to connect to wired network.

3. echo 1 > /sys/class/net/eth0/device/reset , the system can connect to wired network.

Since both re-enable network and re-insert module involved NIC reset (power down then power up),
I suspect this it may be a hardware bug.

[Edward Lin (airken)]

Can't reproduce this bug on Win7.
Windows driver:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/bm/en/bmbsdt1/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverid=T3VT7

[Edward Lin (airken)]

Report this bug to upstream.
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=79961