no carrier with built-in ethernet port (dock works

[Jared Dominguez]

Running 3.8.0-19.30 or 3.8.0-20.31 (and likely some earlier versions), no carrier is detected by the OS on eth0 (e1000e driver) on my Latitude E6420. 'ip link' shows:
2: eth0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state DOWN mode DEFAULT qlen 1000
    link/ether 5c:26:0a:6c:7a:bd brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
The physical lights on the port are green (left) and blinking amber (right).

If I dock the system and use the ethernet port on the dock, eth0 is fully functional.

This is not a hardware issue as the on-board port functions normally again if I boot into 3.5.0-27.46.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-20-generic 3.8.0-20.31
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-20.31-generic 3.8.11
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-20-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: jared 2293 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Fri May 10 14:02:23 2013
DistributionChannelDescriptor:
 # This is a distribution channel descriptor
 # For more information see http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DistributionChannelDescriptor
 canonical-oem-somerville-precise-amd64-20120703-2
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=286e265d-6e47-441b-8411-392fc25d777d
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-03-21 (50 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise" - Build amd64 LIVE Binary 20120703-15:08
MachineType: Dell Inc. Latitude E6420
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-20-generic root=UUID=89dc4291-1a9d-4210-a365-1fda39b02c58 ro splash i915.i915_enable_rc6=7 i915.i915_enable_fbc=1 i915.lvds_downclock=1 drm.vblankoffdelay=1 vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-20-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-20-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.106
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-05-02 (8 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/01/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A16
dmi.board.name: 0K0DNP
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A01
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA16:bd01/01/2013:svnDellInc.:pnLatitudeE6420:pvr01:rvnDellInc.:rn0K0DNP:rvrA01:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Latitude E6420
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[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 v3.10 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/v3.10-rc1-saucy/

[Luis Henriques (henrix)]

This could be related with the e1000e driver power management bug that was present in the 3.8 (raring) kernel. Basically, the ethernet card couldn't detect carrier signal if it was on deep sleep state (e.g., the laptop was on battery, not on AC).

 I've uploaded a test kernel here: http://people.canonical.com/~henrix/e1000e-pm-bug/
Basically, it contains the fix for the e1000e PM issue. This fix is already in Raring kernel master-next branch, and should be released soon.

In the meantime, I'm tagging this bug as a duplicate of bug #1152194.