Fresh Ubuntu 18.04 install uses wrong Realtek wired network driver.

[Paul Ratti]

Hi there,

Installing Ubuntu 18.04 on my newish laptop which contains a Realtek 8168 NIC seems to use the r8169 driver by default, and should use the r8168 in order to work properly. To fix, I removed or blocked the 8169 driver, installed the 8168 driver and then reconfigured NetworkManager - which was quite difficult for a new user like me. I've included details from my system since I addressed the issue yesterday.

Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help more.

~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Release: 18.04

~$ apt-cache policy r8168-dkms
r8168-dkms:
  Installed: 8.045.08-2
  Candidate: 8.045.08-2
  Version table:
 *** 8.045.08-2 500
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

~$ neofetch
OS: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS x86_64
Host: Aspire A515-51G V1.10
Kernel: 4.15.0-23-generic
Uptime: 30 mins
Packages: 2124
Shell: bash 4.4.19
Resolution: 1920x1080
Terminal: gnome-terminal
CPU: Intel i5-8250U (8) @ 3.400GHz
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX150
Memory: 3457MiB / 7725MiB

~$ sudo lshw -c network
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0.1
       bus info: pci@0000:02:00.1
       logical name: enp2s0f1
       version: 12
       serial: 98:29:a6:40:b5:f1
       size: 10Mbit/s
       capacity: 1Gbit/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8168 driverversion=8.045.08-NAPI duplex=half latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=10Mbit/s
       resources: irq:128 ioport:3000(size=256) memory:a4204000-a4204fff memory:a4200000-a4203fff

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-firmware 1.173.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-23.25-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: kpatch_livepatch_Ubuntu_4_15_0_23_25_generic_40
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: communitheme:ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Jul 19 09:56:08 2018
Dependencies:

InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-07-16 (2 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180426)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: linux-firmware
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

I think r8169 is the correct driver.

[gunse (gunawan-w)]

but surely with this ethernet won't going anywhere...

[John Holcomb (holcomb-technical)]

Finally got around to upgrading to 18.04. I installed a fresh hard drive, installed Kubuntu 18.04.1, and 8169 driver was chosen.

My ethernet would not negotiate anything higher than 100MB-HALF. Installed the r8168-dkms driver, rebooted, and immediately got 1GB-FULL.

r8169 is not the correct driver for "RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller"

[Seth Forshee (sforshee)]

This bug has nothing to do with linux-firmware, changing to affect linux.

I don't know that I'd say the "wrong" driver is being selected here. It sounds like there is an in-kernel driver that supports the NIC, but does not seem to support it at full speed. So there is a kernel issue here, but you're likely to make more headway reporting it to the upstream driver maintainer. We can help you do that if you like.

Your complaint seems to be that you weren't offered the dkms driver by default. I know there used to be a system that offered extra drivers during installation. I assume it's still there, but I'm struggling to remember what it was named, and I don't know what the procedure is for updating it.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1782608

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1782608

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]