PCI Ethernet issues occur and disrupts internal Ethernet connectivity
PCI Ethernet issues occur and disrupts internal Ethernet connectivity
Hello everyone!
I recently assembled a home server using components that were hard to locate (second-hand items are almost as costly as new ones, which are already overpriced...).
The motherboard I chose is the Arktek ZX-H81 – it generally meets my needs for media streaming, though the main issue is the Ethernet port only supports 100 Mbps.
Instead of purchasing a new motherboard (prices start around 110 USD!), I opted for a 1Gbps PCIE card costing about 10 USD.
I’m using Ubuntu Server version 24.04 and followed the driver installation guide, but the Cudy PE10 didn’t work. Additionally, the built-in Ethernet stopped functioning as well.
After extensive testing—disabling the default r8169 driver via modprobe’s blacklist—I still couldn’t get the Cudy to operate or connect the onboard Ethernet.
Interestingly, lspci didn’t display the Cudy no matter what settings I tried.
I’m hoping someone can help me achieve a faster connection and escape this 100 Mbps limitation!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
The onboard ethernet supports gigabit speeds. You may need to adjust the negotiation settings manually to 1000, or it might be due to an older or faulty cable. Since I'm not a Linux expert, it could be a driver problem with Ubuntu. If you have another drive, installing Windows or another OS might help confirm if gigabit is working. For better reliability, consider using an Intel Nic card, as drivers are usually included in most operating systems and tend to work smoothly. Good luck!
Realtek gigabit isn't ideal for Linux, which is why it might have been preferable to use an Intel card with the e1000 driver. The device you purchased could actually share the same gigabit chip as your motherboard's NIC. Both r8169 and r8168 drivers should function with either NIC, though the r8169 driver runs in-kernel and tends to be less stable over time, causing performance issues. The r8168 driver is more stable but still occasionally encounters problems, especially if the system isn't booted cold. Running multiple Realtek cards can lead to conflicts, potentially making one card go offline—consider uninstalling or disabling one in the BIOS. The main concern is that the r8168 driver may not work with kernel 6.5 or newer unless it's the latest version v8.053.00, and its compatibility with kernel 6.8 on Ubuntu 24.04 remains uncertain.
I also looked at the official site, which states the NIC speed is either 100 or 1000 Mbps. I have the 100... And sadly, Intel cards are extremely costly in this area. I reduced the kernel version to 6.1 (required for other reasons), but the problem persists. I kept the original r8169 driver active (removed r8168) and turned off the on-board ethernet through the BIOS, yet nothing worked. Any suggestions?
Consider using Chocolatey for potential drivers. However, you might need to explore the Arktek website for Ubuntu drivers. You could also install Android and use Plex, or even Openwrt as an alternative.