Onboard LAN stopped working after 2600.0 Install

xordae · n00b Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

Hello there,

Maybe someone can help me. I'm pretty green when it comes to Linux. I installed Gentoo with the 2006.0 LiveCD installer, compiled a kernel, everything went pretty good. Grub wouldn't put itself on my main Windows partition, but that's another thing.

Anyways, a few reboots after I did all that, the onboard LAN stopped working. ifconfig eth0 would show the card alright, after a few seconds it would say that it's disconnected. And Windows would recognize the adapter alright, but it kept saying that my LAN was disconnected. I then put in an ethernet card, and it connected to the internet without problems.

I don't know what to do. I'm inclined to believe that installing Gentoo meddled with my onboard LAN. The odd thing is only, that it would still work for a few windows and LiveCD reboots. (since GRUB can't go on the NTFS MBR, I was looking for workarounds) And it would also still be detected properly, only the connection to my network, and hence, my internet, didn't work anymore.

Any help is appreciated.

desultory · Bodhisattva Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 9410

Unfortunately, sometimes hardware breaks. If the NIC functioned properly under Windows that would indicate a driver problem under Linux. Because the NIC does not function under either operating system it is generally safe to consider it to be nonfunctional, so long as you fully disable it. If possible deactvate it in the BIOS, do not load a module for it under Linux and disable it under Windows. If the part is still under warranty get it replaced, otherwise install an additional NIC and use that instead.

Note that it is exceedingly unlikely that installing Gentoo somehow damaged the NIC (or any other part of the system) any more than using Windows would.

Headrush · Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:41 am Post subject:

I have seen this problem on several on-board LAN motherboards before and it isn't unique to Linux.
Which LAN chipset is used on your motherboard?

I have seen this after windows update has upgraded the ethernet driver. Sometimes forcing the connection to 10Mb - half duplex works.
Other times, it continuing doing the connected and not connected game. Downgrading the ethernet driver doesn't help.

desultory · Bodhisattva Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 9410

I too have dealt with similar circumstances with integrated network interfaces, and I further concur that this is not a Linux specific problem. That stated, I suspect that we are collectively attempting to induce locomotion in a deceased equine.

Even if the NIC can be made to function as 10 Base T half duplex, barring certain rather specific tasks, the interface is effectively useless anyway.

Headrush · Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:14 am Post subject:

xordae · n00b Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

Thanks for the replies, guys. The motherboard is an Asus A8V Deluxe, the onboard Ethernet is called Marvell Yukon. I don't remember the other descriptors. And yea, I didn't think Gentoo would break it. Maybe just put some settings into it that make networking impossible. I thought it would have something to do with the kernel that I compiled.

My old monitor broke while I was installing Ubuntu.. I guess that's just bad luck. Meh. It still makes me kinda hesitant to try again.

I'm using a separate card now, that I luckily had lying around. I'll try that with the speed reduction when I find time and nerve, hehe.
Not that big of a deal. Oh, and I hardly ever use the LAN for the other compys, more as an Internet hub. So the speed is still over my 120kb/s download rate, big time.

So long, thanks again.