Network connection in Fedora 9 only works sometimes

eric.r.turner · 06-27-2008, 06:46 AM

I'm using Fedora's system-config-network to set up my network connection.

When networking is configured to obtain IP and DNS via DHCP, the connection is never established. When I enter the values manually *sometimes* it works, often it does not (I'm entering correct values for IP, netmask, gateway, and DNS servers). The network never comes up when I boot.

I have Windows XP Pro on another drive. Networking works perfectly on it, so I'm pretty sure the hardware is fine.

I'm running Fedora 9 x86_64 with the latest patches. My NIC is a Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet. My ISP is Comcast.

Any ideas what might be the problem?

Here's what I see in /var/log/messages:

Code:

Jun 27 07:04:59 hsd1 kernel: r8169: eth0: link up
Jun 27 07:04:59 hsd1 NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): carrier now ON (device state 1)
Jun 27 07:05:00 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPREQUEST on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67
Jun 27 07:05:00 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Registering new address record for ac30::321:8df:ef76:1fbd on eth0.*.
Jun 27 07:05:06 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPREQUEST on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67
Jun 27 07:05:16 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 4
Jun 27 07:05:20 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
Jun 27 07:05:28 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 10
Jun 27 07:05:38 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 12
Jun 27 07:05:50 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 10
Jun 27 07:06:00 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 12
Jun 27 07:06:12 hsd1 dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 5
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 dhclient: No DHCPOFFERS received.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 dhclient: Trying recorded lease 23.456.78.987
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: New relevant interface eth0.IPv4 for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Registering new address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.IPv4.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Withdrawing address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Interface eth0.IPv4 no longer relevant for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: New relevant interface eth0.IPv4 for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Registering new address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.IPv4.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Withdrawing address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Interface eth0.IPv4 no longer relevant for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: New relevant interface eth0.IPv4 for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:17 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Registering new address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.IPv4.
Jun 27 07:06:20 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Withdrawing address record for 23.456.78.987 on eth0.
Jun 27 07:06:20 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface eth0.IPv4 with address 23.456.78.987.
Jun 27 07:06:20 hsd1 NetworkManager: <info>  (eth0): carrier now OFF (device state 1)
Jun 27 07:06:20 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Interface eth0.IPv4 no longer relevant for mDNS.
Jun 27 07:06:20 hsd1 avahi-daemon[2046]: Withdrawing address record for ac30::321:8df:ef76:1fbd on eth0.

lspci shows my ethernet card:

Code:

00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)

grejon04 · 06-27-2008, 10:34 AM

Does the XP drive boot with DHCP or does it have manual IP settings? If so, could be a DHCP server problem.

amani · 06-27-2008, 11:01 AM

Try bootp ...

#ifconfig -a

eric.r.turner · 06-28-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grejon04

Does the XP drive boot with DHCP or does it have manual IP settings? If so, could be a DHCP server problem.

Boots with DHCP.

eric.r.turner · 06-28-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amani

Try bootp ...

#ifconfig -a

Choosing bootp instead of DHCP didn't make a difference. Were you asking for the output from "ifconfig -a"? If so do you want that after failure to get a DHCP response (when it isn't working) or after I configure the connection manually (when it is working)?

Thanks!

grejon04 · 06-29-2008, 10:20 PM

According to the log, the NICis sending out DHCP requests but is not receiving any replies. It might be helpful to run a wiretrace on the local machine or DHCP server to see what's happening with the packets - whether they are making it to the server, what the server is doing in reply, etc...if your machine thinks it is sending out packets but really isn't (or is sending out bad packets) you might have a driver issue.

This way you might find out if you are having driver problems, etc. I know with some of my laptop NICs I had to use ndiswrapper or other utilities to set up the network connection.

A good wiretrace utility is Wireshark, available at www.wireshark.org.

[EDIT] I wasn't paying close attention there, looks like you are using Comcast as your DHCP server and not a local server...guess you can't wiretrace from there. But a local trace will still give you a better idea where your problem lies. [/EDIT]

eric.r.turner · 07-11-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grejon04

This way you might find out if you are having driver problems, etc.

I disabled the onboard Realtek and installed a model that I've used with success in the past: a Netgear FA310TX PCI 10/100 ($3 + shipping off ebay). Network works great now, every time. I guess that Realtek driver is crap.