Score:0

Ubuntu

Network card without needing to install drivers

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:23 PM

We're looking for a network card that works without it having to be installed via drivers.

Ubuntu Version: Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS

Kernel version: Linux version 5.4.0-73-generic (buildd@lcy01-amd64-019) (gcc version 9.3.0 (Ubuntu 9.3.0-17ubuntu1~20.04)) #82-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 14 17:39:42 UTC 2021

I've been struggling to get a Realtek NIC to work on the server. Every server reboot it updates the kernel and removes the NIC from the server making it unavailable.

I was thinking some options would be the INTEL EXPI9404PTL PRO/1000 PT series.

Are those baked into the 5.4.0 kernel?

UPDATE:

Here is a lookup for current NIC in the server:

  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:08:00.0
       logical name: enp8s0
       version: 05
       serial: a8:a1:59:2d:9d:d0
       size: 1Gbit/s
       capacity: 2500Mbit/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 2500bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8125 driverversion=9.005.01-NAPI duplex=full ip=192.168.1.100 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=1Gbit/s
       resources: irq:33 ioport:f000(size=256) memory:fc500000-fc50ffff memory:fc510000-fc513fff

UPDATE:

Output of: dkms status

synosnap, 0.10.15, 5.4.0-73-generic, x86_64: installed

UPDATE:

We did a bit of research and it seems Intel Gigabit CT PCI-E Network Adapter EXPI9301CTBLK to be the most compatible with linux kernel. I'll report back when we install it.

383

0 + 0

kernel

networking

nic

20.04

user535733

1/15/23, 10:35 PM

Most NICs are baked into the kernel. A few manufacturers don't. For equipment that has been tested with Ubuntu, see http://ubuntu.com/certified

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:39 PM

Doesn't the server have its own NIC?

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:44 PM

@heynnema this is a hand-built 1U server with ASRock B550M STEEL LEGEND motherboard. It has a Dragon RTL8125BG NIC. I have spent about a week of time just trying to get it to stay after a reboot. My last fix was to turn off Live Update on Ubuntu just so kernel does not update without my triggering an update.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:44 PM

URL for motherboard: https://www.newegg.ca/asrock-b550m-steel-legend/p/N82E16813157940?Description=b550f&cm_re=b550f-_-13-157-940-_-Product

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:46 PM

Is the RTL8125BG seen by Ubuntu? Edit your question and show me `sudo lshw -C network`.

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:48 PM

It's being seen. Doesn't it work?

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:48 PM

@heynnema yes after I re-install drivers by hand it's visible. But getting it to reinstall after each update has been impossible so far.

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:49 PM

Are you using a DKMS driver? Show me `dkms status`.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:49 PM

@heynnema yes it works, but only when I manually install and connect my monitor and keyboard to it :) the issue is the reboot of the server - once reboot starts the kernel gets updated and drivers get kicked off.

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:51 PM

There's no DKMS driver installed. Where/how/why did you get your driver from? Didn't Ubuntu support the NIC without your driver? Do you have access to a Ubuntu Live 21.04? Can you make one?

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:53 PM

@heynnema this was taken from the Realtek page: https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/network-interface-controllers-10-100-1000m-gigabit-ethernet-usb-3-0-software

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 10:56 PM

I'm not sure what you mean by Ubuntu Live 21.04. You want me to boot into a live CD?

heynnema

1/15/23, 10:59 PM

Yes, boot to a Live DVD/USB version 21.04 and see if the ethernet works. The Realtek driver is not DKMS, so you'd have to rebuild it after every kernel update.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:15 PM

@heynnema ah I cant stop the server right now, there's a bunch of DEV stuff happening on it and it would stop couple of people working on it. I think we'll go for a Intel Gigabit CT PCI-E Network Adapter EXPI9301CTBLK - from all the threads I read about it, it seems to be plug-and-play.

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:16 PM

If 21.04 supports the RTL8125 out of the box, wouldn't that be a better choice? Did you also update netplan for the NIC?

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:17 PM

That would mean I would have to do an upgrade to the server that has a Magento 2 install with PHP / MYSQL and so on. I don't want to get into that process right now as hands are already full with other work.

chili555

1/15/23, 11:20 PM

@heynnema Please check here: https://github.com/awesometic/realtek-r8125-dkms

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:21 PM

@KalvinKlien Hey, chili555 found a dkms driver for you!

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:22 PM

@chili555 Thanks! Good find. Write that as an answer.

Score:2

Ubuntu

chili555

1/15/23, 11:30 PM

Please do:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install dkms git
git clone https://github.com/awesometic/realtek-r8125-dkms.git
cd realtek-r8125-dkms
sudo ./dkms-install.sh

You should be all set.

0 + 0

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:31 PM

You should do the dkms install with sudo ./dkms-install.sh, no? dkms is already there.

chili555

1/15/23, 11:37 PM

Soory for my mis-step. Corrected. Thanks for the catch, @heynnema

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:39 PM

What a team :-). You can remove the dkms install too, as they already have it installed. Add a reboot or a modprobe.

chili555

1/15/23, 11:40 PM

@heynnema I try to never take chances; hence update, dkms, git.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:46 PM

Thanks! I already ordered the Intel NIC, but once it arrives and I can get the team off the DEV server for upgrades I will try this. For now I will accept as the answer. Should be in a couple of days.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:46 PM

@chili555 will this stick after the kernel update?

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:47 PM

@KalvinKlien Yes, dkms drivers stick after a kernel update.

heynnema

1/15/23, 11:50 PM

@KalvinKlien Remember to re-enable Software Updates. And reboot after the driver install.

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:52 PM

@heynnema just now I need to remember how I did it :) Its a CLI-only machine so the fun of Web Developer delving into server administration never ends :)

Kalvin Klien

1/15/23, 11:54 PM

@heynnema and chili555 thanks for all the help!

chili555

1/15/23, 11:56 PM

We strive to please! We're glad to help.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Network card without needing to install drivers

TH: การ์ดเครือข่ายโดยไม่จำเป็นต้องติดตั้งไดรเวอร์

RO: Placă de rețea fără a fi nevoie să instalați drivere

RU: Сетевая карта без установки драйверов

VI: Card mạng không cần cài driver

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