I217-LM huge packetloss with WaitAutoNegComplete=On and FastEthernet/100mbit port

[RAren1]

We have 30-50% packetloss on a Dell Optiplex 9020 AIO with Intel I217-LM nic, and this renders the machine unusable.

Bios version: A11 (but also tested with A01,A02,A03, will test more, but seems like a driver issue)

OS: Windows 8.1 64bit (but also tested with Windows 7 64bit)

Conditions:

Network interface connected to a FastEthernet port 100mbit with autonegotion on, forcing on 100mbit doesn't fix it.

With Gigabit we don't have any issues.

The issues only appear with the following driver setting:

Devicemanager -> Network adapters -> Intel Ethernet I217-LM -> Properties -> Advanced -> Wait for Link = On

In registry this setting reflects to:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0000 WaitAutoNegComplete = 1

If we set this to Off (0) this doesn't happen, but setting to Off brings other issues, because then the driver reports that it has link, and other depending services continue and try to use network.

I made a video to demostrate it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNhQEvnUcT0 Intel I217-LM packetloss problems on the Dell Optiplex 9020 AIO - YouTube

This does not happen when the machine is connected to a gigabit switchport.

Tried about 10 different drivers for the I217-LM nic.

Tested on Windows 7 64bit and Windows 8.1 64bit, issue is on both

Any ideas? Does this need fixing from intel's side? Or can this be bios related and does Dell need to release some fix for it?

If it needs fixing from Intel, can this be a new driver, or should it create new firmware.

Can anyone reproduce this? We have about 3000 machines with this NIC so this is a big issue for us.

PS: with the full driver installed there is an extra setting "Test hardware", funny thing is that when we run that whenever the machine is in a "packetloss/broken" state it seems to make it stable again?????

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Just to double check if you have tried the latest driver version from https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18713/Network-Adapter-Driver-for-Windows-7- Intel® Download Center?

I would like to clarify on this part, when you said " Set this to Off (0) this doesn't happen, but setting to Off brings other issues, because then the driver reports that it has link, and other depending services continue and try to use network" Can you elaborate more of this issue when you set the waitautongecomplete=OFF and connects at 100mbps?

.

Thanks,

wb

[RAren1]

Hi wb_intel,

yes i've tried several drivers, even some from 2013, and the ones shipped with Windows 8.1 64bit.

Also the latest 20.0 version. With all these drivers there is packetloss with that setting enabled.

[st4]

HI Reni,

Thank you for the info. will further check on this.

rgds,

wb

[RAren1]

thanks, it is a really weird problem, but easy to reproduce.

Let me know if you need more info.

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Here are some suggestions you can try:

1) Change the setting of Reverse side scaling

2) If wait for link causes this issue to occur, possibly the Windows Network service is not staring properly. Try to check for any power saving for sleep features on the the switch's port and unit

3) Please test with other brand of switch in case you have.

4) Have you checked and reported to Dell and if there is similar issue?

Hope the above helps.

rgds,

wb

[RAren1]

Hi wb,

1) i tried disabling Receive side scaling, unfortunately this doesn't help.

2) yes this issue is caused by wait for link, we need this setting, because otherwise the driver reports that it has link but it hasn't yet :s, so other services may fail to start in our setup

if i disable wait for link this doesn't happen, but we need to keep this enabled, we have tried all powersaving settings. Can you clarify what you mean by Windows Network Service is not starting properly? This is tested to out-of-the-box windows 8.1 installation and our own base image.

3) we tried with cisco 3560 and 3560x poe, also with poe disabled, it only happens on 100mbit ports, not on gigabit, currently we have no other brands

4) dell has no reports of similar issues, i guess because this happens only with the waitforlink setting to enabled, and most people don't need this

i have an HP here with the same nic, will test this soon.

this really sounds like a driver bug.

thanks!

[RAren1]

Oke the HP i have here doesn't have the I217-LM but the I218-LM and this doesn't have this issue.

I found a Dell Optiplex 9030 AIO with the same I217-LM nic, did the same tests, but this model doesn't have this issue.

Both the problematlic 9020 AIO model and 9030 have the same hardware id and revision PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_153A&REV_04.

It more and more seems a problem with the system rather then the actual nic or driver, what do you think?

I've tried A01,A02,A03,A05,A06,A07,A08,A09,A10,A11 biosses from Dell for this, but with all versions there is packet loss...

[RAren1]

To make it even more confusing, connection starts to work correctly without packetloss after using the diagnostic tool that comes with the intel driver.

But whenever i disable/enable the nic afterwards it will be in problematic state again.

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Thank you for the detail updates. you mentioned connection starts to work without packet loss aftr using the Intel tool,

1) Are you referring to after running Intel too, the connection is ok (does it means everytime you need to run the tool first to make the connection stable?)

2) Then if you disable/enable the NIC afterwards it will be in problematic state, just to clarify why you need to disable and enable the NIC?

thanks,

wb

[RAren1]

Yes when you install the full driver, you get some extra options/settings/tabs in device manager.

The Diagnostic option under the tab Link Speed, can do some hardware tests.

This runs about 4 fases: "Register Status", "EEPROM Status", "FIFO Status", "Inerrupt Status" , "Loopback Test(s)", of course while running this i loose connectivity, but ater finishing the nic works without problems or packetloss.

After i disable/enable the nic again, the driver and/or link reinitialize and its in the bad state again.

I do this test because a reboot would have been giving the same behavior.

[st4]

Hi reni,

Thank you for the clarification. I will check on this.

rgds,

wb

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Please help provide the NVM version and driver version

You can check the NVM version (also known as ETrack ID or firmware version) under Link Speed tab > Identify Adapter button > ETrackID

Thanks

wb

[RAren1]

Hi WB,

The Identify Adapter button didn't show a NVM or Etrack ID.

But when i run the powershell command:

Get-IntelNetAdapter | select *

i get the following, EEPROMVersion 0.13 and ETrackID 0x00000000, is that you are looking for?

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Thanks for the info. Let me check on this.

rgds,

wb

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Good day. Can you help provide below information for further checking:

1) latest driver version

2) Device ID, you may rerfer to website below on how to obtain the device ID, Click on the Windows 7 or Windows 8 to expand the entry for the steps.

http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-012904.htm Network Connectivity — Retail Intel® Ethernet Adapter PCI Device ID and Part Number List

thanks,

wb

[RAren1]

Hi wb,

[1] - Driver Date: 29-9-2014 Driver Version: 12.12.80.19

[2] - Device ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_153A&SUBSYS_05A71028&REV_04

this is on Win8.1 64bit, (ndis 6.40)

[USejd]

Hello reni,

we have the same problem and we found out the following:

When a USB device is to the computer, the nic has no package loss. This can be keyboard, usb stick, scanner, whatever. If no USB device is connected, you will get the package loss.

It works also if you disable usb controller in device manager --> no package loss.

We have updated to newest Intel drivers (chipset, usb, network), still package loss if no usb devices connected to pc.

HP EliteDesk 800 G1 USDT.

Independently wether USB device is connected or not, no package loss if nic link speed is set to 10 MBit/s.

For us it seems that there is a power distribution problem, the motherboard has not enough power. We "guess" that with a link speed of 10 MBit/s the nic needs less power.

Were there any NIC revisions the past months ?? Is this only related to HP EliteDesk 800 G1 USDT or are there other computer models and manufacturers having same problem??

Will there be a new Driver?

Regards

grizzlybear

[RAren1]

Grizzlybear,

i think your problem is different then the problem i described in this topic.

We have the issue on the Dell 9020 AIO and this doesn't seem to be related to USB devices.

REni

[st4]

Hi Reni,

Thanks for the information. We will check on this.

rgds,

wb

[Richmond_S_Intel]

Hi Reni,

You mentioned a while that you did not experience this issue using the HP with I218-LM onboard adapter. Can you also provide the details generated when you execute Get-IntelNetAdapter | select * specifically on the EEPROM version and Device ID? We want to check if there are differences between the two that can help us solve the issue.

Thanks,

Rich