Intel Communication: Intel® Ethernet Controller I226 Series-Random connection drops at random times

[Cam__Intel]

Some customers have recently reported connection drops at random times, specifically on the newly launched 700 series motherboards with Intel® Ethernet Controller I226-V.

Intel has reproduced the issue and is diligently working on a root cause and fix. For any of our customers experiencing this problem, a mitigation option to explore is to disable the “Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)” mode in the Advanced Windows/ Linux driver setting.  We believe this should help. We are continuing to assess the situation and will follow-up accordingly.

We appreciate those who have shared information about their experience with this issue, and we welcome your input.  Intel will continue to review the comments and information you share to help us work towards a solution.

Best Regards,

Intel

[RefereeBeau]

Latecomer to this thread, but some additional info that may be useful primarily to the Intel engineering folks.

First, to be clear: upgrading to the latest Win10 driver appears to have resolved the problem for me. No recurrences in the last 48 hours.

My main point is that a device such as a Cisco router (and perhaps others) that immediately reports even brief link-layer issues would be a very useful test tool before releasing drivers!

Background:

I have been using an ASUS Z790 Plus WiDi D4 motherboard for ~20 months. Until two weeks ago, that system was connected to a NetGear GE switch. I had not detected any obvious issues, such as lost connections.

Two weeks ago, I upgraded my home router to a Cisco ISR C1111-8P, and recabled my ASUS system to an integrated switch port on the new router.

The Cisco router quickly started reporting brief link flaps on the port connected to the ASUS PC. The flaps lasted only a few seconds No obvious user-visible symptom on the PC. On the router, the flaps look like this:

bj1111#
Dec 13 17:36:17.814: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/1/6, changed state to down
Dec 13 17:36:18.812: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/1/6, changed state to down
Dec 13 17:36:21.138: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/1/6, changed state to up
Dec 13 17:36:22.136: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/1/6, changed state to up
bj1111#

These link flaps seemed to occur at random times. No obvious trigger. The problem continued after changing the switch port and the Ethernet cable

Google searches for the symptom did not get a direct hit but led to finding this thread. After updating to the 1.1.4.43 driver (which is not [yet?] included in the latert Win10 update!) I found the updated driver through the ASUS driver download site), the link flaps have stopped.

[RefereeBeau]

Followup: the revised Intel GE driver has been 100% solid for me. My switch/router has reported absolutely zero link flaps for a month:

C1111-8P console log:

bj1111#sh clock
19:38:32.972 PST Mon Dec 16 2024

bj1111#sh clock
12:09:03.552 PST Sun Jan 12 2025
bj1111#

[VipeNess]

this does not work and my network card keeps disconnecting constantly.  If you're team has reproduced the issue and is diligently working on a root cause and fix... why is there no fix in 2025 when you posted that in Feb 2023!?!

[Marmbo]

Reminder to reseat your network cable as well. I have this issue recur at times when I move my system around, connects at 2.5GB but then disconnects randomly within a few minutes and reconnects back. Reseating the network cable a bunch of times completely stops this from happening to me. (at least until the next time I'm moving my system for whatever reason)

[Peter3718]

What's the follow-up of this issue? has it been resoloved? 

We buy a new MUC with I226-V controller recently, and found it has very low delay performance,  even worse then a USB to ETH controller. 

How can we update the I226-V to the latest?  nmv, flash, optionROM etc.  I can't find any tool for I226-V. 

Peter

[Unknown_IsHere]

Were you ever able to figure it out? I have the same problems

[RefereeBeau]

Yes. Update to latest Intel Win10 driver. Please see my followup on 1/12/2025.

As of this reply, I have still not seen a single link flap reported by my router for the port connected to the Asus desktop with the Intel controller - zero flaps in over 6 months total.

[Unknown_IsHere]

What if I’m on windows 11 and up to date already? I just did a bios update though, so hope that helps.

I had to reset my PC and it started happening again. Even though it was kind of gone for a little.

[rickgroove]

08/23/2025 issues still persist.

I have had random disconnects during the past many months. Ethernet always starting up in 100/100mbit, while resetting the cable changes it to 1000/1000 as it should be as I am on a 1000 fiber.

After resetting my router to factory settings I can't get my ethernet card to "turn on". There is absolutely no signal to the router. It was working ok before but not the connection is dead.

In device manager I see I-226 "working properly", I've update to latest drive 2.1.4.3 updated bios on the motherboard to V3, checked all cables and connections multiple times, restarted the router, IPS and computer so many times I've lost count.

Now I am on sketchy wi-fi and I can't get the Ethernet port to show any light or connection 

[Marmbo]

My understanding is the issue was 2.5 Gb connections. Never had any isssues running 1 GB connection. For those running 2.5 GB I do NOT recommend those 'thin' network cables you can get from Amazon and other places where they are thin but wide, that doesn't lead to good signal protection. I've not had a single 2.5 GB disconnect since going away from those thin wide cables at 2.5.