Issue with Ethernet disconnecting - how can I report properly

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1

I’m having an unpredictable issue and I’d like to report it as a bug. However I don’t know how to report it, what sorts of details I should include or how to get them (ex: a simple way to print all my hardware at once?).

Previously I used Pika OS, which shipped with a customized Plasma desktop. I used it for months but one day I started having issues with my internet disconnecting seemingly at random. Sometimes un-plugging the ethernet and re-plugging fixed it, but other times it did not. My temporary solution was to use a USB wifi dongle, which also did not always work (but I suspect the system was just not trying to use it/ switching off of it).

I eventually switched to Ubuntu, where the issue never occurred even once. Additionally, I have Gentoo dual-booted (using Sway) and I have not encountered the issue there either.
I recently replaced Ubuntu with KDE Linux. I figured the immutable distro would be stable enough (I know it’s in testing).

Now in KDE Linux I have encountered the ethernet disconnecting again, for the first time since I used Plasma in Pika OS. Again my solution was to plug in a wifi dongle (it worked for hours last night, no issues this time). I have been using KDE Linux for a week, and only encountered it once yesterday. I’m typing this from Gentoo.

I’m hoping KDE Linux’s immutable nature means this will be easy to report and isolate. But I don’t really know how to report the issue. I also don’t know how to replicate it, it just happens seemingly at random while I’m browsing / watching online, hours into the evening.

Any help organizing a ticket would be greatly appreciated. I’d hate to submit a bug that just says the ethernet disconnects for me, I know that’s useless for the contributors.

2

Problems like this can be very tricky, unfortunately.

Information provided so far would suggest there’s some patch or configuration tweak present on Ubuntu and Gentoo that’s not present KDE Linux (based on Arch) or PikaOS (based on Debian) — both of whose base distros use less heavily patched and configured packages compared to Ubuntu or Gentoo.

If I’m right, the solution will be to eventually upstream the tweak so users on all distros get it.

To troubleshoot, I would recommend running journalctl -f in a terminal window all the time on an affected OS. Then when the issue happens, switch to your journal log terminal window and copy the last 100 or so lines into a text file, then look for suspicious and related-looking warnings or error messages. If you find any, do a web search for the text.

3

I noticed the issue on May 15th. On May 16th I updated the KDE Linux package from 20260514… (May 14th update) to 20260516… (May 16th) but the issue continued. Today I updated to 17 and I still get the issue. It’s possible I wasn’t getting the issue until May 14th, but I’m not sure if I can roll back?

I’m following up with a bit of investigation. I use a Wi-Fi dongle to solve the internet while I’m in KDE Linux. Unfortunately the issue seems to occur from boot now, so it’s hard to get a clear Journalctl ouput (I’m sure I can set it to run from boot now, but I’m not sure how right now).

Instead I ran Journalctl -f , and unplugged the wi-fi dongle. I immediately switched to a No internet state, in the bottom bar it’s the Ethernet connection icon with a small red X in the corner.
The following output was found shortly after. I X’d out what looked like a public IP address but I wasn’t sure. I’m thinking this output doesn’t help much because I was using Wifi and unplugged it, so the thernet was “already” disconnected. This might not show the instant an issue occurs :

Output `May 17 20:39:10 kdesk500 kernel: usb 1-1.4.4: USB disconnect, device number 8 ` `May 17 20:39:10 kdesk500 kernel: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: deauthenticating from 7a:8d:af:7c:f3:a6 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING) ` `May 17 20:39:10 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: CTRL-EVENT-DISCONNECTED bssid=7a:8d:af:7c:f3:a6 reason=3 locally_generated=1 ` `May 17 20:39:10 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: Added BSSID 7a:8d:af:7c:f3:a6 into ignore list, ignoring for 10 seconds ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Interface wlp0s20f0u1u4u4.IPv6 no longer relevant for mDNS. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface wlp0s20f0u1u4u4.IPv6 with address fe80::9b03:1a65:8027:8331. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Interface wlp0s20f0u1u4u4.IPv4 no longer relevant for mDNS. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface wlp0s20f0u1u4u4.IPv4 with address 192.168.2.76. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Withdrawing address record for fe80::9b03:1a65:8027:8331 on wlp0s20f0u1u4u4. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 avahi-daemon[1065]: Withdrawing address record for 192.168.2.76 on wlp0s20f0u1u4u4. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0298] device (wlp0s20f0u1u4u4): state change: activated -> unmanaged (reason 'unmanaged-l` `ink-not-init', managed-type: 'removed') ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0307] dhcp4 (wlp0s20f0u1u4u4): canceled DHCP transaction ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0307] dhcp4 (wlp0s20f0u1u4u4): activation: beginning transaction (timeout in 45 seconds) ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0308] dhcp4 (wlp0s20f0u1u4u4): state changed no lease ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0341] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0395] dns-sd-resolved[ffb168be2d8d0a13]: send-updates SetLinkDomains@3 failed: GDBus.Erro` `r:org.freedesktop.resolve1.NoSuchLink: Link 3 not known ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 systemd[1]: Starting Network Manager Script Dispatcher Service... ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 NetworkManager[1063]: [1779061151.0536] radio killswitch /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.4/1-1.4.4/1-1.4.` `4:1.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill0 disappeared ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 systemd[1]: Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status... ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 systemd[1]: Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/sy` `stemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1779061151.060:373): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="syste` `md" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: CTRL-EVENT-DSCP-POLICY clear_all ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 systemd[1]: Started Network Manager Script Dispatcher Service. ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib` `/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1779061151.062:374): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher ` `comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: Removed BSSID 7a:8d:af:7c:f3:a6 from ignore list (clear) ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: wlp0s20f0u1u4u4: CTRL-EVENT-DSCP-POLICY clear_all ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 wpa_supplicant[1341]: nl80211: deinit ifname=wlp0s20f0u1u4u4 disabled_11b_rates=0 ` `May 17 20:39:11 kdesk500 kded6[2202]: Failed to notify "Created too many similar notifications in quick succession" ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 audit: BPF prog-id=125 op=UNLOAD ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 kernel: audit: type=1334 audit(1779061153.548:375): prog-id=125 op=UNLOAD ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 systemd-resolved[799]: Switching to fallback DNS server 9.9.9.9#``dns.quad9.net``. ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 python3.14[6217]: kapsule.daemon.host_config_sync: Host DNS configuration changed ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 python3.14[6217]: kapsule.daemon.host_config_sync: Host DNS configuration changed ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 python3.14[6217]: httpx: HTTP Request: GET ``http://localhost/1.0/instances?recursion=1`` "HTTP/1.1 200 OK" ` `May 17 20:39:13 kdesk500 python3.14[6217]: httpx: HTTP Request: GET ``http://localhost/1.0/instances?recursion=1`` "HTTP/1.1 200 OK" ` `May 17 20:39:15 kdesk500 kdeconnectd[2461]: Cannot find Bluez 5 adapter for device search true ` `May 17 20:39:16 kdesk500 systemd[1]: systemd-rfkill.service: Deactivated successfully. ` `May 17 20:39:16 kdesk500 audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/sys` `temd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:16 kdesk500 kernel: audit: type=1131 audit(1779061156.065:376): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-rfkill comm="syste` `md" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:18 kdesk500 plasmashell[2214]: Both point size and pixel size set. Using pixel size. ` `May 17 20:39:21 kdesk500 systemd[1]: NetworkManager-dispatcher.service: Deactivated successfully. ` `May 17 20:39:21 kdesk500 audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/` `systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success' ` `May 17 20:39:21 kdesk500 kernel: audit: type=1131 audit(1779061161.072:377): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher ` `comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'`

I also asked an AI what I can run to investigate and it had me do the following commands:

nmcli device
DEVICE           TYPE      STATE                   CONNECTION 
wlp0s20f0u1u4u4  wifi      connected               Rogers 29  
lo               loopback  connected (externally)  lo         
enp6s0           ethernet  unavailable

sudo ethtool enp6s0 
Settings for enp6s0:
        Supported ports: [ TP    MII ]
        Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
                                2500baseT/Full
        Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
        Supported FEC modes: Not reported
        Advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
                                1000baseT/Full
                                2500baseT/Full
        Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
        Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
        Speed: Unknown!
        Duplex: Unknown! (255)
        Auto-negotiation: on
        master-slave cfg: preferred slave
        master-slave status: unknown
        Port: Twisted Pair
        PHYAD: 0
        Transceiver: internal
        MDI-X: Unknown
        Supports Wake-on: pumbg
        Wake-on: d
        Link detected: no

sudo dmesg | grep -i enp6s0
[    6.084210] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: renamed from eth0
[    7.909867] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Down
[   10.882440] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
[   39.007362] audit: type=1111 audit(1779032757.585:278): pid=1063 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='op=statistics interface="enp6s0" ifindex=2 args=2000 pid=2214 uid=1000 result=success exe="/usr/bin/NetworkManager" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
[   47.659915] audit: type=1111 audit(1779032766.238:284): pid=1063 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='op=statistics interface="enp6s0" ifindex=2 args=0 pid=2214 uid=1000 result=success exe="/usr/bin/NetworkManager" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
[  660.320807] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Down
[  663.935145] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
[  785.804742] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Down
[23198.131568] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Down
[28791.392342] r8169 0000:06:00.0 enp6s0: Link is Down

lspci -k | grep -A3 Ethernet
06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller (rev 05)
        Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 7d45
        Kernel driver in use: r8169
        Kernel modules: r8169

The AI then suggested I switch to driver r8125 instead of 69.

I haven’t done anything else yet, but I wanted to get these details down somewhere so I wouldn’t lose them.

4

Ah, Realtek. These are often a pain in the butt. Quickly doing a web search for “RTL8125 linux” revealed Realtek RTL8125 Ubuntu 24.04 Ethernet Fix -- r8125 new driver; purge r8125-dkms - Support and Help - Ubuntu Community Hub which looks like it might be relevant.

5

thank you I never thought to do that

6

Following the Ubuntu steps, I skipped the part about purge the old driver package because I never did that.
And then I downloaded the latest Realtek driver and ran sudo ./autorun.sh

However the script said it doesn’t find (or maybe can’t see?) certain folders:

sudo ./autorun.sh          
Check old driver and unload it.
rmmod r8169
Build the module and install
make[2]: *** /lib/modules/7.0.7-arch2-1/build: No such file or directory.  Stop.
make[1]: *** [Makefile:203: clean] Error 2
make: *** [Makefile:48: clean] Error 2

Just ran this, have yet to reboot, but just guessing that I can’t edit my ethernet driver in an immutable distro?

I just wanted to update this thread as I do stuff, incase someone else has the same issue.

7

You can use the instructions here to set up a systemd extension that you can install stuff into and override the files shipped with the OS: Add or Override Content in /usr - KDE Linux