NIC Negotiation Issue - 10baseTX

[mathris]

First Hardware
Motherboard:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/desktop/dh77df/dh77df_techprodspec04.pdf

CPU:

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ark.intel.com

Hi Guys,

I seem to be having a negotiation Issue with my TrueNAS server. It keeps showing up under Network > Interface as 10baseTX.

So I've been reading through a bunch of forums regarding this issue. Seems like I'm not maybe the only one having it. Some called out having realtek NIC vs Intel (I have intel). Some said free bsd drivers related issues. But after messing around with the mutilple cables directly patching into the switch to the servers, running short distance, etc... Nothing worked. What I noticed is there is no hard coding on the NAS server, or even modifying this. Setting just displays what it negotiated.

So started to try to mess around with from the network side (switch side) and modified the interface from auto to 100Mb and 1000MB. What I noticed was that when I hardcorded it on the network side to 100Mb it, change the TrueNAS server to 100Mb. That didn't happen when I tried 1000MB unfortunately. So at least I am now getting faster then 1MB transfer speeds, I'm getting like 10MB.

I wanted to see if there is any plans to update TrueNAS software (I'm running 12.1, doesn't seem to have any new updates out) so that the nic is configurable through TrueNAS.

Or is there a list of recommended hardware. I know for me I'm running a microTIX case for a reason, so the option to just buy a new NIC and slap it in won't work. As I have no PCI slots, and just using the motherboard NIC.

Thoughts?

Thank you.

 

[jgreco]

Okay, color me stumped. I have no clue that "10baseTX" is. Is it ACTUALLY saying 10baseTX? Because that's more or less nonsensical.

10 megabit is 10baseT/UTP (or 10baseT/AUI or 10base2).

100 megabit is 100baseTX.

1000 megabit is 1000baseT.

Some said free bsd drivers related issues

For an Intel 82579 ethernet controller? Who said that, and where? I'm sure the guys at Intel will have some cross words for them.

What I noticed is there is no hard coding on the NAS server, or even modifying this. Setting just displays what it negotiated.

Correct-ish. With the advent of gigabit ethernet, auto negotiation was mandated as part of the protocol. The underlying devices still support manual configuration of 10/100 speeds because this is sometimes necessary with older 10/100 ethernet switches and hubs. Normally FreeNAS/TrueNAS wouldn't be used with a 100Mbps network, so I guess this isn't shocking.

auto to 100Mb and 1000MB.

Please use consistent units. And preferably STANDARD units. The ambiguity here is resolvable from context, but it brings into question the rest of your message, which contains some confusing bits like "10baseTX". We have a good primer on some of this:

Terminology and Abbreviations Primer

We realize that new users have a lot to learn when they come to FreeNAS. There's a certain amount of confusion added to discussions when users pick random/approximate terms to describe things. I've spent a lot of time quietly trying to...

www.truenas.com

which also explains the rationale for not making up random abbreviations for units.

running a microTIX case

Are we talking about a Mikrotik chassis switch of some sort, or a mini ITX PC case, or something else?

Basically your message is really hard to read and rather confusing.

My best GUESS is that you ran into a problem where your mini-ITX system with an Intel 82579 controller keeps selecting 100baseTX ethernet, and you want it to select gigabit.

You have a bad cable, a bad switch, a bad ethernet controller, or bent pins. Typically when a gigabit-capable ethernet controller and switch refuse to negotiate gigabit, this means that there is a problem with at least one of pins 4, 5, 7, and/or 8. Gigabit ethernet requires all four pairs, whereas 10Mbps and 100Mbps ethernet require only two pair (on pins 1, 2, 3, and 6).

There is no "different driver" or command line option that is likely to force it to work at gigabit speed if it is refusing to negotiate gigabit speed. We've had gigabit ethernet for two decades and it is a rock solid technology. If it doesn't work, it's almost always because electrically there is some issue preventing it from working.

 

[mathris]

10BaseTX is what is displayed in TrueNAS. I've included a snip of what 100baseTX look like.
SEE ATTACHMENT.

Driver issues was related to realtek, not Intel I was trying to say.

Yeah specifying consistent units is important, I knew eventually typing this all out I was going to miss one.

Already swapped out cables, ports, etc... seems to be a driver issues with TrueNAS since I can't get gig speed on CAT5E cables, with gig port on the switch and the TrueNAS server. Also I've tested other ports and other devices with other cables, getting gig with everything else.

 

[jgreco]

10BaseTX is what is displayed in TrueNAS. I've included a snip of what 100baseTX look like.
SEE ATTACHMENT.

Okay, but you're saying 10baseTX but the second time you said 100, and the image says 100.

Driver issues was related to realtek, not Intel I was trying to say.

Realtek suffers from being really badly designed, and having a lot of versions of their chips, many of which are knockoffs. Realtek doesn't provide support to driver authors, and as a result the Realtek based ethernets are not expected to work well. Sometimes, you run across a legit Realtek from one of the better-supported variants and it works acceptably.

The Intel drivers are authored by Intel and are known to be very stable and reliable, and have been for many years.

seems to be a driver issues with TrueNAS

It's not a driver issue. Everyone uses the Intel ethernets without issue. Intel wrote the stuff. It works fine. Check for hardware issues.

 

[Morris]

This sounds like a layer 1 issue (hardware). Try a different switch port, jumper cable, if wired through wall and patch panel, direct connect laptop to see if NIC on NAS is good.

 

[Ericloewe]

This is the sort of thing one expects from the “fell off the back of a truck in Shenzhen and the yottamark sticker fell off and pinky swear that the PCB is legitimate despite being curiously devoid of Intel logos” sort of eBay purchase, but surely Intel’s manufacturing partner for motherboard exercises better supply chain oversight than that…
So, random bad hardware. I’ve seen this specific NIC model misbehave oddly - it was the weirdest thing, it would take many minutes (>5) to connect to the switch on the other end, then work seemingly well. Drop in a new NIC and things started working normally.
So I guess the lesson here is to suspect the hardware, even if it’s not completely broken.

 

[pschatz100]

If you have already tried different cables, I would also try a different switch. They can go bad.

If you have another computer that you can use, try using that with the same cables/switch to see if the network problem changes. If the problem is still there, then you know you have an issue somewhere on your network. If the problem goes away, then you know the issue is in your NAS box.

As previous posters have pointed out, there is most likely a hardware or connectivity issue.