R61 network problem - intermittent connection resets, ...

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Hallo,

I have an R61 thinkpad and I ran into a strange networking problem with the ethernet adapter in my R61.

I have Windows XP SP3 as well as Kubuntu 10.04 (both updated to current patch levels) running in a dual boot setup.

My problems with the builtin ethernet (not wireless!) adapter are:

1) I have intermittent connection resets when SSHing out to other computers. The SSH connection establishes, I can enter a few
commands and after a minute or two the connection is reset. This happens both with Putty on WinXP, as well as plain SSH on Linux.
This problem seems to be reliably reproducible

2) When I reboot the system from Windows XP to Linux (and IIRC even to WinXP itself and the other way around) the network card is "gone".
Neither Windows nor Linux detect the network card. In this case on the ethernet plug both LEDs are constantly on (green & yellow), but only after grub
boots into the OS.
I can only fix this problem by actually shutting down (not via reboot) and unplugging the power adapter! Shutting down and rebooting without
unplugging the power adapter in between does not help.

Both problems - at least the second - are probably quite old, as I only recently started to use the R61 more excessively with Linux, requiring more
reboots, showing this problem.

I am currently using a PCMCIA ethernet card without any problems on Linux, but I hope I can somehow fix this, as the machine already has a
large footprint even without PCMCIA ethernet card. The PCMCIA uses the same cable I used for the test with the builtin ethernet, so outbound
connectivity is ok.

I tried to search the 'net and also this forum, but could not find anything similar, so you are my last hope....

Here are some technical details:

Lenovo Thinkpad R61, 8918-B9G
System firmware version 7KET71WW (1.21) of 22.aug.2007 -- Note: that's what Linux' hwinfo tells me, I guess that's the BIOS version
The ethernet controller is an Intel 82566MC Gigabit Network Connection
Linux is using the e1000e driver for it, in a 2.6.32-23-generic kubuntu kernel.

Any ideas? Is this chip built onto the board? Or maybe some kind micro-PCI card that could have become loose and could be fixed by re-inserting it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
André

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Not anyone? Wow must be a real strange problem...

[ajkula66]

The problem does sound unusual...

While I don't have the solution, I will tell you that the LAN connection on your machine is not replaceable short of swapping the board...it's not on a card of any kind, unfortunately...

Good luck.

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Thanks, at least some information. I'm getting along with the PCMCIA card for now, but it's still a pity.

Pity, that's the first TP that fails me (except fan issues, and the T30 2G problem)

André