[etherlab-users] stuck on "waiting for devices" with e1000e drivers

[Sebastien BLANCHET]

Hi,

Indeed you are using the wrong driver

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/15817/Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-PCI-E-Gigabit-Network-Connections-under-Linux-
------------------------------------------------------------------------
e1000e.x.x.x.tar.gz is designed to work with the Intel® 
82563/82566/82567 Gigabit Ethernet PHY, Intel® 
82571/82572/82573/82574/82577/82578/82579/82583 Gigabit Ethernet 
Controller, and I217/I218 controllers under Linux*. The latest version 
and earlier versions of this driver are available from SourceForge.

If your adapter/connection is not 82563, 82566, 82567, 82571, 82572, 
82573, 82574, 82577, 82578, 82579, or 82583-based, you should use one of 
the following drivers:

     igb-x.x.x.tar.gz driver supports all Intel® 82575, 82576, 82580, 
I350, I210, or I211-based Gigabit Network Adapters/Connections

     e1000-x.x.x.tar.gz driver supports all Intel® 8254x-based PCI and 
PCI-X Gigabit Network Adapters/Connections
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, there is still no "ec_igb" driver in etherlab, so you 
have to use "igb" + "ec_generic" instead, for your Ethernet controlelr.
Otherwise, if you want to use the ec_e1000e driver you have to buy 
another Intel Ethernet Controller.

best regards
---
Sebastien BLANCHET

On 11/11/2016 14:53, pluecking at cit-ec.uni-bielefeld.de wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> we want to get ethercat running with a Intel I210 (e1000e) pci express
> card. The mainboard provides a Realtek 8168 Ethernet Controller. With
> this one, we get ethercat up and running without problems. Sadly, we
> suspect some problems with the realtek ethernet adapter due to irregular
> system crashes when running a realtime system.
> Our solution was to install the intel ethernet adapter.
>
> We clone the mercurial repository and compile the software with
>
>     ./configure --with-rtai-dir=xxx --prefix=xxx --disable-8139too
>     --enable-e1000e
>
> the kernel is detected automatically (we use a custom linux 3.14-rt
> patched) and the compile and install process works just fine. We add the
> necessary config parameters in
>
>     /etc/sysconfig/ethercat
>
> And the device is found. Now, when we start the ethercat service,
> ethercat as printed when typing "ethercat master" is stuck in the phase
> "Waiting for device(s)..."
> The mac address is correct and listed in "main" but with a (waiting...)
> behind it.
>
> It seems like the ethernet device handling is not removed from the
> system as it is still listed as an "UP RUNNING" device, e.g. when typing
> "ifconfig". When using the r8168, everything works perfectly. The kernel
> is compiled with "Intel(R) PRO/1000 PCI-Express Gigabit Ethernet
> support" as a module, not built-in.
>
> Anyone got any idea what we are missing here?
>
> Best,
> Phil