Green Ethernet

Sometimes called "Energy Efficient Ethernet"

I recently, maybe 6 months ago or so, got slightly higher speed internet. I live in BFE, so I went from just under 10 mbps to about 15 mbps, which doesn't sound like much but I was doing fine with the previous internet speed. I don't use my computer for gaming, or anything that requires a faster internet. As soon as I got the new modem, I started having issues where I lose internet and sometimes I'd have to restart the modem every day, and sometimes every few days. I blamed the new modem because the problem started at the same time. THEN much more recently I got a brand new computer, this one is much fancier than any I've ever had, and the internet connectivity problem persisted. Anyway, I started really trying to figure out the problem and it turns out it is the power management setting for the ethernet adapter. I disabled the setting that puts the adapter to sleep in the device manager, but it is still going to sleep. Apparently I need to go into the advanced settings and disable "green ethernet" and enable "wake with magic packet".

My question is - wtf is "magic packet"?

Also, I am not opposed to energy saving settings, so why doesn't this one work properly? I have read all the microsoft advice that I can find, and it is always to disable it, and I never see any instructions on how to make it work properly.

WoL (Wake on Lan) allows a device to go into sleep mode and then wake up when it receives the "magic packet".  It's probably more common for power hungry devices like laser printers, but could apply to pretty much any networked device.  Apparently, WoL can be somewhat tricky to properly implement:

Wake-on-LAN can be a difficult technology to implement because it requires appropriate BIOS/UEFI, network interface hardware and, sometimes, operating system and router support to function reliably. In some cases, hardware may wake from one low-power state but not from others. This means that due to hardware issues the computer may be wakeable from its soft off state (S5) but doesn't wake from sleep or hibernation or vice versa.

If I disable "green ethernet" do I need to enable "wake with magic packet"? The advice on microsoft's website is to do that, but where does the magic packet come from? lol

In the past I've used magic packets to wake up remote computers.  You've got a pc in some remote location.  You don't want to keep it on constantly but you want to be able to access it when you need it.  I think the packet itself is generated from the router. 

I don't think it applies to your situation so disabling it is probably a good thing.  But maybe what it means has changed over time.

Okay, I disabled green ethernet and I didn't enable "wake with magic packet". I don't need to wake this computer remotely. I think one of the posts I read on the microsoft website was answering a question from someone in college and it was about LAN. I probably didn't notice, because I was just looking up issues for green ethernet, and didn't fully read some of it.

Magic packets originate from some server or a router if its configured.  You'd only need magic paxket to wake up your network device from a sleep mode.

Tho in your case, if you want green ethernet, both should be on (magic packet will wake up modem).  But the power used by a LAN port is so low, making it "green" is pointless.  So you chose wisely.

Did it help?

So far my ethernet wakes up with the computer, or it never sleeps, I guess? idk!  I wish if they were adding power saving things that they would work properly. The more I searched for the solution, the further back the problem with "Energy Efficient Ethernet" and "Green Ethernet" go. I think the oldest post I found was on reddit from 2016. I also found out that "EEE" "Green Ethernet" are separate and I have both options.

I take that back, I just had to restart the adapter. idk what else to do about it. 

I take that back, I just had to restart the adapter. idk what else to do about it. 

Wait... the adapter?  Wifi adapter on your laptop?

No, the Ethernet adapter on my PC.

No, the Ethernet adapter on my PC.

O.o
What the hell?  That should never be asleep in the first place.  How do you restart it?  is there like a message that says "Your network adapter is not responidng.  Click here to restart it"? or do you go into the device properties and disable then enable?

In the task bar there's an icon that indicates if I am online. I can right click on it and the first option is to restart the Ethernet adapter, or if I try to open a web page I can click on diagnose connection problems and the very first option is to restart the Ethernet adapter.

This new computer is Windows 11, I don't think it was the same for Windows 10, but I really don't know because I was still blaming the new modem and I restarted the modem instead. That always worked! Maybe I do need to allow the magic packet and the magic packet comes from my own modem? idk lol

Yeah that's weird. 

The way I'd diagnose it is when it stops working, I'd ping the router via the command prompt.
If I get back nothing, I'd try another pc or phone (if its a wifi router).  If thats nothing, then its the modem. If the wifi device works, then its probably your pc.  I'd likely go into the power management for the connection and make sure "Allow the computer to turn off this device" is unchecked.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/do-you-have-a-sleepy-nic/ba-p/590996 (The article is old but its the same window, same location)

The wifi works, I've already determined that. The ipad and TV still connect via wifi when the computer says it is offline.

My next option is to uninstall the driver for the ethernet adapter and restart the computer... but I'm supposed to download the driver onto a thumb drive just in case windows doesn't automatically install the driver when it comes back on. I don't think I have a thumb drive laying around.

Why a thumb drive?  Just copy it to the desktop or something.  Thumb drive is only for other PCs.

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 24, 2024, 01:05:23 PM

No, the Ethernet adapter on my PC.

O.o
What the hell?  That should never be asleep in the first place.  How do you restart it?  is there like a message that says "Your network adapter is not responidng.  Click here to restart it"? or do you go into the device properties and disable then enable?

Things like network adapters don't know they are on a PC as such.  When the chip for a device is designed, they write a driver for it, with provisions to turn on or off various features.  I can't imagine the driver does not have a control panel to disable the adapter sleep mode. 

The wifi works, I've already determined that. The ipad and TV still connect via wifi when the computer says it is offline.

My next option is to uninstall the driver for the ethernet adapter and restart the computer... but I'm supposed to download the driver onto a thumb drive just in case windows doesn't automatically install the driver when it comes back on. I don't think I have a thumb drive laying around.

You are talking about Wifi, but also the Ethernet adapter.  Is the Wifi handled by the Ethernet adapter?  Even if that is the case, there will be a separate driver for each, possibly virtual.   

I would not uninstall any of these drivers.  They can be "disabled", but uninstalling them will prevent them from being reinstalled.  Also, I recommend that you establish if the problem is in the Ethernet driver, or the Wifi driver. 

gnuarm -

No, Lorddave asked me about the wifi router, I was explaining that I already determined that the wifi is working when the Ethernet adapter is asleep.  It is the Ethernet adapter on my pc that has to be restarted. My modem works fine.

Why a thumb drive?  Just copy it to the desktop or something.  Thumb drive is only for other PCs.

Oh, I was just reading stuff on the microsoft community help forum. That is what one of the tech people there said to do. idk why.

Anyway, I think I will enable the magic packet thing just to see what happens. lol

Oh, I just found this person from a few years ago with the exact problem. I am just posting this here so I can look at it later https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/inspiron-desktops/computer-is-unable-to-connect-to-ethernet-after-waking-up-from-sleep-mode/647f8244f4ccf8a8de0f987e

gnuarm -

No, Lorddave asked me about the wifi router, I was explaining that I already determined that the wifi is working when the Ethernet adapter is asleep.  It is the Ethernet adapter on my pc that has to be restarted. My modem works fine.

'

How is Ethernet involved?  Are you connecting to the router via Ethernet?  Is this an internal connection, where the PC Wifi connects to the PC Ethernet, so that they both must work to use Wifi? 

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 12:40:29 PM

gnuarm -

No, Lorddave asked me about the wifi router, I was explaining that I already determined that the wifi is working when the Ethernet adapter is asleep.  It is the Ethernet adapter on my pc that has to be restarted. My modem works fine.

'

How is Ethernet involved?  Are you connecting to the router via Ethernet?  Is this an internal connection, where the PC Wifi connects to the PC Ethernet, so that they both must work to use Wifi?

My pc is connected to my modem via ethernet. Wifi doesn't have anything to do with it. Lorddave asked me if I was talking about the "wifi adapter on my laptop" and I replied, "no, the ethernet adapter on my pc". This is how wifi got into the conversation, but I also added that I knew my modem was working because the wifi connected devices (the tv and the ipad) still work when my pc says I don't have an internet connection.

The problem is with the Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller. This is the Ethernet adapter in my computer.

Quote from: gnuarm on June 25, 2024, 01:17:54 PM

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 12:40:29 PM

gnuarm -

No, Lorddave asked me about the wifi router, I was explaining that I already determined that the wifi is working when the Ethernet adapter is asleep.  It is the Ethernet adapter on my pc that has to be restarted. My modem works fine.

'

How is Ethernet involved?  Are you connecting to the router via Ethernet?  Is this an internal connection, where the PC Wifi connects to the PC Ethernet, so that they both must work to use Wifi?

My pc is connected to my modem via ethernet. Wifi doesn't have anything to do with it. Lorddave asked me if I was talking about the "wifi adapter on my laptop" and I replied, "no, the ethernet adapter on my pc". This is how wifi got into the conversation, but I also added that I knew my modem was working because the wifi connected devices (the tv and the ipad) still work when my pc says I don't have an internet connection.

The problem is with the Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller. This is the Ethernet adapter in my computer.

This is starting to make some sense.  However, your conclusion that the Ethernet interface on the router is working, because the TV and iPad can connect through Wifi, is flawed. 

I won't argue the point with you.  If you can get it to work by resetting the PC Ethernet interface, that's a pretty good indicator. 

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 03:16:46 PM

Quote from: gnuarm on June 25, 2024, 01:17:54 PM

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 12:40:29 PM

gnuarm -

No, Lorddave asked me about the wifi router, I was explaining that I already determined that the wifi is working when the Ethernet adapter is asleep.  It is the Ethernet adapter on my pc that has to be restarted. My modem works fine.

'

How is Ethernet involved?  Are you connecting to the router via Ethernet?  Is this an internal connection, where the PC Wifi connects to the PC Ethernet, so that they both must work to use Wifi?

My pc is connected to my modem via ethernet. Wifi doesn't have anything to do with it. Lorddave asked me if I was talking about the "wifi adapter on my laptop" and I replied, "no, the ethernet adapter on my pc". This is how wifi got into the conversation, but I also added that I knew my modem was working because the wifi connected devices (the tv and the ipad) still work when my pc says I don't have an internet connection.

The problem is with the Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller. This is the Ethernet adapter in my computer.

This is starting to make some sense.  However, your conclusion that the Ethernet interface on the router is working, because the TV and iPad can connect through Wifi, is flawed. 

I won't argue the point with you.  If you can get it to work by resetting the PC Ethernet interface, that's a pretty good indicator.

That wasn't my conclusion though. I said the modem was working because the tv and ipad can connect through wifi. I suppose the ethernet port on the modem could be borked, but now I have found hundreds of other people having the same problem with the same type of ethernet adapter, so I think it is safe to assume it is the adapter and not the modem, plus resetting works every time.

Anyway, I don't know what else to try. I've tried everything except uninstalling the driver 

OH, I just remembered this PC is also capable of connecting to the internet via wifi. If I do uninstall the Ethernet adapter I should be able to reinstall it. I should probably test this pc using wifi before I do that.

OH, I just remembered this PC is also capable of connecting to the internet via wifi. If I do uninstall the Ethernet adapter I should be able to reinstall it. I should probably test this pc using wifi before I do that.

As I said, the Wifi on the PC may work through the Ethernet interface, internally.  So, kill Ethernet, and Wifi may not work either.  Sneakernet always works.

My wife's laptop had a problem where the ethernet card would always die after six month.  I replaced it three times then I just got her a usb wifi adapter.

Super cheap at amazon these days.

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 06:00:49 PM

OH, I just remembered this PC is also capable of connecting to the internet via wifi. If I do uninstall the Ethernet adapter I should be able to reinstall it. I should probably test this pc using wifi before I do that.

As I said, the Wifi on the PC may work through the Ethernet interface, internally.  So, kill Ethernet, and Wifi may not work either.  Sneakernet always works.

In my device manager there are two separate adapters, the Ethernet one says "Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller" and the wifi one says "Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Adapter". 

Based on that, do you think they still (possibly) work through the same interface?

At this point I am just puzzled by the behavior of the adapter. It's not that much trouble to restart it and it works perfectly afterwards, but I find it very weird that so many people have the same issue, and I have found people talking about it in posts almost 10yrs old, and there's no apparent solution. I have seen people say Realtek hardware is crap! Which also makes me wonder why big pc manufacturers use their products. Probably they are cheap.

Quote from: gnuarm on June 25, 2024, 06:52:42 PM

Quote from: Space Cowgirl on June 25, 2024, 06:00:49 PM

OH, I just remembered this PC is also capable of connecting to the internet via wifi. If I do uninstall the Ethernet adapter I should be able to reinstall it. I should probably test this pc using wifi before I do that.

As I said, the Wifi on the PC may work through the Ethernet interface, internally.  So, kill Ethernet, and Wifi may not work either.  Sneakernet always works.

In my device manager there are two separate adapters, the Ethernet one says "Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller" and the wifi one says "Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Adapter". 

Based on that, do you think they still (possibly) work through the same interface?

You often mistate what I have said, most likely because you didn't understand what I said.  I'm talking about how the Wifi data gets into your computer.  The Wifi protocol is very similar to Ethernet.  It is very possible that the Wifi interfaces with the Ethernet interface, rather than duplicating that functionality in two places.  But, since it is called a PCIe adapter, it likely is not connecting to the Ethernet interface, but rather goes directly to PCIe.

At this point I am just puzzled by the behavior of the adapter. It's not that much trouble to restart it and it works perfectly afterwards, but I find it very weird that so many people have the same issue, and I have found people talking about it in posts almost 10yrs old, and there's no apparent solution. I have seen people say Realtek hardware is crap! Which also makes me wonder why big pc manufacturers use their products. Probably they are cheap.

There is no shortage of people saying anything is crap!  I have found it hard to follow the description of the problems.  Are you saying there are no settings that will keep the Ethernet interface operating without sleeping/locking up?  I thought you could disable all the energy saving modes and keep it running?

When my computer goes to sleep, the Ethernet adapter sometimes wakes up when I wake up the computer, and sometimes it doesn't, when it doesn't I right click on the internet icon in my system tray, and then I click on restart (or reset, I can't remember) Ethernet adapter. I usually have to do this once a day, sometimes twice.

Things I have done to try to solve the problem:

Replaced Ethernet cable.

Checked for driver updates.

I unchecked the box that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" in Device Manager. I also disabled "Green Ethernet", and I made sure "Energy Efficient Ethernet" was disabled. I did this for both network adapters, just to be sure.

Nothing that I have tried worked.

Anyway, it is only a minor issue. I am just curious about it.

In my device manager there are two separate adapters, the Ethernet one says "Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller" and the wifi one says "Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Adapter". 

Based on that, do you think they still (possibly) work through the same interface?

At this point I am just puzzled by the behavior of the adapter. It's not that much trouble to restart it and it works perfectly afterwards, but I find it very weird that so many people have the same issue, and I have found people talking about it in posts almost 10yrs old, and there's no apparent solution. I have seen people say Realtek hardware is crap! Which also makes me wonder why big pc manufacturers use their products. Probably they are cheap.

Looks like the gaming controller is for the LAN cable and the RTL8821ce is the wifi adapter.  I would suggest disabling (but not necessarily uninstalling) one adapter or the other.  Having 2 adapters going at the same time could mean that they are tripping over each other when trying to wake back up and the computer might be trying to wake up the wrong adapter.