Not sure to put this in hardware or networking (so feel free to move)… but alas
I have a Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme Rev 1.2 that has the Aquantia AQC107 10GbE onboard. I updated the NIC firmware to the latest 3.1.121 available from Aquantia months ago but the issue is not fixed.
Practically every time I turn on my PC after it’s been turned off, the NIC just completely disappears. It is not detected in the BIOS (lists N/A for LAN MAC Address) and it’s not detected under any OS (tested Windows 10 and Debian Linux). The Intel GbE and WiFi are always present. I have to reboot the computer a few times, usually turn off the power supply for 30 seconds and then when I turn it back on it will be detected. Then as long as the computer stays on the NIC stays present.
This used to not be an issue in the past since I left the machine on all the time, but I turn it off when not in use now and it’s becoming incredibly frustrating. Since I already updated the firmware I’m not sure what else I can try here. I’m on the latest BIOS F37f but this issue has persisted on any BIOS version.
I’ve done some brief research and see even people with add-in cards with the AQC107 sometimes experience this. I’m basically thinking at this point the better option would be to just add in a 10GbE PCIe NIC since I have one x4 slot free. One of the cheaper options I see right now is based on the AQC113C, does anyone know if this card is fine (strictly a Windows machine)? Just upsets me having to resort to this when the onboard 10GbE was a big factor in the original purchase.
87% of the time this is thermals. Can you point a huge fan at the Ethernet chip on the motherboard if there aren’t a lot of cards in the way to see if it goes away? Sometimes it’s up under an io shroud or inconvenient place.
I suppose we could look up your motherboard for you
Thanks for the response! This only happens on a cold boot (e.g. PC has been turned off, usually at least 12-24 hours.) After a few reboots, the BIOS detects the NIC and then it works in the OS.
Once the computer is turned on and the NIC is functioning, it continues working and I’ve had uptime of over 30 days without any issues. I know where the NIC is based on the exposed PCB located here. The heatsink that covers it is part of the VRM heatsink, and this board has a pretty overkill VRM that for me is usually around 38 - 42C reported by HWInfo64. I have pretty good airflow as well with a Phanteks P500A mesh case and Noctua NF-A14 iPPC-2000s as intake/exhaust (toned down a bit on the fan curve or else they get LOUD).
I guess a better question is this AQC113C based NIC a good option for running Windows? I use a Chelsio 10GbE SFP+ NIC for my TrueNAS Core server and only intend to use this on a Windows box, since driver support seems a little sketchy on FreeBSD / potentially Linux. Then I also might carry this forward to a future Windows build to avoid the expensiveness of motherboards with integrated 10GbE. I like the relatively low cost and it seems much more power efficient than going with an older enterprise type NIC, but I’m not too sure I can put trust in Aquantia again.
I mean. That doesn’t sound like not thermals, just more in the “the solder is thin and so it doesn’t make full contact unless there’s heat from other components” sort of way.
I use the ACQ113C with NixOS Linux and have no problems on an Aourus X570 Master (rev 1.0). But to think about your issue…
I have a 4 drive SSD add-in card and very occasionally a drive or 2 gets missed on boot. This also used to happen with 3 drives (different SSDs) on the mobo iteslf, but again very rare.
So is it a mobo issue? Sounds like your issue is more frequent, but may be an angle worth exploring.
I have the exact same issue with the onboard AQC113C on my ASUS ProArt Creator X670E. Works perfectly in Windows but often goes missing after a warm boot. A cold boot should reliably fix it but the system hangs at VGA detection on a cold boot with the onboard 10Gb enabled.
My workaround for now is to disable 10Gb in the BIOS and use a Thunderbolt 10Gb adapter (also Aquantia). System works perfectly in this configuration.
I had problems similar to yours with an AQN113 card but an AQN107 worked fine, then I updated the BIOS on the MB and the 113 card has worked perfectly ever since.
An update from me - I’ve had some problems with my card this year (after having said it is all fine). While probably software related, I seem to drop carrier after random periods of use. This issue has survived some linux updates and a BIOS update.
The reason I mention it is because I have an Aourus X570 master mobo which is similar to the op. My other card is in an old Supermicro server running TrueNAS and does not seem to have any issues (but of course different application)
This thread is interesting. I’m using an AQC107 PCIe card and it works fine the majority of the time. But sometimes when resuming from sleep, the card refuses to connect. Rebooting the machine brings the connection back up as if nothing had happened.
I don’t think I ever saw anything in the logs but it’s been a while since I looked. I’m also not sure what firmware version the card is running.
Funny - I have the exact same problem with a 2.5Gb Intel NIC (i226) on a recent Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero. The NIC would occasionally disappear, just like your’s. Wouldn’t show up in Windows, nor in the BIOS.
I had disabled the “UEFI” NIC access in the BIOS, as I wasn’t sure if it did any “phoning home” when turned off. It would then occasionally disappear from everything.
After a number of restarts, unplugging/replugging in the network cable, it appeared in the BIOS and I re-enabled the UEFI NIC access in the BIOS and it hasn’t disappeared again in several weeks, now. When it’s turned off, you can see a lot of blinking on the NIC port, so I don’t know what it is doing. I have WOL disabled in Windows, so I don’t know.
Ive got gen 1.1 and I can attest to always having this issue, and never being able to fix it.
Deciding on new motherboards to buy today, and im concerned about hitting this issue again!
It seems that all aquantia based nics are this flaky by design. Givent its history, target segment and expected trajectory, current state of product is all we will ever get.
Reccomendation: avoid if able
Some details:
aquantia targets budget segment
high end networking does not mix with budget segment
they were probably hoping to pioneer multigig ethernet soho market, but it never got any significant traction
aquantia was also supposed to sell affordable 2,5 and 5gbe switch chips, but who knows what happened to that initiative
software support/developments has been near nonexistent even from the beginning, very little activity after initial linux driver
aquantia has been since acquired marvel
there have been no newer revisions of controller or related product since inception
So if want to pay premium for integrated 10gbe controller, do check what it is under the hood. Integrated intel X550 or intel X710 is excellent choice, aquantia not so much.
