NIC failed without any reason - no carrier - How to debug?

torontob · Apr 21, 2012, 1:07 AM

Hello everyone,

Running Alix2D13 here with 1 WAN and 2 LAN. Opt3 which is assigned to LAN2 shows errors in system logs and LAN2 shows "no carrier" in interface. Where should I look to see if it's actually the NIC port that has failed or if it's a pfSense issue. Some of the errors from log:

Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd:
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: If you did get this software from ftp.isc.org and have not
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: If you did get this software from ftp.isc.org and have not
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: yet read the README, please read it before requesting help.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: yet read the README, please read it before requesting help.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: If you intend to request help from the dhcp-server@isc.org
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: If you intend to request help from the dhcp-server@isc.org
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: mailing list, please read the section on the README about
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: mailing list, please read the section on the README about
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: submitting bug reports and requests for help.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: submitting bug reports and requests for help.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd:
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd:
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: Please do not under any circumstances send requests for
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: Please do not under any circumstances send requests for
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: help directly to the authors of this software - please
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: help directly to the authors of this software - please
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: send them to the appropriate mailing list as described in
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: send them to the appropriate mailing list as described in
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: the README file.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: the README file.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd:
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd:
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: exiting.
Apr 20 21:01:53	dhcpd: exiting.
Apr 20 21:01:53	php: /services_dhcp.php: The command '/usr/local/sbin/dhcpd -user dhcpd -group _dhcp -chroot /var/dhcpd -cf /etc/dhcpd.conf vr0 vr2' returned exit code '1', the output was 'Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Server 4.2.1-P1 Copyright 2004-2011 Internet Systems Consortium. All rights reserved. For info, please visit https://www.isc.org/software/dhcp/ bad range, address 192.168.91.2 not in subnet 192.168.98.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 If you did not get this software from ftp.isc.org, please get the latest from ftp.isc.org and install that before requesting help. If you did get this software from ftp.isc.org and have not yet read the README, please read it before requesting help. If you intend to request help from the dhcp-server@isc.org mailing list, please read the section on the README about submitting bug reports and requests for help. Please do not under any circumstances send requests for help directly to the authors of this software - please send them to the appropriate mailing list as d
Apr 20 21:01:53	apinger: Error while feeding rrdtool: Broken pipe
Apr 20 21:01:53	apinger: /usr/local/bin/rrdtool respawning too fast, waiting 300s.
Apr 20 21:02:03	dnsmasq[16810]: exiting on receipt of SIGTERM
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: started, version 2.55 cachesize 10000
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: compile time options: IPv6 GNU-getopt no-DBus I18N DHCP TFTP
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: reading /etc/resolv.conf
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: using nameserver 8.8.4.4#53
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: using nameserver 8.8.8.8#53
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: using nameserver 192.168.0.1#53
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: ignoring nameserver 127.0.0.1 - local interface
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: ignoring nameserver 127.0.0.1 - local interface
Apr 20 21:02:04	dnsmasq[62966]: read /etc/hosts - 2 addresses
Apr 20 21:02:05	dhcpd: Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Server 4.2.1-P1
Apr 20 21:02:05	dhcpd: Copyright 2004-2011 Internet Systems Consortium.
Apr 20 21:02:05	dhcpd: All rights reserved.
Apr 20 21:02:05	dhcpd: For info, please visit https://www.isc.org/software/dhcp/
Apr 20 21:02:05	check_reload_status: updating dyndns opt1
Apr 20 21:02:07	apinger: Exiting on signal 15.
Apr 20 21:02:08	check_reload_status: Reloading filter
Apr 20 21:02:08	apinger: Starting Alarm Pinger, apinger(7116)
Apr 20 21:02:08	php: /interfaces.php: Creating rrd update script

I think this part is important:
php: /services_dhcp.php: The command '/usr/local/sbin/dhcpd -user dhcpd -group _dhcp -chroot /var/dhcpd -cf /etc/dhcpd.conf vr0 vr2' returned exit code '1',

Running pfSense 2.0-RELEASE (i386) - built on Tue Sep 13 18:02:53 EDT 2011. I know there is an update but I can't take the risk as this is overseas.

Please suggest ways to debug this.

Thanks,

cmb · Apr 21, 2012, 4:20 AM

Appears dhcpd fails because your NIC is failed. It's either the NIC isn't plugged in, what it's plugged into is dead, cable is bad, or the NIC is dead. One thing to double check that it's not somehow your config is just running "ifconfig vr2 up", if something forced the NIC down that will bring its link back if it can get link. I very seriously doubt it'll change anything.

torontob · Apr 22, 2012, 7:14 PM

It should be "up" regardless of what is connected to it or not. This is LAN2 port and has DHCP turned ON. No changes made to that. However, I didn't try to change the subnet and redo the NIC but it didn't help.

Am I not right with the assumption that should be always UP and running?

Thanks

wallabybob · Apr 22, 2012, 8:39 PM

@torontob:

Am I not right with the assumption that should be always UP and running?

You are not right: "No carrier" means the NIC is not seeing the carrier signal that should be coming from the switch or other computer that could be connected to it. "No carrier" means there is no-one to talk with hence the link can't be UP. The NIC is broken or it is disconnected or the NIC on the other end of the cable is disabled.