#1056697 12.2 Installation Report, Complete Failure of Network

Package:
installation-reports
Source:
installation-reports
Submitter:
David Hillman
Date:
2023-11-25 21:48:03 UTC
Severity:
normal
#1056697#5
Date:
2023-11-24 18:34:50 UTC
From:
To:
Boot method: USB stick
Image version:
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: 2023-November-23 11PM GMT

Machine: Dell R720
Processor: 2 x Xeon E5-2650
Memory: 192GB

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [O ]
Detect network card:    [E ]
Configure network:      [E ]
Detect media:           [ ]
Load installer modules: [ ]
Detect hard drives:     [O ]
Partition hard drives:  [O ]
Install base system:    [ ]
Clock/timezone setup:   [ ]
User/password setup:    [O ]
Install tasks:          [ ]
Install boot loader:    [ ]
Overall install:        [E ]

Comments/Problems:


Installer completely failed to identify the presence of all four
integrated Broadcom BCM5720 ethernet ports, and even after manually
adding and configuring the four interfaces, no network connectivity is
to be had.  Interfaces are allegedly "UP", but cannot ping anything nor
respond to any communication.  IDRAC card interface works fine -- on the
same subnet.  A half-dozen other multi-interface machines on the same
subnet are working fine, as well.

Ubuntu 20 and 22 installers work just fine on the same hardware, so this
is a Debian-specific issue.  All four interfaces work just fine under
both Ubuntu 20 and 22, but are totally dysfunctional with Debian 12.

Journal entries for NetworkManager and avahi-daemon appear to show the
correct IP addresses being registered for all four interfaces, and "ip"
agress, all to no avail.  No related error messages exist in the journal.
#1056697#10
Date:
2023-11-24 18:59:17 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

David Hillman <davidahillman@gmail.com> wrote (Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:34:50 -0600):

Maybe you could try a preview Debian 13 image?
https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily/arch-latest/amd64/iso-cd/
#1056697#15
Date:
2023-11-24 22:54:49 UTC
From:
To:
Thanks Holger.  I could do that, but that would completely defeat the
purpose.  I installed Debian 12 on this machine as a test, to confirm
that everything necessary works, before installing it on a dozen or so
other similar machines.

And clearly, the opposite is the case, and it isn't ready for use yet,
at least, not on server hardware.  I have D12 running on a laptop, and a
few virtual machines, and it doesn't suffer this problem, but I will
apparently have to stay with Ubuntu for a while on the servers.
#1056697#20
Date:
2023-11-25 07:37:08 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

Am 24. November 2023 23:54:49 MEZ schrieb David Hillman <davidahillman@gmail.com>:

Trying a debian 13 image was meant as some sort of debugging.
It would involve a newer kernel for example, in case it's a kernel issue...


Holger
#1056697#25
Date:
2023-11-25 07:37:09 UTC
From:
To:
Hi David,

David Hillman <davidahillman@gmail.com> (2023-11-24):

Extracting /var/log/syslog would be useful to understand what's going on
there. A very quick search suggests this card might be supported by the
tg3 module (drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/tg3.c), which is definitely
shipped in the installer. So maybe it's something that needs tweaking or
fixing on the firmware side (e.g. “modprobe dance”), or a missing
auxiliary bus (e.g. mhi) to make the card visible. Hard to tell without
any logs.


Cheers,
#1056697#30
Date:
2023-11-25 11:10:09 UTC
From:
To:
The output of `lsmod` and `dmesg` from both Ubuntu and Debian may also help to
figure out why it's working in one but not the other.
#1056697#35
Date:
2023-11-25 18:24:42 UTC
From:
To:
I suspect you are missing the firmware file for the network port.  I think this one:

firmware-misc-nonfree: /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3.bin

The installer probably does not include that.
#1056697#40
Date:
2023-11-25 18:24:42 UTC
From:
To:
I suspect you are missing the firmware file for the network port.  I think this one:

firmware-misc-nonfree: /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3.bin

The installer probably does not include that.
#1056697#45
Date:
2023-11-25 19:02:47 UTC
From:
To:
Lennart Sorensen <lsorense@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> (2023-11-25):

The netinst *definitely* does ship that package:
https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/release/current/amd64/list-cd/debian-12.2.0-amd64-netinst.list.gz


Cheers,
#1056697#50
Date:
2023-11-25 21:29:21 UTC
From:
To:
Thanks Cyril.  This system is running Debian 12, so there is no
/var/log/syslog.  As I mentioned in the original report, I found nothing
apparently related in the Journal.
#1056697#55
Date:
2023-11-25 21:43:16 UTC
From:
To:
David Hillman <davidahillman@gmail.com> (2023-11-25):

I'm confused. You filed an installation report regarding a failure to
recognize network cards. I'm therefore assuming you're having issues
with the installation process, and requesting /var/log/syslog, which is
definitely where the installer logs what's going on. You also marked the
overall install with E = Error…

It'd make sense to clarify whether the problem affects the installer,
and/or the installed system.

Anyway, a copy of installer logs is available under /var/log/installer/
in the installed system.


Cheers,
#1056697#60
Date:
2023-11-25 21:38:42 UTC
From:
To:
Cyril meant the installer syslog, which is saved in /var/log/installer
on the installed system at the end of the installation.

(Gmail will probably reject this mail though)