Intel is looking into the cause of random network card drops

In January of this year, there were reports that Intel’s i226-V with a speed of 2.5Gbps may have defects, resulting in random disconnections and frequent interruptions that could last several seconds. This could have a significant impact on applications that require an uninterrupted internet connection. Previously, the i225-V had also been plagued with various issues, including unstable connections under a 2.5Gbps network, data loss, and performance degradation. However, these problems could be resolved by forcing a 1Gbps connection speed. Unfortunately, this method is not applicable to the i226-V.

Intel has officially stated that they are working hard to identify the root cause of the problem and find a solution. In the meantime, they have provided a temporary solution, which is to disable the “Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)” mode in the advanced Windows/Linux driver settings. This solution is applicable to the i225-V, i226-V, and Killer E3100, which are all 2.5Gbps network chips. Since many Intel 700 series motherboards use these Ethernet chips, there are quite a few affected users.

The solution provided by Intel is not foolproof, as some users have shared that even under a 100Mbps connection speed, the “Energy Efficient Ethernet” mode is still applied. A more reliable way to solve the problem is to download and install the latest driver provided by the motherboard manufacturer, which may have more detailed adjustments. For example, MSI has already started providing new drivers for some of its motherboards, such as the MPG Z790 Carbon WIFI.

Intel’s investigation seems to indicate that the problem with their Ethernet chips can be solved through firmware updates or software control, rather than requiring users to disable certain functions or even release a revised hardware version.