Having trouble with USB 3 NICs (Works in desktop, but not in HP laptop?) (Solved with Type-C Hub)

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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
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Won't pass data. Tried the default Win10 driver (MS, 2016), upgraded Win10 driver (2018), ASIX driver, and an older softpedia driver.

Tried disabling offload, large send windows, checksum offload, WOL Wake timeout, tried basically every setting change in the drivers. Including forcing 1Gb FD and 100Mb FD.

It will pass data for a VERY BRIEF moment, after a restart or a settings change that leads to a reset of the driver. Then the computer icon turns to a globe (no connection).

Web site in Firefox no longer load.

What I noticed was that the listing mentions new Macs and MacOS versions, and doesn't mention Windows at all.

There is a "Windows Firmware Writer" on ASIX' site, but it's behind a username/password partner login, and the zip is PW protected too.

It seems like the dongle starts off working, and the the flow of data "closes off". Like maybe it's overheating, or the devices are Chinese trojans on the LAN, or they have MacOS-specific firmware somehow.
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

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Just assume that you lost the money for a burger. :oops:

Although I also bought items from China once in a while, I wouldn't trust product this cheap shipped from China / Hong Kong.

Or create a Windows 7 / Linux VM, pass the USB ethernet device into the VM, install the driver, see if it works inside the VM.
 
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SamirD

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Looks like that's some CCC--Cheap Chinese Crap. I also don't trust any 'direct ship from China' stuff. Sounds like you're asking for next to nothing support and a 50% defect rate.

That being said, I would boot a linux live cd and see if any of those versions recognize the adapter and work correctly.
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Ok, stranger still. I "sold" (haven't got the money for it yet) one to my neighbor last night. They texted me, and said that they got it working tonight. Color me puzzled. I was certain, from my inability to get it to work, with two different samples (same laptop), two different router's LAN ports, etc., four different Win10 drivers (and it's a fairly fresh install of Win10), that these adapters were bunk. Maybe my laptop's USB-C port is damaged? I don't think that I've used it for anything else. I do have another device (QNAP 5GbE-T USB3.x NIC), but I lack the USB C-to-C cable to use it in that port.

The thing is, if the port itself was borked, how is the device detected and installed OK in Windows 10, and not giving a "Code 10" or other related error? What's really going on here? Something weird is afoot. Especially since, with a fresh install on my laptop, the NIC activity light is pulsing like CRAZY, like it's netscanning my LAN, and trying to snag LANMAN hashes or something, and ferret them off to a server in China via my internet connection.

Also, the adapter has never really failed to grab an IP address properly, which you might assume, if it were really bunk. It's kind of like, it sort of works, and then something else inside it takes over, and then the host system loses access via that ethernet port. Like there's a microcontroller in there (for the USB3.x port), that was programmed with a Chinese trojan at the factory, trying to get inside my LAN.
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

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I did experience problem with my RTL8153 adapter initially with my HP laptop, it seems a bit loose and it only worked sometimes (it was detected as a USB drive sometimes), so I wrapped the adapter around the metal part with aluminum tape.

Also take a look at adapter's own events

Untitled.png

And have you tried Linux live CD or VM things?
 
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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Ok, this is interesting.

I tried thinking of other PCs that I have that have a USB Type-C port. I remembered that my DeskMini (intel H110) units have one, but I don't have one of those conveniently set up. Then I remembered, I think that my Ryzen rig might have one! Indeed, my Asus B450-F ROG STRIX has a single USB-C port on the back panel. As I pulled my PC out of the cubby (only SSD, no HDD to drop), and then fidgeted around the back with a flashlight trying to plug it in, well, Hrrrrmmm...poof. PC powered off. Guess I shorted the +5V line with the Type-C connector not on completely straight. Glad that these things are "hot pluggable". :(

Power-off the PC on the back of the PSU (must have tripped something in the PSU, because I couldn't use the normal PC power button to power it on again, until I had OFF-ON the PSU on the back).

Plugged in the USB-C to GbE (ASIX 88179 china special) into the USB-C port, then pressed Power, well, it booted up (good thing).

Windows 10 auto-installed OOB drivers for it, I didn't have to do anything.

I went into Network Adapters, disabled the Intel GbE LAN. Looked at Internet settings page, after like 20 seconds, it showed I was connected to Internet.

Blammo! So I tried my browser, mining, and even Skype, all holding steady, over the USB3-C to GbE.

Now I'm going to try a speedtest.

Approx. 350Mbit/sec down, 130Mbit/sec up, while mining.

Approx. 450Mbit/sec down, 350Mbit/sec up, while not mining.

Not too shabby.

So, why aren't these adapters working in my HP 14" Ryzen 3 3200U laptop? I installed the chipset drivers. Do I need something HP-specific, for the Type-C? Or did I damage the port when I first plugged it in, and tilted the laptop up a little bit? It is slightly loose.

Edit: And the "Activity" LED, isn't going bananas on the desktop, either. WTF is going on?

Could this be related somehow to Secure Boot, that it shuts down "unverified" USB hardware devices? But it's not showing as actually hardware-disabled, nor the port. At least, not in Device Manager. Puzzling.
 
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mxnerd

mxnerd

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Well, USB probably is the most troublesome and fragile interface. :(

Try to use a USB 3.0 hub (with USB type C ports) on HP laptop, then connect your USB 3.0 ethernet adapter to it.

Or see if this utility helps.


===

See if you can update USB 3.x driver for your AMD chipset / HP laptop.
 
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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Could this somehow be the result of agressive spanning-tree algorigthms on my routers? Shutting down transmission over that link, a few seconds after I get an IP address?
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

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Why not give the adapter a static IP and connect it directly to one of your NAS and do some file transfer test?
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
56,587
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mxnerd said:
Try to use a USB 3.0 hub (with USB type C ports) on HP laptop, then connect your USB 3.0 ethernet adapter to it.
Click to expand...
Wow! That actually... worked? I don't quite get WHY, but hey, it's working now.

I bought a Wavlink USB 3 Type-C to 4-port hub, with one Type-C downstream port, and three Type-A downstream ports.

First, I plugged in my USB 3 Type-A RealTek 1GbE-T NIC, into one of the Type-A ports, and it worked! I have internet, even though I disabled Wifi, although Windows itself says "No Internet".

Then, I plugged the Chinese ASIX 88179 USB 3 Type-C to 1GbE-T into the Type-C port, and plugged in the ethernet cable, and boom! I had internet (even though Windows reports "No Internet" as well with that adapter. But I was never able to go to speedtest.net before, with that adapter, it always puked my connection. I was able to speedtest with both the realtek and asix. The asix was about 2X the bandwidth.)
 
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