Ethernet does not work when connected to docking station (E-port)

Hi,

Are the other ports on the E-port working correctly when the system is docked?  My first thought is to try to update the BIOS in that system.  Here is a link to the latest BIOS, version A04, for the E7450.  

My second thought is to check the settings on the driver for the Intel network cards in the system. (Are you using an Intel Wireless card?)  The E7450 comes with an Intel Gigabit Ethernet Controller.  I wonder if the system isn't turning that integrated NIC off when it's docked, causing a conflict?  

Have you tried other systems with that dock?  Or that system on another E-Port?  Is this something that just occurred or is it something that has been happening since the very first time you tried the E-port?

Try the BIOS update and see if that helps.  If not, I'll see what else I can find that might help.

Todd

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Hey there.

We are experiencing absolutly the same issue with 7440 & 7450 series.

Even tried 4 different docks and checked that the docks do have the appropriate powersupply.

I switched off the "efficincy - power mode" in the NIC settings like recommended on other boards.

Now the really odd thing is: you can boot into OS while machine is in dock and it works ok. But if you disconnect and reconnect to dockingstation, the NIC goes down mentioning "no cable plugged in". NIC will not come up again until I disconnect the machine from the dock and plug in cable directly into the NIC of the machine. When cable is in NIC directly and the machine gets reconnected to the dock, NIC fails again.

As mentioned before, this happens with different docks, cables, switchports etc. and the BIOS is the latest.

Any suggestion would be highly apprichiated.

Many thanks in advance and kind regards.

We are experiencing the same issue here. 3 laptops with no Ethernet connection when docked. Work fine when out of the dock. Tried other docks and same problem

Got 2 fixed already by replacing the motherboard, but can't keep doing this.

Tried all the usual things. Updating BIOS, drivers and hub firmware, but they all make no difference.

Any ideas what is causing this? Compatibility issues with dock maybe?

Regards

E7450 here, worked for a weeks fine, now whatever we do there is no ethernet. Works fine without the dock. Simply lost connectivity. Latest BIOS (A08) installed

Please help

Does anyone have an update or solution for this? I'm seeing the same thing on a Latitude E5450. Windows 10. Wired Ethernet worked fine before today. Now it doesn't work in the dock, only when the network cable is directly plugged into the laptop. Tried 2 different docks.

Similar problems here.  Using a Precision M4800.  I tend to use sleep mode before un-docking the computer.  When I dock it again in the morning it does not connect to the wired connection.  I simply disconnect the ethernet and plug it back in and it picks up just fine though.  It's definitely a pain but managable.

is this still the only solution? (to disable the Energy Efficient Ethernet option)

What do you do if you use a Linux and not windows?

Try removing any USB devices from the ports directly below the ethernet port, that solved the problem for me.  I'm still only seeing 100Mbs ethernet, but at least the connection is stable.

After a 1 years of ordeal...spending lots of money and calling the phone provider several times (rewired my land line twice! changed router 3 times, added wifi repeater..) I think I have found the answer! It's the screen cover.

I have a E5450. If I place in docking station with fully open screen it works fine (ping 23 ms, DL 26 mb, UL 6 mb) if I close screen and work on extended screen WIFI signal collapses ( ping >30 ms, DL <1 mb, UL <2 mb).

If I lower screen to almost close, just above it point where it turns off (about 2" open),  connection improves (ping 24 ms, DL 12 mb, UL 2 mb), but does not reaches full power as with fully open screen.

I really think it is a mechanical issue: the screen is acting as a Faraday cage and masks the signal = wrong wifi antenna location. It has nothing to do with energy setting (proven by partially open test).

I think I found a fix for this. I had the same problem with one difference - ethernet did not work at all even if i booted with dock. I have a 7390 with the D6000 dock and no ethernet, only wifi and the Ethernet adapter said "not plugged in". I fiddled around with the power-settings mentioned above for a while with no result. I then uninstalled DisplayLink drivers completely and got an ethernet-connection immediately!

I have been fighting this issue for a few days now and FINALLY figured it out. (make sure you have admin privileges when doing this) This fix is for Windows 10 but hopefully similar steps could resolve it on Windows 7 and 8 too. This fix is for Build 1809 and 1903 (untested in other builds) 

1. Plug your docking station into your PC, but don't hook up the ethernet to the dock just yet. leave the ethernet cable plugged directly into your PC for the time being. 

2. Go to device manager

3. look for Network adapters and right click each one and select properties. 

4. Navigate to the "driver" tab and choose "update driver" and select "Search Automatically for driver update software" the result will be windows will either tell you that you have the latest driver installed, or it will install the latest one for you automatically. Do this for all available network adapter devices

5. Next, in Device manager, hit the drop down on "Display adapters" and find your docking station in there (thats the location mine was in at least) and right click it and hit "properties." navigate to the driver tab again and select update driver and do the same "Search Automatically for driver update software" more than likely an update for your docking station will come down automatically and apply itself to your PC. Do this step for any device located in device manager pertaining to your docking station. Now, reconnect your ethernet cable to the docking station again and you should have link lights.

6. open up your network settings and find "change adapter options." If your docking station at least has link lights, you should see "Ethernet 2" with "Dell Giga Ethernet" under it or something similar. open up those properties and set your IP to an available IP address within your network scheme, along with your subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS settings (if you use them.) Once complete, hit "apply" or "ok" and close the "properties" window of the ethernet settings dialog box. you should now be back at the "Network Connections" screen and see your network 2 setting say "identifying" within your network connections screen. once thats done, the Ethernet connection will be enabled and you are good to go!