[SOLVED] R Pi 2 No Ethernet

[DerfismX2]

Hey, I'm fairly new to all of this. I have OpenELEC running on my PI 2, but it is a little too stripped/restricted for my taste. So I am trying out other OSes. From what I have found online, XBian looks like it can do everything I need. The only problem is I can't get ethernet to work.

Software
XBian version: 1.0 (knockout) (kernel: Linux 3.18.8+) This is the latest for the Ras Pi 2, I also tried the preceding option the installer offered: 2015.06.06
XBMC/Kodi version: Kodi 14.2 Git:Unknown (compiled May 7 2015)
Overclock settings: I think it used Pi 2 defaults origionally, but i also tried the Pi 2 overclockPresets.

Hardware
Device type and model: Pi 2
Power supply rating: OpenELEC has been running fine with 5V .7A, but when XBian wouldn't I tried 5V 2A
SD card size and make/type: ScanDisk 4GB class 2
Network (Ethernet or wireless): Ethernet but its not working
Connected devices (TV, USB, network storage, ...): HDMI TV, USB keyboad, through Powered Hub, Ethernet to router

Log files
Are there logs that would help? If so, let me know where to get them and I'll post them.

Problem description:
The ethernet will not work. I tried to use a static IP address, setting it to the IP that is reserved by MAC address for the PI, but it says "Network An unexpected error occured". The lights on the router and on the Pi's ethernet adapter are on steady. When the overclock settings are set to the Pi 2 Preset, it looked like it hung on start-up until the ethernet was unplugged. After start-up I plugged ethernet beack in, and the lights started to blink, but DHCP still wasn't working and when I tried to use a static IP it still failed, with the same message. I tried restarting. It didn't hang, but it still wouldn't connect.

How to reproduce:
Instal latest version of XBian, plug it into a router with DHCP, and IP reservations. Before and after trying XBian I put OpenELEC with all of the same equipment and the ethernet worked. I just switched back to XBian and nothing changed; I was hoping

If anyone can help, that would be great!
Edit: if this isn't the best place for this let me know, and I can repost in the right spot, or a mod can move.
Thanks!

[StartledCat]

Are you using BT as your ISP? - there's an issue if the smart statup 'handshake' gizmo is enabled:
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/44328/~/switching-smart-setup-on-and-off-on-the-bt-home-hub-4-or-hub-5

[DerfismX2]

No, I have Charter Communications, and I use my own router.

[deHakkelaar]

If your still holding on to that power supply "with 5V .7A,", expect lots of trouble!
Lookup "Power ratings" in below link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
If you stick with this one, I dont understand why you even mention this one, you can compare with openelec all you want but no one will/can help as they know its not up for the job.

Stick with the 2A one and sometimes even the USB leads can cause trouble if poor quality.
And some of the 2A ones are not suited as well because so much crap on market today.

I own about 6 Pi's, with different models and setup, and none have ever ever had troubles acquiring an IP address via DHCP in all the years I owned Pi's.
Plus I gave away a few as gift to some friends, with XBian installed, and none of these friends complained about the Pi in their home networks.

[DerfismX2]

I started using the .7A because it was more convenient than using my tablet's good 2A complete with a good cord. With OpenELEC it was sufficient. When I switched to XBian, as soon as I had a problem I switched to the 2A. But switching to the better supply didnt't change anything. I am glad that you have never had any trouble aquiring an IP address, but that really doesn't help me any.

[f1vefour]

He is saying that it's a local issue basically, while it isn't helpful to you it does let you know it doesn't occur for others.

Are you certain you have everything entered into your router correctly? I use static reservation per MAC in my RT-N16 and it works fine.

[deHakkelaar]

@DerfismX2,
Just as long as you stick with the 2A one and dont try to troubleshoot the .7A one.
Have you tried without a DHCP reservation, just plain DHCP ?

When you configure a static IP, can you post your network configuration:

Terminal

cat /etc/network/interfaces

Did you try another ethernet cable ?

Try connect the Pi to another port on your router ?

If possible, drop output for "dmesg" command on pastebin and post the pastebin link here please?
http://pastebin.com/

EDIT: If you dont have a means to grab the "dmesg" output because you dont have network, you can output dmesg to file onto the FAT partition "/boot" on the SD card:

Terminal

dmesg | sudo tee /boot/dmesg.log

Afterwards, you can plug the SD card in your PC and pull the "dmesg.log" file from the FAT partition.
Do power off the Pi when you remove or insert the SD card!

Some usefull commands:

Terminal

# Display all available interfaces:
ifconfig -a

# Down the eth0 interface:
sudo ifdown eth0

# Up the eth0 interface (with verbose log messages):
sudo ifup -v eth0

# Release DHCP lease:
sudo dhclient -r eth0

# Renew DHCP lease (with verbose log messages):
sudo dhclient -v eth0

[DerfismX2]

@f1vefour,
That is true, I hadn't thought of that. I am pretty sure that my router is set up correctly; I use static reservations based on MAC as well.

@deHakkelaar,
I am away from home, and my pi, until tomorrow night, so I will not be able to try any of this until then.

I have not tried XBian with out a reservation, but I will give it a shot. I will also try a different ethernet. I have tried two different ports, but I will try all of them.

If none of that works, then I will post the dmesg log. (and thank you for telling me how to save to file. I might have been able to figure out how to get the file or just manually copying, but would have been very frustrating)

Thank you for the command list. One of the reasons I wanted to try, and really hope I can get XBian to work properly is because it has the command shell.
Thank you guys, I will be back as soon as I get a chance to try all of this.

[DerfismX2]

Well, I feel like an idiot! Somehow the DCHP reservation was tripping things up. Now that it is fixed, I feel like that should have been one of the frist things I went to when trouble shooting.

Thank you for all of your help!!!

[f1vefour]

Glad you got it resolved. Could you edit the title of the thread and mark it Solved please?

[deHakkelaar]

(20th Jun, 2015 04:22 AM)DerfismX2 Wrote:  Well, I feel like an idiot! Somehow the DCHP reservation was tripping things up. Now that it is fixed, I feel like that should have been one of the frist things I went to when trouble shooting.

Thank you for all of your help!!!

You fall, you learn.
I learned yesterday that even my 2.5A powered USB hub cant power Pi, WiFi dongle, Bluetooth dongle, touch screen, joystick, wireless KB/mouse dongle plus a tiny speaker AMP.
Got irregular and slow WiFi connection and could only resolve by replacing the 2.5A powered USB hub by a 3.5A one.