PVE PCIe Network Fix

A script to automatically fix network interface configuration in Proxmox VE (PVE) when PCIe network cards are plugged/unplugged or replaced, causing network card sequence numbers to change.

Problem

When using PCIe network cards in Proxmox VE, inserting/removing or replacing PCIe hardware can cause network card sequence numbers to change. For example, a network card that was previously enp3s0 might become enp6s0 after hardware changes, breaking the network configuration.

Solution

This script automatically:

1. Detects RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCIe network cards
2. Extracts the current PCIe sequence number
3. Updates /etc/network/interfaces with the correct interface name
4. Optionally restarts networking services

Features

• ✅ Automatic detection of RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 network cards
• ✅ Safe backup of current configuration before changes
• ✅ Dry-run mode to preview changes
• ✅ Systemd service for automatic boot-time execution
• ✅ Colored output for better readability
• ✅ Comprehensive error handling and logging
• ✅ Easy installation and uninstallation

Files

• pve-pcie-netfix.sh - Main script
• pve-pcie-netfix.service - Systemd service file
• install.sh - Installation script
• README.md - This documentation

Quick Start

1. Download and Install

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/gitsang/pve-pcie-netfix.git
cd pve-pcie-netfix

# Install the service (requires root)
sudo ./install.sh

2. Manual Usage

# Run the script manually
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh

# Dry run to see what would change
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --dry-run

# Show current network status
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --status

Installation

Automatic Installation (Recommended)

The installation script will:

• Copy the script to /usr/local/bin/
• Install the systemd service
• Enable automatic execution at boot
• Test the service

sudo ./install.sh

Manual Installation

If you prefer manual installation:

# Copy script to system directory
sudo cp pve-pcie-netfix.sh /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/pve-pcie-netfix.sh

# Install systemd service
sudo cp pve-pcie-netfix.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable pve-pcie-netfix.service

# Test the service
sudo systemctl start pve-pcie-netfix.service

Usage

Command Line Options

# Show help
./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --help

# Run normally (interactive)
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh

# Dry run (no changes made)
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --dry-run

# Show current network status
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --status

Installation Script Options

# Show help
./install.sh --help

# Install normally
sudo ./install.sh

# Install but don't enable auto-start
sudo ./install.sh --test-only

# Uninstall
sudo ./install.sh --uninstall

How It Works

Detection Process

1. Uses lspci to find RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 network cards:

   lspci | grep Ethernet | grep "RTL8111/8168/8211/8411"

2. Extracts PCIe sequence number from output like:

   06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 15)
   

   The sequence number is 6 (from 06:00.0).

Configuration Update

The script updates /etc/network/interfaces by replacing the interface name in the bridge-ports line:

Before:

bridge-ports enp3s0

After:

bridge-ports enp6s0

Backup System

• Backups are stored in /etc/network/backup/
• Filename format: interfaces_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
• Automatic backup before any changes

Systemd Service

The service runs at boot time before network services start:

• Service file: /etc/systemd/system/pve-pcie-netfix.service
• Execution order: After network-pre.target, before network.target
• Type: oneshot (runs once and exits)

Service Management

# Check service status
systemctl status pve-pcie-netfix.service

# View service logs
journalctl -u pve-pcie-netfix.service

# Start service manually
sudo systemctl start pve-pcie-netfix.service

# Enable/disable auto-start
sudo systemctl enable pve-pcie-netfix.service
sudo systemctl disable pve-pcie-netfix.service

Example Network Configuration

The script works with standard PVE bridge configurations:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

iface enp6s0 inet manual

auto vmbr0
allow-hotplug vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet static
        address 192.168.5.200/24
        gateway 192.168.5.1
        bridge-ports enp6s0
        bridge-stp off
        bridge-fd 0
iface vmbr0 inet6 auto

source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*

Supported Network Cards

Currently supports Realtek network cards:

• RTL8111
• RTL8168
• RTL8211
• RTL8411

The detection pattern can be easily modified in the script to support other network cards.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Script requires root privileges

   sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh

2. No network card detected

   • Verify your network card is supported
   • Check with: lspci | grep Ethernet

3. Service fails to start

   # Check service logs
   journalctl -u pve-pcie-netfix.service
   
   # Check script logs
   sudo /usr/local/bin/pve-pcie-netfix.sh --dry-run

Log Locations

• Service logs: journalctl -u pve-pcie-netfix.service
• Network backups: /etc/network/backup/
• System logs: /var/log/syslog

Safety Features

• Automatic backups before any changes
• Dry-run mode to preview changes
• Validation of changes before applying
• Error handling with detailed messages
• Rollback capability using backup files

Uninstallation

# Using the installation script
sudo ./install.sh --uninstall

# Manual uninstallation
sudo systemctl disable pve-pcie-netfix.service
sudo systemctl stop pve-pcie-netfix.service
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/pve-pcie-netfix.service
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/pve-pcie-netfix.sh
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Development

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

Testing

# Test without making changes
sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --dry-run

# Test installation without enabling
sudo ./install.sh --test-only

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Automatic RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 detection
• Systemd service integration
• Backup and safety features
• Comprehensive installation script

Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the Troubleshooting section
2. Review service logs: journalctl -u pve-pcie-netfix.service
3. Run in dry-run mode: sudo ./pve-pcie-netfix.sh --dry-run
4. Open an issue on GitHub

Acknowledgments

• Designed for Proxmox VE environments
• Supports common Realtek network cards
• Follows systemd best practices