[SOLVED] realtek pcie gbe family controller keeps waking up my pc

[Kendallhart20]

realtek pcie gbe family controller keeps waking up my pc,seconds after it goes to sleep,
I also use plex so I can't disable wol.
I run windows 10 .
Any ideas on how to fix this?thanks

 

[Darkbreeze]

Plex is probably exactly what is waking it up, so without disabling either Wake on lan OR the "Allow this device to wake the PC" setting in it's network adapter device properties, there is probably not much you can do.

How, exactly, do you know that it is the GBE family controller that is waking the device? Did you check the lastwake config?

 

[Kendallhart20]

Plex is probably exactly what is waking it up, so without disabling either Wake on lan OR the "Allow this device to wake the PC" setting in it's network adapter device properties, there is probably not much you can do.

How, exactly, do you know that it is the GBE family controller that is waking the device? Did you check the lastwake config?

Yes I did. It's not plex cause it's shut.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If Plex is closed then how could it possibly be the listed reason for lastwake? It must be something else waking it. Something that is not on can't wake your system.

 

[Kendallhart20]

If Plex is closed then how could it possibly be the listed reason for lastwake? It must be something else waking it. Something that is not on can't wake your system.

I never said it was plex, I said Realtek is listed as the reason my pc wakes up

 

[Kendallhart20]

Been trying to add a Pic through igmur but won't let me

 

[Darkbreeze]

The reason why it's not working for you is explained here:

How To - How to post images on Tom's hardware

Posting images on any thread in our forum is a relatively easy process, although some people tend to have problems doing so. Please read the FULL tutorial, or else you likely will not have success linking to a hosted image and will end up simply posting a link to an image elsewhere rather than...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, I would go into device manager, open any listed mouse devices, go to the advanced power options tab and disable "allow this device to wake the computer".

Any minute vibration in the room where there is a mouse that is able to wake the computer will cause it to wake unless you disable that option. Often, you have to also open and do the same thing for all listed keyboard options EXCEPT the one actual keyboard. Sometimes mice are listed in there under keyboards because they can be used as an on screen keyboard device in some cases.

Disable any keyboard option for "allow this device to wake the computer" that is not the ACTUAL keyboard, and that might take a couple of trial and error steps to do, and also the actual mouse itself. Then, when you need to wake the computer, simply press any key on your keyboard. Much harder for the keyboard to accidentally wake the computer than the mouse.

And, I'm not saying that IS the problem, but eliminate that as a potential issue first, then seek out other potentially problematic sources later. It is very unlikely that "Realtek GBE family controller" itself, is the problem. Thousands of people using those network adapters and not having the same problem you are, with the same configuration. I agree, the family gbe controllers leave much to be desired, but we can't blame EVERYTHING on them, even though they kind of suck.

 

[Kendallhart20]

Tha

So, I would go into device manager, open any listed mouse devices, go to the advanced power options tab and disable "allow this device to wake the computer".

Any minute vibration in the room where there is a mouse that is able to wake the computer will cause it to wake unless you disable that option. Often, you have to also open and do the same thing for all listed keyboard options EXCEPT the one actual keyboard. Sometimes mice are listed in there under keyboards because they can be used as an on screen keyboard device in some cases.

Disable any keyboard option for "allow this device to wake the computer" that is not the ACTUAL keyboard, and that might take a couple of trial and error steps to do, and also the actual mouse itself. Then, when you need to wake the computer, simply press any key on your keyboard. Much harder for the keyboard to accidentally wake the computer than the mouse.

And, I'm not saying that IS the problem, but eliminate that as a potential issue first, then seek out other potentially problematic sources later. It is very unlikely that "Realtek GBE family controller" itself, is the problem. Thousands of people using those network adapters and not having the same problem you are, with the same configuration. I agree, the family gbe controllers leave much to be desired, but we can't blame EVERYTHING on them, even though they kind of suck.

Thanks for your reply but I've already tried that and almost everything else with no luck.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I would consider then disabling the on board adapter and purchasing an add in card, preferably one that is an Intel product as they are generally the much higher quality offerings in most cases and are highly reliable. They also have excellent driver support and don't tend to have any of the same problems found with the Realtek adapters. Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't be much more help than that.

I'll try to see if I can get somebody in here with more experience in this area that might be able to offer additional insight, but I can't promise anything.

 

[Kendallhart20]

https://imgur.com/a/cVL6gxQ

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, yeah, I'd say that looks like it's probably a magic packet wake on lan issue and like I said, I'm not sure how you can disable that and still be able for Plex to wake it when needed. Fact is, most servers are on 24/7, so being woke isn't generally a problem because they're always on. In this case, IDK what to tell you. I did contact a member who is one of our highly experienced network people, so perhaps he will have suggestions or insights that I lack.

 

[Kendallhart20]

Thank you so much it was working fine up to some point, I don't know what changed, but thank you anyway.

So, yeah, I'd say that looks like it's probably a magic packet wake on lan issue and like I said, I'm not sure how you can disable that and still be able for Plex to wake it when needed. Fact is, most servers are on 24/7, so being woke isn't generally a problem because they're always on. In this case, IDK what to tell you. I did contact a member who is one of our highly experienced network people, so perhaps he will have suggestions or insights that I lack.

 

[Darkbreeze]

It literally COULD be a changed driver. And we know the driver support for Realtek products, especially when it comes to getting various versions OR getting them FROM Realtek, is a real PITA and is problematic. Since various manufacturers use their own tailored versions of this adapter and their own drivers, it's usually best to get your driver FROM the motherboard manufacturer on the product page for the motherboard you have, but sometimes that doesn't resolve the issue either or might in fact be the CAUSE of it in the first place. Unfortunately, alternatives are not very expansive when it comes to choices for drivers on these devices.

 

[Darkbreeze]

What is your motherboard model and current BIOS version?

 

[USAFRet]

Sleep, and only wake when Plex is invoked?

Possibly something other system is trying to talk to the Plex, and waking things up.

 

[Kendallhart20]

Sleep, and only wake when Plex is invoked?

Possibly something other system is trying to talk to the Plex, and waking things up.

No,that would be normal.It wakes up randomly even when plex is shut

 

[Darkbreeze]

But it really doesn't matter if "plex is shut". Plex being shut down doesn't stop other machines from trying to access the machine that Plex is on, and if those machines have apps installed that are meant to be used to access Plex they may reach out to enable the connection to the Plex server even if that device isn't actively trying to stream anything from it. The fact that they can't connect to the Plex media server application doesn't mean that they can't still connect to the MACHINE that the Plex application is being served from.

Try shutting off ALL other devices in the house, and then see if the machine still gets woke from sleep. Pretty sure USAFRet might be on to something there.

Or, disconnect the machine from the router, switch or whatever you use to connect that machine to your home network, and then see if the machine is still waking up. If it's something outside the machine that is waking it up, it should stop when it is disconnected and the ethernet cable is unplugged from it. If it's on the machine itself, then it should continue to do it even with the ethernet cable disconnected.

That's my assumption anyhow.

 

[USAFRet]

No,that would be normal.It wakes up randomly even when plex is shut

I worded that first sentence poorly.
It should have been: "What you want is Sleep, and only wake when Plex is invoked, correct?"

But what is happening is that it is waking at random times.

I still think something else is trying to talk to the Plex instance, and waking it up.

 

[Kendallhart20]

But it really doesn't matter if "plex is shut". Plex being shut down doesn't stop other machines from trying to access the machine that Plex is on, and if those machines have apps installed that are meant to be used to access Plex they may reach out to enable the connection to the Plex server even if that device isn't actively trying to stream anything from it. The fact that they can't connect to the Plex media server application doesn't mean that they can't still connect to the MACHINE that the Plex application is being served from.

Try shutting off ALL other devices in the house, and then see if the machine still gets woke from sleep. Pretty sure USAFRet might be on to something there.

Or, disconnect the machine from the router, switch or whatever you use to connect that machine to your home network, and then see if the machine is still waking up. If it's something outside the machine that is waking it up, it should stop when it is disconnected and the ethernet cable is unplugged from it. If it's on the machine itself, then it should continue to do it even with the ethernet cable disconnected.

That's my assumption anyhow.

My pc connects through ethernet only. I mean shut everywhere. Even if I uninstal plex completely, the same thing occuts

 

[Kendallhart20]

I worded that first sentence poorly.
It should have been: "What you want is Sleep, and only wake when Plex is invoked, correct?"

But what is happening is that it is waking at random times.

I still think something else is trying to talk to the Plex instance, and waking it up.

Correct, I only want it awake when I want to use it remotely. It seems it wakes up just with the traffic.

 

[USAFRet]

Correct, I only want it awake when I want to use it remotely. It seems it wakes up just with the traffic.

It seems that something is trying to wake it up.

Turn off all the other systems on the LAN.
Does it still wake up randomly?

 

[Darkbreeze]

It seems that something is trying to wake it up.

Turn off all the other systems on the LAN.
Does it still wake up randomly?

THIS is what I'm saying. Or, even unplug the ethernet cable from the machine before you put it to sleep so that nothing that is not already on the machine itself could be a factor.

Even if I uninstal plex completely, the same thing occuts

The way I see it, and USAFRet can correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. You have OTHER computers and devices that are ALREADY configured to connect to the Plex server. Those devices don't know that you turned off the Plex application OR uninstalled it. They just know that is where they need to connect to in order to access the media, and in a lot of cases even if you are not trying to actively access the media using those devices they have already been configured to establish a reconnection to that machine so that IF you decide to use it to connect to media on the Plex server, it is ALREADY connected and can provide the stream quickly with a minimum amount of fuss.

It can't hurt, as USAFRet and I have both suggested, to shut off all the other devices, OR disconnect the machine that the Plex server is installed on from the network completely, so that nothing else can try to connect to that machine and wake it up, regardless of whether or not there is still anything there for them to connect to or not. They are already configured to connect to that machine if they have EVER connected to that machine.

 

[Kendallhart20]

THIS is what I'm saying. Or, even unplug the ethernet cable from the machine before you put it to sleep so that nothing that is not already on the machine itself could be a factor.



The way I see it, and USAFRet can correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. You have OTHER computers and devices that are ALREADY configured to connect to the Plex server. Those devices don't know that you turned off the Plex application OR uninstalled it. They just know that is where they need to connect to in order to access the media, and in a lot of cases even if you are not trying to actively access the media using those devices they have already been configured to establish a reconnection to that machine so that IF you decide to use it to connect to media on the Plex server, it is ALREADY connected and can provide the stream quickly with a minimum amount of fuss.

It can't hurt, as USAFRet and I have both suggested, to shut off all the other devices, OR disconnect the machine that the Plex server is installed on from the network completely, so that nothing else can try to connect to that machine and wake it up, regardless of whether or not there is still anything there for them to connect to or not. They are already configured to connect to that machine if they have EVER connected to that machine.

Sorry for my late reply, did as you suggested with no luck. It still wakes up

 

[Darkbreeze]

If it still wakes up when it is completely disconnected from all outside sources, no internet, no local network, nothing, then it's got to be the adapter itself if it's not the keyboard or mouse.