USB Ethernet adapters randomly stop working on M1 MacBook Pro and macOS Big Sur

This is a real issue with RTL8153 based ethernet devices connected via USB-C to computers running Big Sur (even 11.2). I encountered recurrent network crashes using multiple different mac laptops using a Belkin TB3 Pro dock (F4U097tt) that uses the 8153 chipset. Same laptops using Caldigit TB3 Plus with the Intel I210 chipset --> no problems. I rescued network stability using an older USB 2.0 ethernet adapter with the AX88178 chipset (not AX88179) connected to the Belkin dock via USB-A plug.

Many discussions around different internet forums that report ethernet connectivity or stability problems with USB-C based ethernet devices apparently affecting RTL8153 and AX88179 chipsets in particular:

https://gist.github.com/MadLittleMods/3005bb13f7e7178e1eaa9f054cc547b0

https://plugable.com/blogs/news/asix-ethernet-adapters-unsupported-on-macos-big-sur

https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/651132

Latest Realtek Drivers here including OSX option (may solve the problem, haven't tested it):

https://realtek-download.com/realtek-usb-fe-gbe-2-5g-rtl8156-rtl8153-rtl8152b-gaming-ethernet-family-controller/

You can check which driver/kext is being used with the terminal command:  system_profiler SPEthernetDataType

For me, here's the output from my laptop running macOS 11.2:

Ethernet Cards:

  USB 10/100/1000 LAN: this is Belkin dock RTL8153, not a stable configuration

   Type: USB

   BSD name: en17

   Kext name: com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM.dext

   Location: /System/Library/DriverExtensions/com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM.dext

   Version: 1

   MAC Address: XXXXXXXXXXX

   Product ID: 33107

   Vendor ID: 3034

  AX88178 : this is a plugable USB 2.0 adapter USB2-E1000

   Type: USB

   BSD name: en18

   Kext name: AppleUSBEthernet.kext

   Location: /System/Library/Extensions/AppleUSBEthernet.kext

   Version: 5.0.0

   MAC Address: XXXXXXXXXXXX

   Product ID: 6016

   Vendor ID: 2965

The ECM dext being used under Big Sur 11.2 is NOT working stably with the Belkin 8153. Any video call = crash. Don't bother contacting Belkin if you have one of their products, they're useless.

Hope this helps!

Just to report that this has NOT been fixed in Monterey (12.0.1). Large file transfers have been OK for me but video calls (e.g. Google Meet, Zoom) still crash the network connection consistently. It doesn't happen at the beginning of the call usually, but at random times once you are well into a call.

It's ridiculous how something like this has been left unresolved for so long. The majority of adapters and hubs out there uses the Realtek 8153 chipset, including the Belkin branded adapters that are sold at Apple stores!

Apple needs to update its in-built driver in MacOS to work properly with the Realtek chipset. Or otherwise at least work with Realtek to release updated drivers that works.

I've managed to source an "Amazon Basics USB 3.0 to 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Internet Adapter" (Note: not USB-C, and from Amazon UK) that uses the AX88179 chipset. You'd need to manually install drivers for it though via the ASIX download page. This has been solid for me so far. I think in the U.S. the Plugable brand of adapters also uses the AX88179 chipset.

First of all many thanks on this investigation.

As I do facing the same issue with that TB3 Dock, I have tried your idea of updating the Realtek-Driver and can confirm that this doesn't solve the issue. Just had an interrupt of the LAN Connection signaled by the Citrix Workspace and the verification confirmed the self assigned IP address.

But at the console I found a crash report:

Process: com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM [1267]

Path: /System/Library/DriverExtensions/com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM.dext/com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM

Identifier: com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM

Version: 1.0 (1)

Code Type: ARM-64 (Native)

Parent Process: launchd [1]

Responsible: com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM [1267]

User ID: 270

Date/Time: 2021-02-16 09:52:23.143 +0100

OS Version: macOS 11.2.1 (20D74)

Report Version: 12

Anonymous UUID: 1DCA626A-0E04-0AA6-9577-0C73085331CA

Time Awake Since Boot: 6100 seconds

I just highlighted the time awake since Boot as I think it is very strange, that it occurred exactly after 6100 seconds.

Within other related crash reports, I just found the below listed times:

Time Awake Since Boot: 140000 seconds

Time Since Wake: 13000 seconds

Time Awake Since Boot: 150000 seconds

Time Since Wake: 25000 seconds

Time Awake Since Boot: 9900 seconds

Time Since Wake: 8800 seconds

Either apple is rounding this seconds to full hundreds or thousands or it is really a strange happenstance.

What didn't work with 2020 macbook pro 16" 11.2.3:

• Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (f2**040) - saw mainly TX packet loss on managed netgear switch
• TP-Link USB C to Ethernet Adapter(UE300C) - saw TX packet loss on managed netgear switch

Unplugging and replugging the adapter did seem to help temporarily.

Then I got the more expensive Apple parts which have been working flawlessly:

• Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
• Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

This uses a different driver than the other USB adapters and have had no issues:

Name: ethernet
      Type: Ethernet Controller
      Bus: PCI
      Vendor ID: 0x14e4
      Device ID: 0x1682
      Subsystem Vendor ID: 0x106b
      Subsystem ID: 0x00f6
      Revision ID: 0x0000
      Link Width: x1
      BSD name: en11
      Kext name: AppleBCM5701Ethernet.kext
      Firmware version: 57762-a1.15
      Location: /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleBCM5701Ethernet.kext
      mDNS offload capable: 
      Version: 11.0.0

Apple Menu / About This Mac / System Report / Hardware / USB / 10/100/1000 LAN will show you the Product ID 8153. That's the Realtek 8153 that is apparently build into every USB-C Ethernet Adapter compatible with the M1.

There is no specific Realtek driver available for Big Sur that is working with the M1. The generic Apple driver AppleUserECM.dext seems to be inefficient, instable and most likely the cause of our problem: See https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/gukh9c/fyi_usbc_hubs_with_ethernet_might_cause_high_cpu/ and https://gist.github.com/MadLittleMods/3005bb13f7e7178e1eaa9f054cc547b0.

Ethernet Adapters using Thunderbolt 3 instead of USB-C are not affected.

Cilusse wrote:

Just got a reply from Apple saying this issue is fixed in a future update.

If you are a dev you can already get it!

Not sure if 11.4 is that "future update", but since upgrading I have yet to see this happen, with Time Machine backups proceeding normally. Now that I've posted this, I'm sure it will break - but give the 11.4 update a shot! For what it's worth, the version on com.apple.DriverKit.AppleUserECM.dext hasn't changed; still at v1. Holding out hope that whatever code is responsible for this is elsewhere and has been updated.

Performance still isn't all that hot topping out at ~800Mbps (the same hub on my old Intel MacBook Pro gave a consistent 940Mbps) but I'll take stability any day. I hope this is indeed fixed, as I was dreading spending over $200 on a Thunderbolt hub just to get a working Ethernet connection. Wired performance - accept no substitutes.

Any Thunderbolt dock should be fine (assuming there are drivers for its components of course), since the issue seems to be strongly - if not exclusively - the driver for the Realtek 8153 USB-Ethernet bridge chip. If it's not USB, it's not using that driver.

Discussing this with frontline Apple Support is almost pointless - they have a script to read with useless suggestions, and that's all you'll get there. Unless you're talking with Engineering, you're going to get jack in terms of worthwhile support.

I've given up on networked Time Machine backups, as those will cause the interface to die multiple times per day. Even avoiding that, I still get occasional drops. Given how long as this problem has been there, I don't have any faith that Apple will fix it. Their "solution" will be just use WiFi (because that's not horribly congested with everyone at home, a proliferation of mobile devices, game systems, etc)...

If you are willing to over-pay for an adapter rated at up to10G Ethernet over copper (but will happily do Gigabit Ethernet as well) SonnetTech offers an adapter/box for US$199, OWC for US$169.

These little boxes are 'fanless', but the chip they use gets hot (as evidenced by the cooling fins on the box).

There are also Docks that feature 10G Ethernet-over-copper ports, and they are also Not using the Troublesome RealTek 8153 chip and Driver.

Have the same issue on my M1 MBA and macOS Big Sur. Both Mohsi and OWC Type-C dock had the same unstable USB Ethernet problem, both are realtek chip.

After everything i can try on Big Sur, i try to install the macOS Monterey Public Beta (21A5506j) last week and test. One week test and the USB Ethernet works stable without any stop.

So maybe the USB ethernet issue is a OS level problem and can be fix on the new macOS Monterey.

I didn't know I was running 11.1 so after updating, it definitely looks like stability is there. I did a lot of stream tests and I'm pretty happy with what I'm seeing. Thank you for the response.

I've tried copying large files on Monterey and It looks like the problem is gone.

12.0.1

I've copied over 100GB without any problems, where it normally crashed between 300MB and 12GB.

For the time being I've used the double dongle method, but now my 6in1 usb-c adapter seems to work.

If you are willing slightly to over-pay for an adapter rated at up to10G Ethernet over copper (but will happily do Gigabit Ethernet and slower as well) SonnetTech offers an adapter/box for US$199, OWC for US$169.

These little boxes are 'fanless', but the chip they use gets hot when pushed to 10G speeds, otherwise they stay reasonable.

There are also Docks that feature 10G Ethernet-over-copper ports, and they are also Not using the Troublesome RealTek 8153 chip and Driver.

I am using the equivalent PCIe card in my 2010 MacPro silver tower. I have also installed a 10G Switch, and the extra speed around my home network is nice.

Thanks for the advice. I tried it twice to get in touch with Apple.

On my first try, the case was closed directly, with the note that Apple does not support "third party products".

On the second try I got into the 2nd level and was allowed to upload the tracebacks. Here I was told that a similar case is known internally, but there the issue only occurs when other USB devices are connected to the MacBook. I also have other USB devices connected (headset and stuff). I should reproduce the error again without any USB devices connected.

The next day Apple called again, but the engineer was not interested in my test result, but only told me briefly that the issue is known internally and engineering is working on it. He was not able to add my case to this internal bug report.

Last but not least, I have also sent the traceback to apple.com/feedback. Now all we can do is wait.

In the meantime, I've noticed some more issues with the driver. My Cisco AnyConnect client reconnects over Ethernet every 30min. This does not happen on WLAN (same network). The ARM driver seems to be still very buggy.