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

definately a sleep/wake issue. I am seeing this even with my dock.

Randomly nic card goes to sleep, says it's up and configured, but no traffic passes.

ifconfig en9 down; ifconfig en9 up restores connectivity.

 ethernet:

   Type: Ethernet Controller

   Bus: PCI

   Vendor ID: 0x8086

   Device ID: 0x1533

   Subsystem Vendor ID: 0x1d2d

   Subsystem ID: 0xf02c

   Revision ID: 0x0003

   Link Width: x1

   BSD name: en9

   Kext name: com.apple.DriverKit-AppleEthernetE1000.dext

   Location: /System/Library/DriverExtensions/com.apple.DriverKit-AppleEthernetE1000.dext

   Version: 1

I also faced this issue with 4 different usb adaptors having realtek 8153 chipset. I called apple support several times and they can only say 2 things either reinstall or take to the store. they are of no help and dumb support. The issue is from january and apple has not looked into this. very sad. the same adaptors works well with mbp 16 without any problem. Apple support is becoming useless nowadays without giving proper information.

One desperate user reported that using the Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter with the old ThunderBolt-2 to Gigabit Ethernet adapter DOES work, but-is definitely a "cracking nuts with a B-52 bomber" kind of a solution.

Just now i completed chat with apple support and there is nothing going on in engineering team regarding this issue and they are not aware of this kind of issue. as usual they asked whether i erased the mac and if the issue persists take it to the store.

I've had a case open with Apple Support for several weeks, have spoken to Apple engineers and used the 'Capture Data' app several times and provided precise timestamps as to when the problem happens. The issue is still unresolved; such a disappointment - this is Windows 98-level nonsense.

Just now i got the amazon basics thunderbolt dock and transferring data from synology nas using ethernet (same realtek) @80MB/S and it is running for 1 hour without crash. i will update here how long it can hold.

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)...

How do you know the AmazonBasics Thunderbolt dock uses a Realtek 8153? It would seem kind of self-defeating to use a cheap USB-Ethernet bridge on a Thunderbolt hub. Possible of course - Thunderbolt is flexible - but also kind of dumb.

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.

Yes this amzon basic docks runs very hot. I just have 1 gb network. dont need 10gb. may be will try to get the owcs new thunderbolt 4 dock when it is available in the market. It has 3 tb daisy chained ports. Which is awesome.

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'm having exactly the same problem with the Satechi TYPE-C MULTI-PORT ADAPTER 4K WITH ETHERNET V2 (https://satechi.net/products/type-c-multi-port-adapter-with-ethernet-v2?variant=45020091145). It loos ethernet connectivity every few hours. The ehternet setting shows it as connected, but is not really working and computer disconnects. It heats so much that burns at touch. I'm using it on a 2021 MacBook Pro (M1). The only way to fixit is unpluggin the USB Type C connector from the computer, but this is anoying and disconnects power, video and other usb device.

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.

this is what it looks like when the issue happens

Here is the crash traceback: (The crash happens several times per day)