Hi @Mezocyklone unfortunately this has not helped with me yet. I have an ASUS RT-AX86U and a AVM Fritzbox 7490 working as routers. I connected both of them individually as routers during my test. However, I did not notice any change, the Network Broadcast Storm still occurred.
PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock network issues in standby with Big Sur (local network dead)
Hey, @renef I am also having that problem with my Anker PowerExpand and MBP 2019 running Big Sur. I just finished reading through this thread and itâs the exact same problem. I have had to turn the dock off when not using my MacBook to ensure that my other network devices are able to function correctly. But there is one thing that I have noticed in my situation that I donât think anyone has mentioned.
- The problem is isolated to my switch. I have a main router in the house, but I have 1 ethernet cable run to a 5-port desktop switch, and my multiple desktop systems, my NAS, and my Anker dock are attached to that switch. When the MBP goes into standby, it knocks out the connection for anything attached to the switch, BUT it does not affect any of the other devices that are connected via ethernet directly to the router. It doesnât mess up anything connected via WiFi, either.
At this point, I may try contacting both Apple and Anker to see if there is anything in the works on either end. It doesnât sound like Anker is interested in any kind of firmware update for the dock, but perhaps approaching Apple Support to ask for an updated .dext version of the .kext driver that you mentioned.
Also, have you tried contacting Realtek support to see if they may have an updated driver for Big Sur?
Update I emailed Realtek support, will report back with their response.
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Hi @Travis_Dykstra,no, so far I had only tried to define the problem as precisely as possible so that Anker can obtain a solution from the manufacturers or itself. Unfortunately, this attempt has failed so far.
On the basis of this thread, different usage scenarios may reveal other aspects that help to analyze the cause. For example, routers, switches and network segmentations used.
Since I currently have a working setting (USB-C J45 dongle connected to the dock), my willingness to continue to hassle with Anker support (in the truest sense of the word) is very low. I had hoped that the people in charge at Anker would take responsibility for the problem as soon as they saw this thread.
I donât currently have the energy and time for problem description and QA with other manufacturers - especially when they retreat to the position that itâs not their hardware or implementation.
But I am happy for any support, should you see possibilities or have contact possibilities, where this problem can be addressed. Thanks for already contacting Realtek support, I look forward to hearing back.
Thatâs an assumption.
Like all good geeks, we test our assumptions (donât we) by observations.
Hence guys I think itâs move to support email, if no help then form conclusions about returning items and/or not buying. If they do reply by email then post here so others know.
My theories are that itâs too much effort for a support person to scan the random chatter here for where they can support, so email is best. Thereâs also a suspicious set of threads where some people seem to reply as different users to same thread to fake larger issues. Emails with serial numbers and proof of purchase is harder to fake mass venting.
I needed to reply to this thread as I am experiencing the same issue. The network has been experiencing issues since I added the first PowerExpand Elite 13-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock to a MacBook Pro 2019 16".
I tracked back the problem directly to the Dock as the issue does not occur for days when the dock is removed. I can see the port error and the it occurs only for the specific port where the dock is connected. Added the dock and only the laptop directly on the main router connected via Ethernet cable. The network keeps reporting that the port for the DOCK on the router disconnects and reconnects constantly. The bigger issue is that the problem takes the other devices offline and results in a drop of all devices on the network in the office.
I have removed the dock for now, but it is needed for the external devices and HDMI for the office laptops.
Even crazier, none of the docks have Anker QR Code stickers or serial numbers but came directly form Anker via Amazon.
Thatâs smelling fishy, makes me wonder if itâs a fake.
Email support@anker.com with copious photos as Iâve never seen an Anker product without S/N lurking somewhere on the product, it can be in very small letters.
Are you sure it said Ankerdirect and not just Anker from one of these sellers? Someone can state they are Anker without actually being Anker.
I found this post doing a related google search and thought I would chime in. I am not using the Anker dock but I tested a CalDigt USB-C Pro Dock and it had the exact same issue you are describing. I have also had this issue with USB C dongles that do power passthrough and with a Samsung Thunderbolt 3 Monitor with ethernet built in. All the devices use the same Realtec NIC.
The problem is when the computer goes to sleep (or is disconnected while the dock still has power) the NIC sends a pause frame. I wonât go into details (link below for that) but some switches forward the pause frame to all the other ports effectively freezing the entire network. It behaves like a broadcast storm but its different.
http://jeffq.com/blog/the-ethernet-pause-frame/
I solved this problem by getting a managed network switch that could be configured to completely disabled ethernet flow control. Every unmanned switch I tested seem to have this issue. I am an IT guy and I drove myself nuts trying to figure out what was taking out my network so Iâm hoping this post helps someone who happens across this discussion.
I want to add that I am seeing the same thing with the 13-in-1 USB-C dock and a Dell laptop. The network goes offline as soon as the dock goes into standy. I have been just turn the dock off to keep the issue at bay but finally started looking for a proper solution and found this thread.
Anyone have any luck resolving this that didnât involve a USB ethernet adapter?
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Created an account literally just to share the exact same experience. Iâve been troubleshooting this for SEVEN HOURS straight today. Isolated early to this same Anker dock, but took me a while to isolate the behavior. Devices plugged solely in to a stand alone switch and youâll be fine, but the second I introduce any sort of routing in to the mix (in my case, plugging the wireless satellite AP back in to the same switch), the network connectivity to my NAS will drop within ~10 seconds of unplugging a MacBook from the dock. Itâs absolutely âbroadcast stormâ behavior.