折腾 Zhēteng

Can not reach proxmox server Dec 18

Created: Modified: 4 min read

Issue

I lost connection to my server somehow. After I reboot the machine, the issue remains.

Using Gemini to analyze the log in System → System Log.

[2025-12-19-Friday] Update: Somehow after I move the server to connect to AImesh node, it works after reboot. So it is sort of ‘flaky’.

TLDR from Gemini

Summary of Events

  1. 22:54:29: System Boots.
  2. 22:54:30: Network initializes (eth0 / enp5s0 is renamed). Link goes Up.
  3. 22:54:35: Guests start launching.
  4. 22:54:49: Storage connectivity errors begin (No route to host).
  5. 22:54:47: Internet connectivity errors begin (Network is unreachable).
  6. 23:09:39: You pressed the power button (Power key pressed short), initiating shutdown.

The Suspect: Realtek Network Card

Your logs show you are using a Realtek network interface:

Dec 18 22:54:29 pve kernel: r8169 0000:05:00.0 eth0: RTL8168h/8111h, f0:2f:74:87:f8:db, XID 541, IRQ 141
  • The Issue: The r8169 driver with Realtek consumer cards (RTL8111h) is notorious in the Linux/Proxmox community. They often “hang” under load, disconnect randomly, or enter a sleep state and never wake up. This perfectly aligns with your statement: “Last night somehow I lost connection to my server.”

Full Answer from Gemini

Based on the logs provided, the system booted up successfully (the kernel loaded, ZFS pools imported, and guests started), but there are significant network and storage connectivity issues that likely explain why you lost connection and why the server isn’t functioning correctly now.

Here is a breakdown of what is wrong:

1. Critical Storage Failure (The “No Route to Host” Loop)

The most glaring error in your logs is that your Proxmox host cannot connect to your storage server (likely a separate NAS/TrueNAS machine).

  • The Error:
Dec 18 22:54:58 pve pvestatd[2196]: pbs-datastore: error fetching datastores - 500 Can't connect to 192.168.1.231:8007 (No route to host)
Dec 18 22:54:49 pve pvestatd[2196]: storage 'truenas-vmdisks' is not online
  • What it means: Your Proxmox server (pve) cannot find the server at 192.168.1.231.
  • Consequence: Any VM or Container that relies on truenas-vmdisks or truenas-backups will hang, fail to boot, or go into a read-only state.

2. Complete Outbound Network Failure

It is not just the storage server; your Proxmox host appears to have no connection to the outside world or the local gateway.

  • The Error:
Dec 18 22:54:47 pve postfix/smtp[2157]: connect to gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[...]:25: Network is unreachable
  • What it means: The system is trying to send email alerts (likely about the storage failures), but it cannot reach the internet (“Network is unreachable”).

3. The Suspect: Realtek Network Card

Your logs show you are using a Realtek network interface:

Dec 18 22:54:29 pve kernel: r8169 0000:05:00.0 eth0: RTL8168h/8111h, f0:2f:74:87:f8:db, XID 541, IRQ 141
  • The Issue: The r8169 driver with Realtek consumer cards (RTL8111h) is notorious in the Linux/Proxmox community. They often “hang” under load, disconnect randomly, or enter a sleep state and never wake up. This perfectly aligns with your statement: “Last night somehow I lost connection to my server.”

4. High Startup Load

You have a very aggressive boot sequence.

  • Observation: Between 22:54:35 and 23:00:47, the system attempts to start 6 Containers (CT 201-206) and 10 VMs (VM 100-109).
  • Risk: Starting 16 guests almost simultaneously while the storage is offline causes massive I/O wait and system contention. This makes troubleshooting difficult because the logs get flooded with timeouts.

Summary of Events

  1. 22:54:29: System Boots.
  2. 22:54:30: Network initializes (eth0 / enp5s0 is renamed). Link goes Up.
  3. 22:54:35: Guests start launching.
  4. 22:54:49: Storage connectivity errors begin (No route to host).
  5. 22:54:47: Internet connectivity errors begin (Network is unreachable).
  6. 23:09:39: You pressed the power button (Power key pressed short), initiating shutdown.

1. Check Physical Layer & TrueNAS: Ensure the machine at 192.168.1.231 (TrueNAS?) is powered on and reachable from another computer. If your Proxmox server connects directly to it, check the cable.

2. Address the Realtek Driver (Likely Root Cause): If the cabling is fine, your Realtek card likely crashed.

  • Install the r8168-dkms driver: The default Linux r8169 driver is often unstable with your specific chip. You need the official Realtek r8168 driver.
  • Note: You will need temporary internet access on the server to do this (apt update && apt install r8168-dkms).

3. Disable “Start at Boot” for Guests temporarily: If you can access the console, stop the guests from auto-starting so you can troubleshoot the network without 16 VMs screaming for hard drives that aren’t there.

Next Step: Do you have a monitor and keyboard attached to the server directly, or are you completely locked out of SSH/Web GUI right now?

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