netdev - [BUG] Network regression on Linux 6.16.1 -> 6.16.2 (persists in 6.16.3): intermittent IPv4 traffic on Wi-Fi and Ethernet

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Message-ID: <CAF4aUuukN6wde=NrLcPfZPkLiudUYjSvb5NvoY55EhP3ssLx4Q@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2025 19:59:29 +0200
From: Luis Alberto <albersc2@...il.com>
To: netdev@...r.kernel.org
Subject: [BUG] Network regression on Linux 6.16.1 -> 6.16.2 (persists in
 6.16.3): intermittent IPv4 traffic on Wi-Fi and Ethernet

Hi everyone, I’m new to this mailing list.

I am reporting a network regression observed on my system when
upgrading from Linux kernel 6.16.1 to 6.16.2 (and persisting in
6.16.3). The issue affects both Wi-Fi and Ethernet interfaces and
seems to originate in the kernel networking stack rather than any
specific driver.

For reference, I initially reported this issue on Bugzilla, ID 220484,
thinking it was exclusively a Wi-Fi problem.
Subsequent testing with a wired Ethernet connection confirmed that the
issue affects both interfaces.

System / hardware information:
- Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING B460M-PLUS (WI-FI)
- CPU: Intel i5-10400
- 16GB RAM
- GPU: NVIDIA 4060 (proprietary open module drivers installed v580)
- Wi-Fi: Intel AX200, driver: iwlwifi + mac80211
- Ethernet: Intel I219-V, driver: e1000e
- Connections use IPv4

Kernel versions tested:
  6.15.7, 6.15.8 and 6.16.1 (works fine)
  6.16.2 and 6.16.3 (regression present)
  LTS 6.12.43 from Aug 20 (regression present)

Symptoms:
- Internet connectivity is intermittent: when opening multiple
websites simultaneously (e.g., 10 pages), roughly 1/4 fail to load.
- Failed pages either remain completely blank with a connection error
or load partially; both situations occur frequently.
- The issue also occurs occasionally with a single webpage, or when
downloading system updates, not limited to the browser.
- Occurs on both Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet.
- No connection drops; the interface remains "up".
- Tested in more than one distro: EndeavourOS and Nobara, vanilla installations.
- Ping comparison:
  6.16.2+: Running ping google.com while opening 10 webpages
successively results in >10% packet loss and several pages failing to
load.
  6.16.1: 0% packet loss and all pages load correctly on first
attempt, consistently.

Actions taken:
- Opened a Bugzilla report, ID 220484, including dmesg, journal, and
tcpdump logs.
- Tested with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet; issue persists on both.
- Verified IPv4 usage; IPv6 is link-local only.
- Tested repeatedly on kernel 6.16.1 and earlier: everything works perfectly.

Reproduction steps:
1. Boot kernel 6.16.2 or 6.16.3
2. Connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet
3. Attempt to load multiple websites
4. Observe inconsistent traffic and intermittent failures

Any help is much appreciated.

Could anyone advise which commits between 6.16.1 and 6.16.2 might have
introduced this behavior, or suggest any testing and further steps?

Thank you very much.

Best regards,
Luis Alberto