rxerrors

Rxerrors is a network interface statistic that records the number of received packets that contained errors. It appears in various operating systems and tools as rx_errors or rxerrors and is part of the standard set of interface counters, alongside rx_packets and rx_bytes. The counter typically accumulates since the interface was started or statistics were last reset and reflects errors detected by the receive path at the physical or data-link layer. It does not always represent packets that were actively discarded; separate counters such as rx_dropped are used for drop events in many systems.

Common causes of elevated rxerrors include physical layer problems like damaged or poorly shielded copper cabling, excessive electrical noise, bad connectors or jacks, and general interference. Link-layer issues, such as duplex mismatches, incorrect speed settings, or misconfigured switch ports, can also raise the count. Hardware faults in the network interface card (NIC) or related drivers may contribute, as can transient conditions on busy networks.

Interpreting rxerrors involves comparing it to other statistics such as rx_packets and rx_dropped. A small, steady value may be normal in some environments, but a high or increasing rxerrors count usually signals a reproducible fault. Diagnostics typically examine related counters (CRC errors, frame errors), inspect cabling and ports, verify speed and duplex settings, and test with alternative cables or ports. On Linux systems, rx_errors is exposed at /sys/class/net/<iface>/statistics/rx_errors and can be reviewed with tools like ethtool. Similar counters exist in other OSes through their native network statistic interfaces.

Mitigation focuses on addressing the underlying cause: replace suspect cables, reseat or replace the NIC, update drivers and firmware, correct any duplex or speed misconfigurations, and test across different ports or devices to isolate the fault.