“Activation of network connection failed” for ethernet connection

Question

I know this has been asked many times, but I have checked all the similar questions and none of the solutions there are really working for me.

So I have dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 20.04. Yesterday I installed a new printer on my network, plugged via ethernet into my router. I believe the ethernet connection on my PC was still working, but I had not restarted my computer, which is where the issue first occurred, so I can't be sure. I also ran apt update, apt upgrade, and apt autoremove. It was rebooting after this that I noticed my ethernet connection was throwing the error "Activation of network connection failed".

I tried disabling fast boot on the windows installation, which seemed to work; however, my ethernet connection only works after booting into windows and then back into ubuntu -- not when simply restarting ubuntu.

So far I have tried:

1. Rebooting and resetting my router

2. Disconnecting the printer I installed

3. Reinstalled the packages apt autoremove removed using this solution

4. Disabled fast-boot on Windows 10 install, as stated

5. Reinstalled the network manager

6. Disabled power management for the network card

-- 1st Edit --

Here is the output of the log the user waltinator suggested I look at. I'll keep trying to parse through it myself, but I thought I'd post it here as well in case anyone has any ideas.

Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu systemd[1]: Starting Network Manager...
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410648.9358] NetworkManager (version 1.22.10) is starting... (for the first time)
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410648.9358] Read config: /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf (lib: 10-dns-resolved.conf, 20-connectivity-ubuntu.conf, no-mac-addr-change.c>
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu systemd[1]: Started Network Manager.
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410648.9375] bus-manager: acquired D-Bus service "org.freedesktop.NetworkManager"
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410648.9445] manager[0x557ed53c8030]: monitoring kernel firmware directory '/lib/firmware'.
Jan 11 16:17:28 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410648.9446] monitoring ifupdown state file '/run/network/ifstate'.
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0114] hostname: hostname: using hostnamed
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0114] hostname: hostname changed from (none) to "henry-ubuntu"
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0117] dns-mgr[0x557ed53b2290]: init: dns=systemd-resolved rc-manager=symlink, plugin=systemd-resolved
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0120] manager[0x557ed53c8030]: rfkill: Wi-Fi hardware radio set enabled
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0120] manager[0x557ed53c8030]: rfkill: WWAN hardware radio set enabled
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0170] Loaded device plugin: NMTeamFactory (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-device-plugin-team.so)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0177] Loaded device plugin: NMAtmManager (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-device-plugin-adsl.so)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0205] Loaded device plugin: NMBluezManager (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-device-plugin-bluetooth.so)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0211] Loaded device plugin: NMWwanFactory (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-device-plugin-wwan.so)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0225] Loaded device plugin: NMWifiFactory (/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-device-plugin-wifi.so)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0227] manager: rfkill: Wi-Fi enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0228] manager: rfkill: WWAN enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0228] manager: Networking is enabled by state file
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0229] dhcp-init: Using DHCP client 'internal'
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0237] settings: Loaded settings plugin: ifupdown ("/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/NetworkManager/1.22.10/libnm-settings-plugin-ifupdown.so")
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0237] settings: Loaded settings plugin: keyfile (internal)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0237] ifupdown: management mode: unmanaged
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <warn>  [1610410649.0239] ifupdown: interfaces file /etc/network/interfaces doesn't exist
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0270] device (lo): carrier: link connected
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0273] manager: (lo): new Generic device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0282] manager: (enp4s0): new Ethernet device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/2)
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.0292] device (enp4s0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed', sys-iface-state: 'external')
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <warn>  [1610410649.2448] Error: failed to open /run/network/ifstate
Jan 11 16:17:29 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410649.2488] modem-manager: ModemManager available
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.1995] device (enp4s0): carrier: link connected
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.1999] device (enp4s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'carrier-changed', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2006] policy: auto-activating connection 'Wired connection 1' (8efff847-78d3-4a1a-b288-5ea00e9af99c)
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2010] device (enp4s0): Activation: starting connection 'Wired connection 1' (8efff847-78d3-4a1a-b288-5ea00e9af99c)
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2011] device (enp4s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2014] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2016] device (enp4s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2019] device (enp4s0): state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:17:32 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410652.2021] dhcp4 (enp4s0): activation: beginning transaction (timeout in 45 seconds)
Jan 11 16:18:03 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410683.1176] agent-manager: agent[16fc2fa8dd625d49,:1.76/org.gnome.Shell.NetworkAgent/1000]: agent registered
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <warn>  [1610410697.1389] dhcp4 (enp4s0): request timed out
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1389] dhcp4 (enp4s0): state changed unknown -> timeout
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1390] device (enp4s0): state change: ip-config -> failed (reason 'ip-config-unavailable', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1394] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <warn>  [1610410697.1401] device (enp4s0): Activation: failed for connection 'Wired connection 1'
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1404] device (enp4s0): state change: failed -> disconnected (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1571] dhcp4 (enp4s0): canceled DHCP transaction
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1572] dhcp4 (enp4s0): state changed timeout -> done
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1615] policy: auto-activating connection 'Wired connection 1' (8efff847-78d3-4a1a-b288-5ea00e9af99c)
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1620] device (enp4s0): Activation: starting connection 'Wired connection 1' (8efff847-78d3-4a1a-b288-5ea00e9af99c)
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1621] device (enp4s0): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1623] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1625] device (enp4s0): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1628] device (enp4s0): state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
Jan 11 16:18:17 henry-ubuntu NetworkManager[715]: <info>  [1610410697.1630] dhcp4 (enp4s0): activation: beginning transaction (timeout in 45 seconds)

-- 2nd Edit --

Regarding the <warn> messages:

1. ifupdown: interfaces file /etc/network/interfaces doesn't exist

The /etc/network/ directory does not have an interfaces file, contains files like if-up.d, if-down.d, etc

2. Error: failed to open /run/network/ifstate

/run/ does not contain a network folder

3. dhcp4 (enp4s0): request timed out

Does this mean I should reconfigure the DHCP server, or something?

4. Activation: failed for connection 'Wired connection 1'

I am assuming this is just another version of the error I am posting about, and not a "clue"

-- 3rd Edit --

Actually, I think it is the dhcp timeout message that is causing the problems. When I check the logs after booting in from windows, I don't get that error and instead get a bunch of other dhcp4 messages indicating success fetching the IP, host name, etc.

-- 4th Edit --

I have reinstalled ubuntu after wiping everything on that partition. I am still getting the same issue.