[PLUG] Re: New FC2 Install Fails to Recognize Ethernet Card

[Rich Shepard]

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004, Bill Thoen wrote:

> I think it is an ne2000 clone. To "load the driver by hand" do you mean
> that I edit /etc/modules.conf and add a line like: alias eth0 ne

Bill,

  You'll do that once you are sure that's the correct driver. Before then,
after the system boots, type 'modprobe ne' to load the module, then 'lsmod'
to see if it's there.

> or something like it and then reboot? Then how do I tell it what the IP,
> netmask, and gateway are? Will the configuration dialogs appear now?

  This is just the physical connection between the cat5 cable and your
system. What you want to do is edit /etc/hosts, /etc/hosts.deny,
/etc/hosts.allow, /etc/hosts.lpd and /etc/hosts.equiv (I think that's the
set).

> A module called ne.o exists in RH 9.0 in
> /lib/modules/2.4.20-6/kernel/drivers/net/, but if this isn't available in
> FC2 is that what would cause the ethernet card not to be recognized during
> the reboot phase of a new install? Because that's the symptom. In RH 7.3,
> 8.0, and 9.0 the system automatically recognized the card and allowed me
> to set the IP, etc., but in FC2 this step never appeared.

  As Alan wrote, pick up an inexpensive pci NIC and use that. You'll be a
lot happier now and in the future.

> <Sigh!> ISA was a good idea until a few months ago... I mean, it works
> flawlessly with all RedHat versions through 9.0. Oh well, I suppose you're
> right. It just grieves me that if I want to use the latest distros, I have
> to buy the latest hardware or I nearly always run into trouble bigger than
> my head. I just hate throwing out perfectly good --but old-- equipment,
> just because I don't know how to tweak things.

  Er, ... actually, Bill, ISA cards were obsolete at least 5 years ago. That
you've had it continue to work is a testament to the linux driver folks
(hail, Greg!) who've kept it going. And, didn't you tell me only a few years
ago that every time Microsquish came out with a new version of their OS
you'd buy new hardware because upgrading in place was such a PITA?

Rich

-- 
Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
<http://www.appl-ecosys.com>