Re: [Astlinux-users] Solved: No network - NIC cards not recognised?

[Darrick H. <dha...@dj...>]

Marcus wrote:
> Okay, I found a solution, but it turned out to be twofold.
>
> 1) My wired ADSL router does not serve dhcp so that was *one* reason for 
> the errors. I tried a wifi adsl router, checked the dhcp server was on, 
> and astlinux gets an IP.
>
> I know, it sounds obvious once you realise, but in 2-3 days nobody came 
> up with this possibility. I discovered an article mentioning the router 
> serving dhcp on its checklist. I guess this could go into the wiki.
>
>   
Marcus,

Glad you figured it out.  I don't think we ever had enough information 
to know what your dsl router was doing.
> 2) Both NIC drivers on my desktop PC are missing from astlinux it seems. 
> On a thin client astlinux appears to use 8139cp and gives out the 
> message "Try 8139too driver instead". (That coincidentally would be the 
> correct driver for my desktop also.)
>   
Both the 8139cp, 8139too and b44 drivers ARE included and have been 
included in the 0.4 branch for some time (probably goes back to 0.2.x).

> So my request would be to add NIC drivers "8139too" and "b44", if 
> possible.
>   
Here's a list of the included network driver modules from the 0.4.5 
release.  Nearly all cards are covered.  If there is a question whether 
or not the kernel recognizes the device, you can use the lspci tool. 

3c59x.ko         bonding          fealnx.ko        ns83820.ko       
pppox.ko         starfire.ko      via-velocity.ko
8139cp.ko        bsd_comp.ko      forcedeth.ko     pcnet32.ko       
r8169.ko         sundance.ko      wan
8139too.ko       dgrs.ko          hamachi.ko       ppp_async.ko     
sis190.ko        tg3.ko           wireless
8390.ko          dl2k.ko          lance.ko         ppp_deflate.ko   
sis900.ko        tlan.ko          yellowfin.ko
acenic.ko        e100.ko          mii.ko           ppp_generic.ko   
sk98lin          tulip
amd8111e.ko      e1000            natsemi.ko       ppp_mppe.ko      
skge.ko          tun.ko
b44.ko           eepro100.ko      ne.ko            ppp_synctty.ko   
sky2.ko          typhoon.ko
bnx2.ko          epic100.ko       ne2k-pci.ko      pppoe.ko         
slhc.ko          via-rhine.ko

If 'lspci' results in one entry saying "Unknown hardware", the kernel 
doesn't support the hardware.  When Kristian finishes up trunk and 
releases 0.5, the kernel version will be bumped significantly from what 
is included now in the 0.4 branch.

If /etc/rc.modules exists, the modules in that file are loaded (in 
listed order).  You could mount the system read-write and add the b44 
module to that list (If you are able to run modprobe b44 and get working 
hardware manually).  If /etc/rc.modules does not exist, the AUTOMODS 
variable from rc.conf takes over and loads the modules listed there.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Darrick

-- 
Darrick Hartman
DJH Solutions, LLC
http://www.djhsolutions.com