[UPDATE] OK... 601 users on. Someone help me get this linux box on my the net

[IBhacknU]

***Old Title***
Someone help me get this linux box on my home network

I've got a Linksys 4port router set up as a DHCP server. My Windows rig is working fine, but my Linux box (read, newbie setup) doesn't see the router or Windows rig?

I'm at 'basic host configuration' and have elected 'Dhcp' for Config mode. I've got the router address for IP address... and eth0 and the proper module.

What am I missing?

Samba will be the next step, but one thing at a time.

 

[GL]

You're using the router address for your Linux box's IP address? That's a no-no. Just tell your Linux distro to use DHCP (not a trivial task as every distro seems to configure this differently...but if you've seen the option then I'm sure you know what to do). The DHCP server should assign your linux box an IP address so don't specify one. Also, you shouldn't have to tell your Linux box the address of your router's address, as it will search for the DHCP server itself and determine the correct settings.

-GL

 

[Shuxclams]

Ditto, try Linuxconf.






SHUX

 

[kohutek]

GL is right; you don't need to set anything except for maybe host/domain name ... if you can't get dhcpd to work, try using bootp; it should be on the install cd. I have used it and it works, and seems to have less overhead than dhcpd.

Just a thought - $.03
randal

 

[IBhacknU]

I was entering an IP in the linuxconfig because everything else said optional (and IP did not seem like an optional value).

I've removed it, but the linux box appears unable to find the DHCP router (192.168.1.1).... well, I can't ping it.

I've got lights on both the NIC and router. What next?

 

[IBhacknU]

By the way... regarding the host name I specify. I suppose I can't make this up. If it needs to match up with something on the router, well... I'm missing it

 

[Soybomb]

Run netconfig, check the dhcp box, click okay. Now type ifconfig and be sure eth0 is activated. Now try pinging your windows box to be sure it works.

 

[IBhacknU]

I don't think eth0 is activated, as after activating DHCP and typing 'ifconfig' I only get

Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 mask:255.0.0.0
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:3924 Metric:1

and then RX and TX packets: 64, with 0 errors, 0 overrun, 0 etc.

shouldn't I get something else?

 

[GL]

The lights on the NIC and the switch don't mean much. They light up when there is an electrical connection so as long as there is no break in the CAT cabling, then the lights should be lit up while the computer is on and the NIC is receiving power.

With regards to your situation, I bet that your kernel does not have support for your NIC built in. You will either have to recompile your kernel with support for your NIC (if you haven't recompiled it might be a good thing to do for future use, and to remove any unnecessary fat in that kernel!). Or, you can load the NIC support as a kernel loadable module. The difference between the first option and the last option is memory usage pretty much. A module can be unloaded when not being used, whereas when you compile support for a device into the kernel, it's stuck there. I'm not an expert on this, but my rule of thumb is that any device constantly being used should have support built into the kernel and not loaded up as a module. So, for instance, on a server I would load the NIC support into the kernel whereas with a normal "connected" PC, I would just load it up as a module. The memory usage is really negligible though, so choose whichever is better (hint: loading a module is much simpler for a newbie...in some instances it requires uncommenting a line in a file called /etc/rc.d/rc.modules and issuing a 'netmod -a').

-GL

 

[IBhacknU]

it turns out it is a module issue. After selecting the proper one though and activating changes, I get a warning that the network reload is taking longer than expected to complete. Do I want to accept, cancel, config, help?

***On restart is hangs (and then fails) at 'bringing up interface eth0'

As I mentioned to Soybomb via PM, I'm trying to make this thing work without really READING and LEARNING what I'm doing (if that makes sense). Thank for the further direction GL. The ultimate role of this 'box' will be as a webserver, so it's worth getting it set-up properly.

For now I'll probably find and re-load the module. As has been suggested, the better approach would be to recompile the kernal (but at this point, I'm already in over my head).

The idea is, if I force myself to figure this stuff out, I'll be able to understand it better

I'm gonna check out linuxnewbie.org tomorrow and see what I can learn about this whole process.

 

[IBhacknU]

Well, instead of using the DHCP feature of the router, I manually entered IP info. NOW I can ping everything on my network from the linux box, but I'm unable to ping or 'surf' any sites outside my network.

YEAH, the NIC and module work!

I'm guessing it has to do with what I'm using as my gateway?

I've tried both my router IP as a gateway, and the one provided by my DSL service. Neither seems to do the trick. Then again, it's probably something else... or a number of things. Any ideas?

 

[GL]

Your DNS probably isn't working. Do this:

Surf to 216.151.100.115 from Netscape or lynx

If you get to the AnandTech forums then you have Internet access; you just have to setup a DNS server. Again this is tricky because each distro does it differently, but you'll need to know what your ISP's DNS servers are and manually enter them (DHCP configures all of this stuff for you, so if you can get it working it'll save you hassle if your ISP ever changes the IP of its DNS servers).

-GL

 

[IBhacknU]

unfortunatly, I cannot ping or navigate to any outside IPs. I've got the DNS info already entered.

 

[GL]

What distro are you using? The only other thing I can think of as a general problem would be that you have a firewall that is blocking access out to the net - but I don't know of any distro that would do this out of the box.

edit
Actually, ensure that your gateway is 192.168.1.1 if you're using default settings on the Linksys router.

-GL

 

[IBhacknU]

Thanks for all your help GL... the distro is Mandrake 6.0

I've tried the default gateway as that of the router (192.168.1.1) and all my settings are default (well, I think they are). To solve the original problem, I manually entered IP info (and avoided the DHCP, although the router is still serving up IP info to this windows box).

edit... do I check off the box 'enable routing'?

 

[IBhacknU]

GOT IT!

that last edit was it... DO NOT enable routing!

 

[Kayes]

long shot from win user.
try your dsl dns as prim,sec name servers.