Ethernet Card + Linux = Uh oh.

[NekoIncardine]

Okay, I'm a long-term Windows user, age 18. Got into computers at Age 2 (No, I'm not kidding) with a Commodore 64, 10 years of that and varied Game Systems, a MSDOS6/Windows3.1 box... Anyhow, ultimately, I bought an HP using Win98 in Summer 1998. 350 MhZ, DVD-ROM, That thing wiorked perfectly, in spite of having NO SECURING MEASURES, for six years.

Fast forward to 2002. We have a newer (WinXP) computer, also by HP. I think to myself, "Hrm. I don't like Microsoft on principle, why not try Linux?" So, while on vacation in Hawaii, I buy "Linux for Dummies", which includes Red Hat 7.

Now, believe it or not, I actually managed to install it on the first try, almost perfectly. Almost, because of one issue.

No matter WHAT I did, I couldn't get my added-on PCI Ethernet Adapter (by 'Network Everywhere', appearently a Linksys brand) to work. I got the tulip_c driver onto it from my dad's new spiffy XP SP1 box (also an HP - we've had really good luck with their stuff, so we now stick to them), but couldn't make it compile (appearantly the relevant stuff was a different set in 7.0 - and that set appearantly wasnt' stable). I ended up giving up on Red Hat, and now had to deal with 'selecting' my OS every time I turned that computer on.

Two years of that later, Win98 FINALLY started to crack after a couple... Less-than-preferable downloads. I decided to cash in on the promised rewards from my excellent report card, and buy a new computer, the best we could afford. Turned out to be an HP from Costco.

But what to do with the old one? I decided to try Linux on it again, with the ultimate intent of trying to get my Dad (who's the reason I got that C64 when I was 2) into Linux. I looked at the distros and decided that Mandrakelinux looked like a reasonably easy-to-install-but-still-works-well version. Torrent-grabbing the DVD of 10 (I didn't pay for the Mandrakeclub service - I don't buy ANYTHING online), I manage to install it, wiping my computer clean of the Evil Empire's software AND Red Hat. (Though Dad did make me leave space for a potential Win98 reinstall.)

Anyhow. I ended up encountering the same issues with the same card. This time, I didn't need to compile tulip_c, but now I can't get it to communicate with the card.

Needless to say, I'm completely lost, and lack the money to buy a new card. Or, for that matter, technical support.

Anyone willing to help me out?

EDIT: Just as a note, I'm posting on the new machine, which lacks a floppy drive. I'm probably going to end up sticking with Microsuck for most computing purposes, but I do want to start getting into Linux, and having a basic-purposes Linux box is about the best way to start on that. (It also lets me start learning Python, since my dad refuses to let me so much as TRY a Programming language from scratch on either of the XP boxes.)

[Orethrius]

I'm assuming your box is connected to a router.  Do this:

(1) Open (Alt+F2) Xterm.
(2) Enter: su
(3) Enter your root password
(4) Enter: ifconfig eth0 up (this brings up your line interface).
(5) Enter: ifconfig eth0 (to verify that the line IS up).
Enter: dhcpcd -n eth0 (this acquires a new IP from your router).
(7) Enter: ifconfig eth0 (to verify that your interface has an IP now).
(8) Enter: exit (twice).

That should take care of everything, no driver alterations necessary.

For future reference, enter this:

Code: [Select]

ifconfig eth0 up; dhcpcd -n eth0
as root to bring up the line interface and get an IP.

[NekoIncardine]

Code: [Select]

bash: dhcpcd command not found

I got that trying to type that command into Konsole (appearantly Mandrake's equivalent to XTerm)... Is there another way to achieve step 6?

Also, I checked in my Router's settings, and found that the Linux box does NOT appear in the Attached Devices listing, even though it does indicate that it has a connection. (It also doesn't register my dad's laptop upstairs, and that light's on, but I know he's surfing right now.)

[KernelPanic]

Code: [Select]

bash: dhcpcd command not found

I got that trying to type that command into Konsole (appearantly Mandrake's equivalent to XTerm)... Is there another way to achieve step 6?

Instead of typing su for step 2, type su -.

[NekoIncardine]

I did it as "su -.", got an 'invalid modifier' error. Did it as "su -", it set me to root@root. I then went right through it to Step 6 - same result.

[KernelPanic]

Sorry, I missed another error.
In step 6 you should be running dhcpd, not dhcpcd.

[Orethrius]

GAH my bad, thanks for catching those KP.  I thought he said Slackware 10 and my paternal instincts took over.

[NekoIncardine]

Thanks to the both of you for helping me. Given my newness to Linux and the fact that I've had to experiment with Windows XP's Command Prompt (which mostly serves to make me miss the days of Windows 3.1 and DOS - What I wouldn't do for a modernized Windows 3.1-style interface.), I actually typed in 'ipconfig' not 'ifconfig' the first time.

Now to turn the box back on, remember my root password again, and see if it works THIS time.

EDIT: ... And dhcpd is not a recognized command either. I'm starting to get really frustrated with how this tends to happen to me with Linux. X-x;

[WMD]

Using Mandrake?  Don't use the command line.  Try to configure/install the card using the Mandrake Control Center.