network connection issue

[Anton Markov]

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Matt Cahill wrote:
| It seems this is 'networking week' on TLUG, so let me throw this out
(as it's
| pertinent):
|
|   I've got a cable modem (Motorola SB5100), and I found that - lately
- - if I
| hooked it up via USB, for some flaky reason I simply couldn't get a
| connection upon rebooting (which I'm sure has something to do with the
USB
| ports, as the modem works perfectly and the connection is solid).
|   I decided to go back to RJ45 (Cat-6) via an ethernet card which has
worked
| solidly in the past. However, I've discovered now that every time I
boot up
| there is no recognition between the cable modem and the PCI ethernet
card -
| however, once I'm booted up, all I need to do is run
'/etc/init.d/networking
| restart' and all is well (every time), which leads me to believe that
perhaps
| one of the following scenarios is happening:
|
| 1. My system isn't recognizing my PCI card prior to DHCP trying to do the
| magic handshake (it certainly does recognize my PCI cards when I'm logged
| in).
| 2. My system has got USB on the brain and isn't *looking* for a PCI
ethernet
| connection ?
| 3. My system is possessed by space-monkeys.
|
|   Any clues what I can try to sort this one out?

First of all, I would stick with the RJ45 Ethernet connection for a
number of reasons, not the least of which is lower CPU load. It's also a
lot more standardized/stable/older so problems are easier to fix (I have
no idea how the USB connection works, for instance).

I think that your network interface is simply not being activated (since
your computer still thinks you are connecting through USB). Which
distribution are you using?

Try running 'ifup eth0' or whatever ethernet port your modem is
connected to, right after restarting the computer. If the internet works
afterwards, then the interface is simply not being activated. Check in
/etc/network(ing) for a file called 'interfaces' or whatever equivalent
your distribution uses. I should have an entry similar to:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
...

The part below the 'iface' line may be different (you probably have dhcp
rather than static IP).

The 'auto eth0' line is the key. It tells your computer to activate the
interface when your computer starts. Add the line if it's missing, and
try again.

- --
Anton Markov <("anton" + "@" + "truxtar" + "." + "com")>

GnuPG Key fingerprint =
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