[GTALUG] Motherboards and Network Chips

[Howard Gibson]

   I am trying to update Linux on my desktop.  I have a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 with a Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 network chip built into it.  Installing Fedora_20 onto this is dead easy.  If I try anything more recent, the networking does not work.  I have tried Fedoras 22, 23, KFedora_23, and Ubuntu_15.04.  When I boot from the install DVD, there is no network.  I have even installed a wireless card.  This works fine from Fedora_20.  It does not work from KFedora_23.  

   How up to date is Slackware these days?

   Normally, when something does not work, I go out on the internet and find a solution.  Non-functioning network is an order of magnitude more difficult.  

   I had network problems upgrading my laptop.  I was able to overcome them, but we seem to have transitioned from an easy install of Linux, to a difficult one, at least for some motherboards and network chips.  

   Has anyone figured out a reliable way to install Linux on this hardware? 

-- 
Howard Gibson 
hgibson at eol.ca
howard.gibson at teledyneoptech.com 
jhowardgibson at gmail.com
http://home.eol.ca/~hgibson