# eth0 is not working, only got dummy.o in card list

## bleakcabal

I just finished installing Gentoo this morning. The internet was working when I finished the install but when I first rebooted, when gentoo is loading everything it says eth0 is not up. That's my faults because now, reading back the install instructions ( I installed late at night ) I realized I didnt do the right thing for ethernet. 

Now when I check my /lib/modules/2.1.4/kernel/drivers/net directory, the only there is dummy.o

I guess that's what wrong. Also I don't remember writing the config files to say that I should load dummy.o on autoload. 

My theory is that's the problem. It seems like the most reasonable explanation to me. 

What I have considered so far as solutions are :

-recompile the kernel and do again all the steps that came after that this time doing things correctly

-try to copy a drivers directly from the install CD and change the config files now ( problem is I don't know which file .o to choose )

-maybe there is some other way I don't know because of newbieness that I should do

-if all else fails just reinstall the whole thing ( let's call that plan B )

So before going thru a lengthy installation process again I would like to hear from you guys what is the best way to do this.

Thank you in advance for any help you may provide.

----------

## !k

what card do you have?

----------

## bleakcabal

Since the card came from my father's old computer, which came with the computer, etc. Nobody quite remembered so I checked inside my computer and found it was a NetGear ( it then came back to me ). In windows and red hat the card autodetected so I never needed to go look for drivers or anything so I dont know the exact model.

I found this written on the card which maybe is the card model : FA310TX. I know the card has at least 3-4 years old maybe more. It's a 10/100 mbit network ethernet card.

Sorry if I can tell you more.

----------

## rac

Use the tulip driver: Network device support -> Ethernet (10/100) -> DECchip Tulip (dc21x4x) PCI support.

----------

## bleakcabal

If I understand your awnser correctly then I should reinstall the kernel, as you seem to be describing the menu when I install the kernel. Does this mean I have the reinstall the kernel each time I change hardware ?

----------

## rac

 *bleakcabal wrote:*   

> If I understand your awnser correctly then I should reinstall the kernel [....] Does this mean I have the reinstall the kernel each time I change hardware ?

 

Yes and generally.  The "generally" is meant to describe, for example, when you compile support for two types of NIC into your kernel, then you can switch back and forth between them (or install both) without having to change kernels.  It's still generally a good idea to shut the machine down first, though.  :Wink: 

----------

## bleakcabal

Ok I'll go do that.

Thank you for your help !

----------

## bleakcabal

Some info first : I used to ( with winxp and then with Red Hat 7.3 ) get the internet through a router which uses DHCP through my local lan. Two other computers are currently getting the internet through this router in my home ( two windows comp, my father's and my sister's ) plus my PS2 with the network adapter. Altough we get ADSL internet access, I don't think I need to set anything since my PS2, WinXp and Red Hat 7.3 never had to do anything to get the internet thourh my lan when using the router, but they all had to be configured when not using the router and getting the internet directly from the modem ( before we had the router ).

Ok I have recompiled the kernel whit DECchip Tulip (dc21x4x) PCI support.

I still got the same error message. ( failed to bring eth0 up [!!] )

I then rebooted my machine. I then checked in /lib/modules/2.4.19/kernel/drivers/ and found that there were not /net directory. Normal ( I think ) since I compiled the ethernet card drivers in, rather than as modules.

I then typed dhcpcd eth0 ( since Im using DHCP ). I then checked the /etc/resolv.conf file. To my big surprise ! the 2 DNS server ip adresses servers that were written there ( not by me ) corresponded to the 2 DNS server ip that my lan router said he was currently using ( my router is using automaticly get DNS name server on connect option ).

I then typed /sbin/ifconfig -a and this is what I got :

lo     Link encap: Local Loopback

        inet addr: 127.0.0.1         Mask : 255.0.0.0

       UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU : 16436 Metric :1

       RX Packets: 0 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 Frame: 0

       TX Packets: 0 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 carrier: 0

       collisions: 0 txqueueulen: 0

       RX bytes: 0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes: 0 (0.0 b)

Now I know that my mask is supposed to be 255.255.255.0 for my computer but I don't know where to set this. 

I then proceeded to check my /etc/hostname file

It was the same value I had set when I first installed Gentoo. Now when I first installed I chose a machine name and domain name out of my head. And kept it consistent throughout the other files. Should I have change it to a particular value ?

I then checked my /etc/hosts file. I changed the line

127.0.0.1 localhost

To

127.0.0.1 bleakcabal.pandemonium.com

where bleakcabal.pandemonium.com

I did this because the install instructions mentioned and I quote :

Note : If you are on a DHCP network, it might be useful to set localhost to your machine's actual hostname...

And I am on a DHCP network.

I then tried to emerge gentoo-stats to check if my internet/network was working but no.

Then I checked my /etc/conf.d/net file to see if everything was in order and it appeared so.

then I typed rc-update add net.eth0 default and I got an errror message.

So I decided to reboot.

After reboot ( eth0 was still not up ) I typed /sbin/ifconfig -a again and got the same message as I did before.

I then retyped rc-update add net.eth0 default and this time I got a different message :

net.eth0 already installed in runlevel default  skipping

caching service dependencies          [Ok]

rc-update complete

I then typed emerge gentoo-stats again and got the same results as before, a dozen lines of text which end whit :

!!! Couldn't download ExtUtils-Make[... file name ...]   Aborting.

The message seems to indicate that my computer is trying to download the file from Ibibio.org  and then from valuclick. Each time after trying to download from a site it says :

Resolving [site name] Failed : Host not found.

Even if someone who reads this can't solve my problem, I would be happy to hear any sugestions to where I can find information on this. I have checked Google and will continue to do so for now since it is my only avenue. But would welcome any suggestions to where I could get info ( net, a book title, anything )

----------

## bleakcabal

I just tried recompiling the kernel and instead of compiling the ethernet card driver in, I compiled it as a modules. I followed the steps in the install instructions such as adding it to my autoload file but it didnt work.

From what I have gathered machine name and domain name can be whatever you want so the error shouldnt be there.

----------

## bleakcabal

I installed from a stage 1 tarball, should I try to install from a stage 3. Will this make any differences ? The reason why I haven tried this already is I don't want to screw with my working customized stage 1 install if it won't matter.

----------

## rac

 *bleakcabal wrote:*   

> I installed from a stage 1 tarball, should I try to install from a stage 3.

 

No.  That won't do anything.  Does passing the "-d" option to dhcpcd tell us anything more?  There are some other options (like -D and -H) that I have seen some people report needing to add.

----------

## bleakcabal

dhcpcd

without parameters or with parameter -h or -H or -D has never given me any output... is it supposed to do so ?

----------

## bleakcabal

If the Gentoo linux on the cd can set up my network automaticly and download packages, why is it that when I install it it doesnt work ? Could I copy some files/programs from the cd on my HD and use it to make networking work easyly ?

I looked at some NET and Network HOWTOS and tried things like ifconfig and others which the HOWTOS mentioned but nothing fixed my problem. 

If someone told me there was a way I'll keep on trying, but it's been two days of butting my head against gentoo and nothing worked. 

Im out of options, Ill give this problem a rest for a few hours and come back to this forum tonight. If no one has suggested anything, I'll guess I'll just reinstall Red Hat 7.3.

----------

## rac

 *bleakcabal wrote:*   

> dhcpcd
> 
> without parameters or with parameter -h or -H or -D has never given me any output... is it supposed to do so ?

 

It usually reports things via the syslog mechanism, so messages are probably somewhere in /var/log/: the exact location depends on which logger you are using and how you configured it.

 *Quote:*   

> If the Gentoo linux on the cd can set up my network automaticly and download packages, why is it that when I install it it doesnt work ?

 

Because the kernel is completely different.  Something's either still wrong with your kernel configuration, or the kernel sitting in /boot isn't the one you think it is (failing to mount /boot before copying newly compiled kernels is a common problem in cases like this).

 *Quote:*   

> Could I copy some files/programs from the cd on my HD and use it to make networking work easyly ?

 

I guess you could use the kernel from the install CD, but then you'd have to copy the modules too, and it's complicated and easy to mess up and there's no real benefit.  You just have to get your kernel configured and installed properly.

 *Quote:*   

> If someone told me there was a way I'll keep on trying

 

There was a way.  :Smile: 

----------

## bleakcabal

Ok thanks, ill check my syslog mechanism and try to see what messages dhcpcd is saying to me !

 *Quote:*   

> Because the kernel is completely different. Something's either still wrong with your kernel configuration, or the kernel sitting in /boot isn't the one you think it is (failing to mount /boot before copying newly compiled kernels is a common problem in cases like this). 
> 
> 

 

This may be my problem.... because I don't know what you talking about. Do you mean that after I do makemenuconfig and after I do make dep && make clean bzImage I must mount something ? I know I must use the mv command and the cp command...

I'll check things on that front to.

----------

## bleakcabal

I did :

cd /usr/src/linux

make menuconfig

make dep && make clean bzImage modules modules_install

mount /boot

mv /boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage.orig

cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot

And it didnt work. I realized from your comment that the boot partition was mounted by default and that it probably contained the kernel itself. Thus I had to mount before copy as you said. Maybe I did the wrong thing.

As for checking the logs, I checked and received the message no such device to my dhcpcd commands. I'll continue playing around a bit with this to see where it leads me.

----------

## rac

 *bleakcabal wrote:*   

> I realized from your comment that the boot partition was mounted by default

 

In a default Gentoo install, /boot is not mounted by default.  I assume that's what you meant.

 *Quote:*   

> Thus I had to mount before copy as you said. Maybe I did the wrong thing.

 

No, the procedure you described sounded good.  Now I would make sure one more time that the tulip driver was selected when you did the last menuconfig, because...

 *Quote:*   

> the message no such device to my dhcpcd commands.

 

That sounds like a missing or incorrect driver.

----------

## bleakcabal

Im pretty sure it was selected, ill try again just in case.

----------

## bleakcabal

Since it didnt work, I have restarted the install process from stage 1 again ( which Im begining to know quite well   :Very Happy:   ). Now I have started emerge system which should complete before I get back from college at 8:30 PM. After that I'll have the compile the kernel again. Last time I used vanilla sources. Would it make any difference that I used another kernel, more specificly the gentoo sources vs. vanilla sources ?

----------

## rac

You should be able to get it to work with any set of kernel sources, and the configuration options for setting up a tulip NIC are identical in all of them.

----------

## bleakcabal

I have completly rebuilt my system from a stage 1 and it doesnt work... I tweaked everything, played with every config file I know of and recompiled the kernel several times...

Im beat and spent, I have a pounding headache due to lack of sleep ( to much time spent trying to install Gentoo ). It's been 6 days since I first started the instalation process. 

I have even unpluged and repluged ( with the power off ofcourse ) my network card and my ethernet cables. I have reinstalled Red Hat to see if it could access the internet, it did.

Gentoo has won over me. There is only one thing left that I will try when I get back from college. Compiling in the code every ethernet card driver the kernel supports in the hopes it will do some good ( altough at this point all hope has left me ). My only other option would be the compile them all, one at a time and tests each thus compiled kernel, a process I am unwilling to take. Because the only thing I can imagine for now is that I would be using the wrong driver.

I have already began to make my schoolworks on my families or friends computer since I can't use my comp since the last 6 days.

It's been nice for the first few days and I learned a lot. Thanks for your support rac you are really dedicated. Maybe I'll check Gentoo again when a newer version comes out which has a network installation system newbie-proof ala Red Hat or Mandrake, if that ever happens...   :Crying or Very sad: 

Finally I will go to sleep tonight   :Wink: 

----------

## donoreo

Do not feel bad, you are not alone.  I am having the same problem with a 3COM card.  

I will go through the suggestions here, but right now I get the exact same message on boot.

I just noticed, maybe it only affects Canadians  :Smile: 

----------

## donoreo

I got it to go.  I had to recompile my kernel and I included the driver in the kernel rather than as a module.  I am in the process of installing KDE right now and off to bed while it compiles for a few hours (Celeron 900, 512 MB RAM).

----------

## bleakcabal

I MADE IT WORK ! In a last desparate attempt, I recompiled the kernel for the Xth time removing a card that was there standard, removed the defaults gateway from a config file and changed my 127.0.0.1 -actualhostanem- to 127.0.0.1 localhost

All things I had tried before, I guess I hadnt tried them all at once !

I CRIED OUT LOUD ! When it booted correctly the first time ! Me to I am currently emerging KDE.

Go cannucks !

P.S. : Thanks alot for your help rac your really great. If there is anything I can do let me know.

----------

## tRiBUN

bleakcabal what did you exactly ... because i have similar problems ... Ihave 2 Network Cards ... first is the Realtek "RTL 8139(A)" the 2 is the Netgear "FA310TX" ... with the Netgear i am connected to my DSL Modem ... and i can't go online ... i get everytime a timed out ... but on boot both eth0 and eth1 devices are found ... with no error message

i don't know what i can do any more

----------

