# Howto Install SIS900 pci onboard ethernet driver (solved)

## Anthony_winters

HI folks,

(using kernel-2-4.26-gentoo-r :Cool: 

I have the following problem I`ve installed gentoo on my laptop with a livecd everything had gone right but now my kernel is configured, I`m not able anymore to use my onboard ethernet card (sis900 pci onboard) 

I don`t know howto install the ethernet  card I`v loaded the drivers into the kernel when I configured the kernel but it`s not working, when I tried to use IFCONFIG it says the following thing

Link encap:Local Loopback

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

etcetra

Also I can't install DEVFS there`s is no option in my kernel to put this module into it.

Greets Anthony

The NetherlandsLast edited by Anthony_winters on Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:00 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## Urbanus

What happens if you enter

```
ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.1
```

as root? Did you take a look at dmesg if the chip is recognized?

I am using a 2.6.7 kernel with a Sis900 lan chip without any problems

----------

## Tun

I'm not near a gentoo box at present, so this is from memory (and is possible inaccurate)

devfs is in 2.6, but it's marked as obsolete.  Have look in File systems then Pseudo filesystems.

When you say loaded the drivers, do you mean built into the kernel (*) or as a module (M) ?  If it's a module, is it getting loaded ? (try lsmod)

Is the network card being recognised ? (lspci should list it)

----------

## Anthony_winters

if I do this 

 *Urbanus wrote:*   

> What happens if you enter
> 
> ```
> ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.1
> ```
> ...

 

I`ll get  the following

tux root #ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.1

SIOCSISADDR: No such Device

eth0: unknown interface: no such device

The error that I recieve is very logical! because my ethernetcard is not yet installed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *Tun wrote:*   

> I'm not near a gentoo box at present, so this is from memory (and is possible inaccurate)
> 
> devfs is in 2.6, but it's marked as obsolete.  Have look in File systems then Pseudo filesystems.
> 
> When you say loaded the drivers, do you mean built into the kernel (*) or as a module (M) ?  If it's a module, is it getting loaded ? (try lsmod)
> ...

 

I`ve  configured the driver in the kernel as module, this doesn`t work I tried also to configure the driver as built into the kernel, this giving also problems, I tried the command lsmod normally you see what modules are configured into the kernel, if I type the command the driver table appears but no kernel module isn`t installed so the table is empty.

Also I tried the command lspci this is command is not recognize.

If someone have a good idea then it`s very welcome  :Smile: 

Thank you for the fast reply`s

Greetzz Anthony

----------

## Tun

I wish I knew more about how Gentoo works.

Did you get devfs working ? This could be at the root of everything, have you got any other pci devices that work ?

If it's not devfs related. I'd compile sis900 support directly into the kernel.   You can get modules working later if you wish.

Then get lspci working.  Did you try lspci as root?  emerge pciutils might do it.  You use the tool to tell you what devices are connected to the pci bus.

If you have support compiled in and lspci shows the device then I'd examine dmesg and /var/log/messages looking for any related messages, notably IRQ conflicts.

Let us know how it goes.

----------

## Anthony_winters

Hi again,

I`ve tried the command modprobe sis900 and this is the result ;

tux root # modprobe sis900

/lib/modules/2.4.26-gentoo-r8/kernel/drivers/net/sis900.o: init_module: No such device

Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.

              You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg

/lib/modules/2.4.26-gentoo-r8/kernel/drivers/net/sis900.o: insmod /lib/modules/2.4.26-gentoo-r8/kernel/drivers/net/sis900.o failed

/lib/modules/2.4.26-gentoo-r8/kernel/drivers/net/sis900.o: indmod sis900 failed

If I take a good look at this error then I see that the kernel is trying to use drivers of this kernel 2.4.26-gentoo-r8 this is not the kernel that I`m using the kernel that I`m using is 2-4.26-gentoo-r8, so mine conclusion is that somewhere in my configuratie is a spelling error, but can someone tell me where?

greetzz anthony

----------

## Urbanus

 *Anthony_winters wrote:*   

> Also I tried the command lspci this is command is not recognize.
> 
> If someone have a good idea then it`s very welcome  

 

OK, for lspci to work you have to emerge pciutils. For the card problem: you are sure that it is a Sis 900 chip? Notebooks often have the chip from Realtek built in (rtl8139) I guess. So first step is to emerge pciutils, run lspci and see if there is the Sis chip detected (should be). Here on my work box (with gentoo) lspci gives the following:

```
bash-2.05b# lspci

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8605 [ProSavage PM133] (rev 81)

0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8605 [PM133 AGP]

0000:00:04.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super South] (rev 22)

0000:00:04.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 10)

0000:00:04.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 10)

0000:00:04.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 10)

0000:00:04.4 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI] (rev 30)

0000:00:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

0000:00:10.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq 5880 AudioPCI (rev 02)

0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 PF/PRO AGP 4x TMDS

```

As you see I have a Realtek card built in   :Smile: 

----------

## Urbanus

 *Anthony_winters wrote:*   

> 
> 
> If I take a good look at this error then I see that the kernel is trying to use drivers of this kernel 2.4.26-gentoo-r8 this is not the kernel that I`m using the kernel that I`m using is 2-4.26-gentoo-r8, so mine conclusion is that somewhere in my configuratie is a spelling error, but can someone tell me where?

 

Try

```
uname -a
```

 and you will see your kernel version. NB: If you use grub and copied the kernel to /boot/2-4.26-gentoo-r8 that does not matter. Important is the output of the uname command. For me this gives

```
bash-2.05b# uname -a

Linux mentha 2.6.7 #1 Thu Jul 29 14:01:52 CEST 2004 i686 Pentium III (Coppermine) GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

```

----------

## Anthony_winters

I`ve tried emerge pciutils, but with no network connection I can`t try this because it isn`t installed so linux is trying to download it, With other words I can`f use emerge anymore without installing my ethernetcard

the result of uname -a is:

tux root # uname -a 

Linux tux 2.4.26-gentoo-r8 #1 Tue Aug 10 20:17:24 UTC 2004 i686 mobile AMD Athlon(tm) 4   AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

I can tell you that I`m sure about the chipset on the ethernetcard it is a sis900 chip.

----------

## Urbanus

If you own a USB stick you could do a emerge -f pciutils from your second pc and then copy the files to the stick and to your laptop (to /usr/portage/distfile). So you could emerge pciutils without a network connection.

Could you mail me your kernel config via PM? Maybe I find something which is wrong...

----------

## Corpse2

and if you compile it in the kernel, not as module?

What does dmesg say about your eth0?

----------

## Anthony_winters

Hi folks,

The problem with my ethernetcard is solved.

I did the following thing, I booted from my gentoo livecd, after the system was booted I typ the command lspci, the list of hardware appears, then I saw that my ethernetcard was detected as amd ........ pcnet32. 

I rebooted my system, after that I reconfigure my kernel with the pcnet32 driver as module, after that, I was going to the map were the module was put in, than I did activate it with modprobe pcnet32, Ans gues what, there was my ethernetcard.

I have deleted netmount, I`ve read somewhere that is was not needed.

Thank you for the fast support to help me find the problem.

Anthony

----------

