# Getting up eth0

## jeffke

I just installed Gentoo, first reboot and then ... FAILED bringing up eth0 during boot ...   :Sad: 

So I can't get anything done now with my system. Please help me. I'm a linux newbie, so 'recompile your kernel' is not really an option.

The install cd found my ethernet card without my help. What happened. I'm connecting to the internet trough eth0 so emerge don't really work now ... please help!

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## masseya

Unfortunately, I think you may have to recompile your kernel.  However, it's really not as hard as it may seem to compile a kernel and I'm sure that everyone on the forums will be able to walk you though it.  It sounds like you may not have your ethernet card's drivers compiled into your kernel.  What brand of ethernet card do you have?

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## jeffke

It's a 10/100 Mbit/s no-brand card, which uses a RealTek chip (or at least I've seen other linux distro's use that one, I think I've seen 'ne2k-pci' or something work with my system).

When compiling the kernel like the installation manual said, I didn't know exactly what driver to compile in for my NIC. (and in general for my other cards as well)

I can't remember if I deselected the default card that was checked, but I do know I compiled at least one driver in.

To recompile the driver, do I follow the same procedure as in the installation manual? And what should I pick as NIC driver (Realtek PCI NIC).

Thanks for helping me out.   :Smile: 

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## mooman

Well, it kinda helps to know the NIC card.  You may want to just pop open the case and see if there are any markings or model numbers on the card itself.  Failing that, there might be a model listed on the largest chip there which might work as well (for searching on Google).  (And if you strike out with research, lemme know.. I can probably turn up something)

Here's a list of some of the PCI cards:

http://www.scyld.com/network/index.html#pci

There are links to some of the realtek details there too.

Once you've identified the NIC, you can either compile that card's drivers as a module, or directly into the kernel.  Most folks on here tend to recommend compiling NIC stuff into the kernel itself since that's one less thing that can break or get confused at startup.  As has been pointed out, recompiling the kernel isn't such a big thing.  You just do like 4 'make' commands and copy the output to the boot partition.

If you identify the card and still have problems, let us know and we'll try to help.  But we kinda need to know the card model first...

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## rac

If you're lazy and don't want to open the case, you can also boot from the install CD and look for network-card-driver-related-looking things in the output of "dmesg | less".  That might give you a hint as to which driver is being used.

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## jeffke

I'm lazy, so I didn't open my case  :Smile: 

But I did retrieve the box from the NIC: it appears to be a UNEX NIC: model NA012.

http://linchin.vwh.net/Product/NIC/NA012/NA012.html

However, I did not find any reference as towards what chip was used, etc.

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## silvein

I'm not sure if pci-utils is part of the default gentoo install since you can't emerge new packages without your lan card, but if it is try `lspci`.

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## _SkeLeToN_

You can do this to find out : cat /proc/pci    

That will list all pci device attach to your board.  

Hope this help

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## mooman

Jeffke, 

Well if that really is your card, then the info I found up on their website (from the URL you gave) is enlightening.  I looked in the Drivers download and found this handy linux install guide  :Very Happy: 

```

*****************************************************************************

*                                                                           *

*                   32-BIT IO MODE PCI ETHERNET ADAPTER                     *

*                                                                           *

*                     Driver Installation for LINUX                         *

*                                                                           *

*****************************************************************************

You can use LINUX bundled NE2000 driver (ne2k-pci.o) to install.

Manual Installation Method

==========================

1. Plug 32-Bit IO Mode PCI Ethernet Adapter into PC's PCI-bus slot.

2. Boot into LINUX and add "alias eth0 ne2k-pci" into the /etc/conf.modules

   file.

   cd /etc

   vi conf.modules

      alias eth0 ne2k-pci

3. Run the following commands at the LINUX prompt.

   modprobe ne2k-pci

   ifconfig eth0 192.74.53.10

4. Now, you can run 'ifconfig' or 'netstat -i' to see if there is a

   interface 'eth0'.

Other Installation Method

=========================

RedHat 6.x

  - Run "linuxconf" to setup your card.

     Select Networking -> Client tasks -> Basic host information

     -> Click Adaptor 1 to configure your adapter

     For example:

          Click "Enabled" (i.e. enable "Activate interface at boot time")

          IP address      192.74.53.10

          Netmask         255.255.255.0

          Net device      eth0

          Kernel module   ne2k-pci

          I/O port

          Irq

  - Save the changes and run "shutdown -r now" to reboot the system.

Slackware:

  - Add "alias eth0 ne2k-pci" into the /etc/conf.modules file.

  - Run netconfig to configure IP.

  - Modify /etc/rc.d/rc.modules:

      Add one line: /sbin/modprobe ne2k-pci

```

So it sounds like ne2k-pci is the winner...  Incidently, I also saw info (in the Windows directories) that implied it's a Realtek RTL9029 so that's another thing you might want to try.  NE2000 tends to be generic, so you might get better performance specifying the Realtek driver itself, but fall back to ne2000 with any problems.

hope this helps.

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## Superdog

I'd try the Realtek 8139 as well...

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## hielvc

If you have the 8139 cd youll want the 8139too nic driver. It will make 2 drivers if you select it as a module.  One will be called "mii" and the other "8139too" . they both need tobe loaded by /etc/modules.autoload. 

hielvc

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