# ethernet card detection [solved] :)

## Sheepdogj15

hey, i recently installed Gentoo on an old PC (and i mean ooooold... it still has ISA slots!), and it looks like it went well. i dropped a second NIC in it because i intend to set it up as a firewall/router. i managed to get the new card detected and everything, but i will eventually want to bring the NIC that was already in the computer online. the thing is, i got this computer from a former roommate and i don't know much about it's hardware.

is there a way to scan or detect what brand of NIC it is, so i can install the needed driver and get cooking? or at least, some way of figuring it out without goofing too much with the kernel (did i mention this is an ooooold computer and it takes a long time to compile)?Last edited by Sheepdogj15 on Sat Mar 26, 2005 2:50 am; edited 1 time in total

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## allywilson

I have a relatively new PC, had a problem with the NIC as well. 

the NIC is an onboard nForce3. I just used the "forcedeth" module...has been working ever since.

~A~

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## befortin

Boot with a Knoppix (if your computer can boot on CDs!!) and see which driver it uses for your NIC (using lsprobe). Knoppix is able to detect most hardware.

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## oiper

Hey,

emerge pciutils if you don't already have it. Then run

```
lspci |grep net
```

or just "lspci".

That should give you some information about the card(s).

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## Sheepdogj15

kewl.

right now i'm emerging a massive update, but i'll try the lspci when i can (and i'll keep the Knoppix idea in mind just in case).

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## Sheepdogj15

 *oiper wrote:*   

> Hey,
> 
> emerge pciutils if you don't already have it. Then run
> 
> ```
> ...

 

 :Idea:  it worked! thank you.  :Smile: 

```
0000:00:12.0 Ethernet controller: Linksys NC100 Network Everywhere Fast Ethernet 10/100 (rev 11)

```

that's the one (i didn't know Linksys made ethernet cards, either).

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## kierans

Sheepdogj15, I have a gentoo installation with the same problem.  What kernel source are you using, and how did you fix the kernel to recognise the Linksys enternet card?

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## Sheepdogj15

hey there.

i did some searching on the card type, and found out it needed a "Tulip family" driver. i don't know which one it is specifically, but it's in the menuconfig under network drivers. i turned all of them on, except the last two (the descriptions sounded way off). the system found the card no problem after that.

let me know if you need more help.

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## kierans

Thanks, but just one quick question, what kernel source are you using sources for 2.4 or 2.6?

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## Sheepdogj15

2.6.

does anyone use 2.4 anymore?  :Wink: 

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## oiper

In case anyone else stumbles here. I've got an NC100. The "tulip" module works for it.

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