# ifconfig not showing my networks

## prakhar

Hello everyone,

I just completed the installation of my Gentoo system. When I rebooted to my kernel, I was shocked to see my interfaces were not there. The only interface it shows is lo interface. I executed these commands for my interfaces:-

$ cd /etc/init.d

$ ln -s net.lo net.enp8s0

$ ln -s net.lo net.wlp2s0

$ rc-update add net.enp8s0 default

$ rc-update add net.wlp2s0 default

I also tried to do

$ service net.enp8s0 start

But, it fails with error:

    ERROR: interface enp8s0 does not exists

    Ensure that you have loaded the correct kernel module for your hardware

ERROR: net.enp8s0 failed to start

They were working just fine when I was working on livecd.

Please help.

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## charles17

Are you having the drivers correctly installed? 

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Ethernet might help.

If you installed them as modules check with lsmod

Also, https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Network_management_using_DHCPCD will show you a much easier setup for network.

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## Roman_Gruber

well.

this is mostly a kernel related issue.

post your kenrel version here and than post to a pastebin your full kernel config and post the link than here.

also check the gentoo wiki / handbook about configuring the kernel regarding network.

also run lspci on a livecd, write all down, those codes xxxx:xxxx or using lsmod can be used to find the needed modules

lsmod should return you on a livecd which modules are loaded, but you are better of using lspci and google for those xxxx:xxxx codes to see what you need in your kernel

and also => ifconfig -a <= reveals all when you have a proper configured kernel.

also lshw could be helpful on a working installation

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## Roman_Gruber

output of

lspci

ifconfig -a

lsmod

if you want old network names, or let it called the regular ones like eth0 and so on...

```
menuentry ' 3.10.40-gentoo_2014_05_18' --class gento --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

 linux /3.10.40-gentoo_2014_05_18 init=linuxrc ramdisk=8192 crypt_root=dev/mapper/vg_root_volume-lv_real_root realroot=/dev/mapper/lv_real_root dolvm net.ifnames=0

 initrd /initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-3.5.3-gentoo_Sept_2012

}

```

add net.ifnames=0 to your kernel. above it is a snipped of my grub.cfg so you can see where it belongs to.

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## prakhar

Actually, I wasn't sure what features to enable while I was configuring my kernel. I followed Gentoo Handbook and enabled all features it quoted out and nothing more. Never thought I need to enable my NICs explicitly.

My Ethernet card was Realtek RTL 8101E/8102E PCI Fast Express, for which (after googling) I found that RTL8169 may do the job.

My wifi card is Intel Pro Wireless 3945ABG, for which I needed to enable iwl3945 driver.

I enabled both of them, recompiled my kernel, and now I have both of my cards working. Thanks @charles17 for letting me know about enabling my net drivers explicitly. By the way, I am using kernel 3.14.14. Having a problem with udev and X11 now, thinking about starting a new thread.

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## Roman_Gruber

gentoo need some special flags and hterefore gentoo sources are recommended.

for udev there is also a guide around.

same for x11 and how to configure, its the same procedure. figure out what you have and than search for guides what to enalbe / build

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## Hu

 *tw04l124 wrote:*   

> gentoo need some special flags and hterefore gentoo sources are recommended.

 Although gentoo-sources is recommended if you want support from the Gentoo developers, you can easily run a vanilla-sources kernel without patches.

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