I am a linux newbie (2nd Day) who just installed Red Hat 9. Ethernet connection is not working. In Hardware Browser, the 3c905C network card is recognized. In Network Configuration, the device also shows up, but is inactive. When trying to activate, I get this message...

Cannot activate network device eth0!
Determining IP information for eth0...failed; no link present. Check cable.

I've tested an XP machine in the same docking station and it works. I have a feeling this has to do with the fact that the ethernet card is in the docking station. I don't have a network card directly in the laptop, so I can't tell if that scenario works.

Summary Information:
Computer: Dell Latitude CPx Pentium III 650
Docking Station: Latitude C/Port II
Ethernet card: 3 com 3c905C

Again, I am a newbie so I will need very SPECIFIC (detailed) instructions. Thanks in advance.

Question: Is the network cable pulgged in?
If yes...plugged in to what?
is it supposed to automatically get an IP address?


let I know...

Yes. It is plugged into a Linksys router. I know the card is working because my XP laptop uses the same docking station/ethernet card and it works.

Reboot the computer, go into the BIOS. (Usually by pressing ESC or F2 or something during boot. Watch for instructional messages.) Set plug-n-play OS option to no/off. Again try connecting with cable plugged in.

How do you get your IP? DHCP? If so make sure required ports aren't firewalled. Or simply try dropping whole firewall.

How many inputs does this network card have? Just ethernet? Ethernet and cable? Modems don't count, but these might.

I have a Gateway with a 3C509B card. Getting that to work is probably still my greatest Linux achievement... Turns out it was completely 'microsoft plug and play' meaning at boot it would decide to use cable or ethernet input. Well, this doesn't work in Linux. Worse, you needed a Windows 3com utility disk to specify cable or ethernet. I have *no* Windows. Luckily some guy at NASA had written a program to hack the card.

If you're a complete newbie you might also consider trying Mandrake 9.1. If you have no real attachment to RedHat. Sometimes one works right away, the other doesn't. Both are very nice.

Surely it seems that the card is trying to obtain IP via DHCP. Run netconfig or manually change the IP to be a static IP in the configuration file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 and restart the network services.