Trying to get online with a laptop & linux using the dhcp client dhcpd.

I've verified I have a good connection, via the able modem & hub. I'm able to swap out cables and ports with my windows machine and have a good connection. So...good cables, good ports. Activity light on the laptop nic flickers intermittently so I assume that is good also.

Here's what I have tried:

ifconfig eth0 up (eth0 shows up them, minus an ip address)
dhcpcd -d eth0 up

dhcpcd returns back the MAC address and then just sits there, timing out...according to the syslog.

I haven't really done any other configuring or anything, just a basic and recent install of ZenWalk GNU/Linux.

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Depends on the ISP but I belive that Comcast only provides one dynamic IP address with its basic service. So therefore you will not be able to use both computers with just a hub. In addition the MODEM stores the MAC address of the connected device so in order to test the laptop you will need to recycle power on the MODEM prior to bringing up its network interface.

Thank you. hooking up the linux laptop directly to the cable modem, and recycling the power on the modem worked.

So even though the comcast support person told me nothing need be done to add a second computer to the network, apparently there is somethingthats needs to be done!

Again, thank you.

You will need to get a router in order to use both computers online at the same time.

For Zenwalk to go online for me...I had to add the Primary Nameserver, Secondary Nameserver, gateway, etc. to the Networking files during installation.