Ok maybe not that innocent. But mostly harmless. Here is my issue:

My question is: is it possible to discriminate between a windows network machine and a linux networked machine? And is there a way to block the windows machine that would still leave the linux machine capable of using the network?

Here's the story:

I have a dual boot Win7 / Slackware 13 linux system at my current office in <some univeristy building>.
One day i come into my office, boot into windows and notice my network is out.

command ipconfig tells me i have no network connection.

I try all the usual cord jiggling one does in windows. I refresh any cashes, try and let it wizard a new connection, etc. No avail.

I then decide I might as well get some work done and so boot into linux only to find I have been assigned a ip address and everything is a-okay.

It has been a few days now, and I have done many tests. The only conclusion I am left with is it is network specific. Here are my tests so far (in order of importance):

1. Took the machine to another network. Windows connects fine.
2. A virtualization of windows works within linux & connects.
3. Switching sockets & cords does nothing.

One thing I have not tried:
4. Switching to a NIC instead of using the onboard ethernet connection? (different MAC address?...)

Got any ideas what it could be? Conscious or otheriwse? Or if you have any other tests that I might run, or information that might be usefull, I would be happy to provide it.

All I can think of is that it is a linux only network. That being said.... maybe something server-side is being automated, like a script or something of that nature, and it is detecting the OS and not allowing you on. I really don't know what else to say about this issue, sounds kind of fishy to me....

Or maybe you have a virus or something, and the network firewall is blacklisting you? Could be a few other reasons.... If anything, I would advise you to talk to your network administrator for further troubleshooting. Good luck :/

I'm with corp769 on this one, you need to involve your network people. I highly doubt it is any sort of Windows discrimination, after all the communication is done entirely over TCP/IP and that is OS neutral.

That probably isn't it. Since Linux and Windows are using the same card, any MAC filtering would have affected them both.

I'm actually really curious what the problem is; Could you get back with us on this issue?

Hello,

On my router, I can see who is connected with DHCP by addresses and computer names, but the linux host names do not show up. So this means the router knows the client's OS by how it identifies its name. If I'm not mistaken, windows uses it own funky WINS service, while linux uses something else, which is why some routers cannot see linux hostnames.

I haven't ever heard of a windows/linux discrimination, but if the router knows what OS the client is using by how it broadcasts its name, then it is theoretically possible to allow one, but not the other. Plus, linux can be configured to use the WINS service as well, so it's not completely accurate.


just a thought,
rabbit2345

In Windows one tends to use some sort of active directory to control switches or servers. Other high end corporate tools and apps can do that also.

Sounds like how they do it at work.....

My work lan is very controlled by both of those means and a few more ways I can't say.

I was also going to suggest checking that TCP/IP is enabled and that the NIC is not Disabled in Windows..but I guess if the machine works elsewhere, then this can't be the problem.

Can you ping 127.0.0.1 from Windows?

Does the NIC symbol change when you plug in a cable or does it just sit there with a red cross on it?