Hi there all,

I just moved from XP to Linux Mandrake 10.1
Trying to connect to Optus Cable (Australia) using the motorola 5100 Surfboard cable modem, have no idea how to configure it,

On XP it automatically assigned the IP should it do the same on Mandrake, I used the Internet connection Wizard but it did not work so any advice would be helpful

I find Mandrake to be just a little buggy in setting up a ethernet connection.

I assume that your cable modem box is set to pass out IP addresses (DHCP). So you need to set your ethernet connection up to receive them.

Open up the Mandrake Control center
Star/System/Configuration/Config Your computer
enter your root pswd.
Open Network and Internet
Open Manage connections

Set it up for DHCP and any other info that you need in there.
Apply it.

Then logout and then back in. You may have to restart X or reboot altogether but I think that a logout is enough.
You may have to wait several min for the modem to pass out an IP address to the mandrake box. Once it does you are up and running.

I have had to do that 4 or 5 times on mandrake box's to get it to work though.

Anyway if you are using DHCP then you need to config the Mandrake box to receive them.

Good luck.