Static IP works from ifconfig but not /etc/network/interfaces

neilneil2000 · 06-01-2008, 02:36 PM

Hi,

I am having problems with assigning a static IP to my machine.

my /etc/network/interfaces looks like this

Code:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.1.5
network 192.168.1.0
netmask 255.255.255.0
broadcast 192.168.1.255
gateway 192.168.1.1

When the machine boots ifconfig gives this output

Code:

eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1c:c0:45:1d:f2
     inet addr:192.168.1.5 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask 255.255.255.0
     inet6 addr: *BLAH*
     UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
     RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:4294967288 overruns:0 frame:0
     TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:138 overruns:0 carrier:0
     collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
     RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX Bytes:0 (0.0 B)
     Interrupt:20 Base address:0xa000

and ping 192.168.1.1 gives

Code:

From 192.168.1.5 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable

However if I change the /etc/network/interfaces file to read

Code:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

everything works, and running

Code:

ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.0 up

sets the static IP up and it works.

I don't understand what is going on here!

dkm999 · 06-01-2008, 03:27 PM

I am not sure which distribution you are using, but it could be that when you try to configure your ethernet with a static IP address, the routing table does not get set correctly. When you have your static declarations in effect, and then reboot, what does the output of

Code:

netstat -rn

show you? It ought to have only a few lines, like this:

Quote:

Kernel IP routing table
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags MSS Window irtt Iface
192.168.1.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
169.254.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0

sbs · 06-02-2008, 06:50 AM

I don't have a solution for you, but I can tell you what you need to look at.

First of all:
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:4294967288 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:138 overruns:0 carrier:0

So do some googling on problems with all packets being dropped.

And secondly, we know your static IP address is working after the DHCP client has set everything up, but what happens if you try setting it up completely manually?

neilneil2000 · 06-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Hi guys,

Thanks for your ideas, I tried them and couldn't find anything wrong...but I have since found out there are driver issues with this Ethernet controller so I assume its that that's causing this odd behaviour. I have installed a PCI ethernet card and now all is well!

Thanks again people!

dkm999 · 06-03-2008, 02:44 PM

That could explain the *very large* number of dropped packets on the incoming side of your link and 0 on the outbound side.