err ip routing tables? lol i dont know what that is... i checked it but i dont kno whats supposed to be there so yeah. umm ifconfig shows that i do have my ip addres and gateway set up. when u use ping it tells me that network is unreachable.

Sounds like a routing issue. Can you post the output of:
route -n

Destination Gateway Genmask flags metric ref use iface




thats all it says.... im assuming thats not how its supposed to look.

hmm i just noticed something else. whe i do ifconfig it doesnt show eht0 just lo

This seems odd. Try this as root:
ifup eth0

Then post the output of:
ifconfig
route -n

ifconfig
LO link encap : local loopback
int addr : 192.168.1.101 Mask : 255.255.255.0
up loopback running MTU : 16436 Metric : 1
RX packets : 32 erors : 0 dropped : 0 overuns : 0 frame : 0
TX packets : 32 erors : 0 dropped : 0 overuns : 0 carrier : 0
collisions : 0 txqueuelen : 0
RX bytes : 2336 (2.2 kb) TX bytes : 2336 (2.2 kb)

Kernel IP routing table

Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref use Iface






...... thats it, thats all there is. shouldnt eth0 show up under ifconfig? and why isnt there any info comming up under the routing table?

im starting to think i should have gone to red hat.... ive been told it doesnt often have these types of issues.....

Hi. Try following.
In BIOS (when you computer restarts press DEL) disable plug and play OS.
This would allow your ethernet card to be configured proparly under linux.
Then configuration would be a piece of cake.
You may try DHCP or static depends on router settings too.
Enjoy

Did the ifup not give any output?

Adding to david_ross' post, did Linux even detect your network card ?
Post the output of the following command:

hehe i got it guys. in my CMOS i had the installed OS set for win 98. i jus set it to other and snap it works. lol