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R4ndom 04-20-2009 07:01 PM
Very basic network question
 
I am very new to Linux and have started reading a lot. I have backtrack 3 installed on a Dell XPS m1530 laptop dual booted with Windows XP.

In Windows, connecting to the internet was very easy; I simply plug the network cable into the back of my laptop, run Firefox and the internet magically appears.

In Linux...not so much. Obviously my network card has not been configured as Firefox says It cannot connect. Can someone just point me in the right direction to finding out the first steps to making this work? Like do I have to download a driver? Should Linux automatically see my NIC card or do I have to turn it on somehow?

ps. I cannot switch to wifi as my company only has it hard wired :(

Any help would be appreciated.

Random

custangro 04-20-2009 07:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by R4ndom (Post 3515679)
I am very new to Linux and have started reading a lot. I have backtrack 3 installed on a Dell XPS m1530 laptop dual booted with Windows XP.

In Windows, connecting to the internet was very easy; I simply plug the network cable into the back of my laptop, run Firefox and the internet magically appears.

In Linux...not so much. Obviously my network card has not been configured as Firefox says It cannot connect. Can someone just point me in the right direction to finding out the first steps to making this work? Like do I have to download a driver? Should Linux automatically see my NIC card or do I have to turn it on somehow?

ps. I cannot switch to wifi as my company only has it hard wired :(

Any help would be appreciated.

Random
What is the output of...

Code:
ifconfig -a
FYI...

I don't recomend using Backtrack for "common" use...it's meant to be used as a Security Auditing Tool.

:twocents:

R4ndom 04-20-2009 07:37 PM
Yes, I know backtrack is harder than the average, but I eventually want to learn it so I decided to start with it, probably to my own detriment.


As far as ifconfig -a, here is the output (although I didn't put every last character in as I have to type it manually. Anything I removed is replaced with "..."):



lo Link encapLLocal Loopback
inet addr: 127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
UP Loopback running MTU:16436 Metric:1
...
RX Bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)


wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1f:...
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
...
RX 0 TX 0

wmaster0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-1f-...
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
...
RX 0 TX 0

hurry_hui 04-20-2009 09:32 PM
From the output it seems that your ethernet is not well detected. Please post following outputs:

Code:
dmesg | grep -i network
and

Code:
#lspci -v | grep -i eth
Btw, it is easier for people in the forum when you post output in tags [code]...[/code] or use # button.

jefro 04-20-2009 10:12 PM
Backtrack isn't a user type of distro. Might start with a more newbie friendly distro.

As you can see there is no lan nic in ifconfig -a.

Might have to try another disto like knoppix to see if it see's your card to get info off if lspci doesn't show.

custangro 04-20-2009 10:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by R4ndom (Post 3515702)
Yes, I know backtrack is harder than the average, but I eventually want to learn it so I decided to start with it, probably to my own detriment.
Learn to walk before you run...


Anyway; hurry_hui is right. Looks like your NIC isn't being detected...post the output of the commands that hurry_hui suggested...

-C

R4ndom 04-21-2009 12:29 PM
Yes, I know backtrack is not the most user friendly. But as it took me about 2 months just to get it to boot with windows, I really don't want to get bogged down in getting knoppix running right now.

As far as the outputs:

Code:
dmesg | grep -i network
does not give me anything.

Code:
lspci -v | grep -i eth
gives me

Code:
09.00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group ltd. 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller.

hurry_hui 04-21-2009 01:08 PM
Perhaps, you need newer kernel for Marvell Ethernet. It uses sky2 module. Since BT3 uses 2.6.22 kernel, I think this is the problem.

I got this on my config (2.6.27.3):


Code:
sabayon linux # cat config | grep -i sky
CONFIG_SKY2=m
The module is built-in for 2.6.27.3 kernel and newer.

Or you can download driver from www.marvell.com

R4ndom 04-21-2009 01:42 PM
Alright. I guess I am going to have to buckle down and install a new Linux OS. Can someone give me some advice on starting this endeaver? I guess I would reformat my linux partition (although I wouldn't need to reformat the swap drive, right?) and just install a different linux? What about Lilo? Do I have to go into the config file and delete the backtrack option and add whatever new distro I install? Speaking of which, which distro do you recommend for a beginner that has a lot of hardware support?

custangro 04-21-2009 02:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by R4ndom (Post 3516485)
Speaking of which, which distro do you recommend for a beginner that has a lot of hardware support?
Ubuntu ot Linux Mint (which is Ubuntu...but better :))


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