OK... here's my problem.. and i know there is a fix to it.. i just don't know how..

So before my problem started...
At boot up it would check for my nic card. it would find it, and it would check if it was connected to the internet, or network or whatever. If it was connected it would use DHCP to find the appropriate IPs, connect me and move on.

If i didn't have my nic plugged in, it will quickly just say [fail] and move on.. if i decided to connect my nic while i was in the x windows system.. i would simply just log out.. and log back in and it would get online..


here's my problem.. and what caused it

So i was trying to set up my modem (which i failed to do).
After i ran those internet connection wizards i restarted.
My modem wasn't working. But now i got another problem after trying to set up the modem.

If i have the nic connected, it will work as before. use DHCP connect.. and so on.. no problem..

But now if i leave it upplugged it doesn't say [fail] right away and move on... it waits till i plug in the cable.. or it spends about 2 -3 minutes before it timesout and then say's [fail] and moves on...

i want to do at least one of these two solutions..

1) (better solution) I want to reduce this time out to a few seconds.. so when i don't have it connect it boots up faster ( i don't want to spend an extra 2 -3 minutes at boot up.. that's just too long >=\).. This is how it was before.. i will not always be connected because i take my laptop to school, and i'm not always connected at school either..

2) Somehow just disable the nic from trying to connect.. but still have it load up the drivers and stuff so i can connect in the x windows system.
I tried deleting my eth0 line from modules.conf.. but that just got rid of eth0 all together.. and when i try and set it up from the GUI it craps out on me...

i would really really really appreciate the help.. sorry for such a long post..

Please read the BBS rules you agreed to. No multiposting, please.

i apologize.. i double posted by mistake... >=\ ...

How about the third time?

ok let me set it straight.. i tried posting it once (linux is out to get me....) it locked up on me.. so i pressed it again thinking the first one didn't go through.. nothing happneded after the second time.. so i logged out and logged back in and then posted the eth0 timeout problem... heheh so again.. i apologize.. i know i've been bad >=\

Add your eth0 line back to the modules.conf file if you want the module loaded into the kernel on bootup.

I thought all the networking could be done in the networking section of the Mandrake Control Center. Have you tried setting it so that eth0 isn't brought up on boot-up through that tool?

# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy urpmi config for Mandrake
urpmi mini-HOWTO
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Urpmi But Never Dared Asking Before
Easy software management: Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
You didn't install the developmental packages? As root, command:
urpmi gcc
An Introduction to the Midnight Commander. You can install it by commanding:
urpmi mc
Midnight Commander home page

yea i added it back to modules.conf... yea in the DRAKconnect tool i tried setting it so that it doesn't start on boot... it works.. but i can't get the connection to work after that...

for example.. i set it to not start on boot.. i turn my laptop on. i let it start up.. then say i connect it. i tried logging out. logging back in, then going to the Drakconnect tool and activate eth0 but when i try t open a browser (mozilla, and galeon) nothing happens.. i can't get online.. The only way i can get online is if i have it as start on boot.. it's weird i don't get it.. i'm gonna keep messing with it for now.. i'll post back if i get it how i want it.

WOOOOOO!!!! i fixed it!!!!!

ok so here's what i did....

i went to the network interface config filr

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0

this is what was in it.

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
ONBOOT=yes
HWADDR=00:02:3f:b8:2c:42
MII_NOT_SUPPORTED=no
NEEDHOSTNAME=yes

what i did was add a timeout parameter... i read this on man ifcfg

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
ONBOOT=yes
HWADDR=00:02:3f:b8:2c:42
MII_NOT_SUPPORTED=no
NEEDHOSTNAME=yes
DHCP_TIMEOUT=0

This dramatically reduced that time it sits there waiting for me to plug in the cable.
so i wanted to make the time it took even shorter (like a split second if it wasn't connected)

so i did this

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
ONBOOT=yes
HWADDR=00:02:3f:b8:2c:42
MII_NOT_SUPPORTED=no
NEEDHOSTNAME=no
DHCP_TIMEOUT=0

This reduced the timeout a bit more.. but not as short as i wanted.. soo from reading the man page i noticed that the only required parameters where DEVICE,BOOTPROTO, and ONBOOT

so i decided to just set those and see what happened i did this

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
ONBOOT=yes

and VIOALA!!!!! it worked.. when the nic isn't connect it zips right through with the [fail]... and when i connect the nic while i'm in x windows, i just have to log out and log back in and i can use the internet right away!!!! WOOO!!! and of course if it is connect on boot up it works fine....

I'm so proud of myself.. :-)... heheh

A good man can always find a good man and info isn't much harder to find, either.