Networking problem

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 02:22 AM

I am new to Slackware, but I have been using Ubuntu for about 2 years now. I installed Slackware 13 about a week ago, and I have been struggling to get it on the internet. I have looked up many different posts on this site that are very similar to my problem.

For a little bit of info about my computer, I am running Slackware 13 64 bit with the 2.6.29.6 kernel. My motherboard is an ASUS PN5-D.

When i do an lspci -vv i get:

Code:

00:14.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8221
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 0 (250ns min, 5000ns max)
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
	Region 0: Memory at fe02b000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Region 1: I/O ports at f200 [size=8]
	Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
		Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
		Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

When i do an ifconfig -a this is what comes up:

Code:

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:24 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:24 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:1200 (1.1 KiB)  TX bytes:1200 (1.1 KiB)

With nothing coming from my eth0.

The slackbook said netconfig should automatically setup most of it, but it really doesnt seem to do anything. It changes what i have in /etc/rc.d/rc/inet1.conf, but it doesnt do the other things it says it should do like create an rc.netdevice file.

From what i've seen from other posts, it looks like i dont have the right module loaded. I have looked through the modules in /etc/rc.d/rc.modules, but none of them look like they are right for mine.

I am very interested in getting this up and running, and appreciate any help I can get.

zhjim · 12-15-2009, 02:32 AM

As you allready noted you're missing the driver for your networkcard. Maybe the zip file here contains one

http://support.asus.com/download/dow...de&model=P5N-D
Check out the zip under "Other".

How did you search the kernel modules for the driver?

Code:

find /lib/modules -iname "mcp"

If this does not lead to success there might be the chance that the modules are not compiled within your actual kernel. But before doing this see if lspci gives other names to look for inside the modules dir.
See if you can find the driver when you configure a new/old kernel.

Nother way to get some names for your nic is by skimming through dmesg

Code:

dmesg | less

Just a hint. Maybe it might be worth to get used to the ip command its the next generation tool to fiddle with network options

Code:

ip link

would print all available interfaces

Code:

ip addr

would print all the address

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 02:43 AM

Wow that was a quick reply. The drivers that are on the ASUS website have a part with linux drivers, but the names are all short abbreviations, I don't know which one would work with slackware.

The only thing that i keep seeing over again in dmesg and lspci is MCP51, but I don't know if it is the module name. That seems to be the big problem right now... trying to figure out the name of it.

The linux drivers download from ASUS are named: Fedora6, RHEL3_U7, RHEL3_U8, RHEL4_U4, RHEL4_U5, RHEL5, SLES10, SuSE10.2.
SLES10 looks like it could be the closest, but I just don't know. When i compiled my kernel I looked into the network modules part and looked through everything I could find in there, but nothing was close to anything with mine.

cwwilson721 · 12-15-2009, 06:36 AM

First things first.

Since this is Slackware, using other distros commands don't usually work.

First, as root, run

Code:

netconfig

This will autoprobe the hardware, and usually add the correct modules (drivers).

Try to connect after this. If you still cannot connect, post the output of

Code:

lspci  #No need for the vv switch
lsmod

This will let us see what hardware/chipset you have, and if the modules are installed.

We'll see what needs to be done after this

allend · 12-15-2009, 07:16 AM

The OP posted output from lspci:

Quote:

nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)

This is supported by the forcedeth kernel module which is available in Slackware 13.
The OP also posted output from ifconfig:

Quote:

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

Those settings are for the local host, which will not work for internet connection.
To the OP,
What settings did you use when running Ubuntu? Use the netconfig tool and use the settings that worked previously.

cwwilson721 · 12-15-2009, 07:40 AM

Never asked for ifconfig.

I asked for the lsmod AFTER running netconfig. (netconfig may have been skipped during install. Wouldn't be the first time. I've done it myself)

And, yes, I know what modules SHOULD be installed. (Same chipset on this mobo)

I was asking for the OP to:

DO THINGS IN ORDER.

Skipping around can just cause confusion. ("My new DVD movie doesn't work"..."Did you look at frame 45678?"..."Plug it into a HDTV..."..."Did you replace the cables?"..."What Hz in your line?"...)

When the issue COULD be..."Did you plug it in?"

So we'll start with running netconfig, and we'll go from there.

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 11:14 AM

Well first off when I installed Slackware 13 originally i followed the instructions EXACTLY out of the slackbook. It makes

Code:

netconfig

look like it actually does something... You can only enter the hostname and domain name there, and is supposed to auto-find the correct module for it. It doesnt do that on mine.

This is really fun having to copy all my outputs from my computer to this crappy laptop without using the internet, but here is my output from lspci:

Code:

00:00.0 Host bridge: nVidia Corporation C55 Host Bridge (rev a2)
00:00.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:00.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:00.3 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:00.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:00.5 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a2)
00:00.6 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:00.7 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.3 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.5 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.6 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:02.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:02.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:02.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation C55 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:03.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation C55 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:06.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation C55 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:07.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation C55 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:09.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Host Bridge (rev a2)
00:0a.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP51 LPC Bridge (rev a3)
00:0a.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP51 SMBus (rev a3)
00:0a.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Memory Controller 0 (rev a3)
00:0b.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP51 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:0b.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP51 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:0d.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP51 IDE (rev a1)
00:0e.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Serial ATA Controller (rev a1)
00:0f.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Serial ATA Controller (rev a1)
00:10.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP51 PCI Bridge (rev a2)
00:10.1 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
00:14.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)
01:00.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Device 05bf (rev a2)
02:00.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Device 05bf (rev a2)
02:01.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Device 05bf (rev a2)
02:02.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Device 05bf (rev a2)
02:03.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Device 05bf (rev a2)
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G92 [GeForce 9800 GT] (rev a2)
09:08.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6306 Fire II IEEE 1394 OHCI Link Layer Controller (rev c0)

and sadly this is all that comes up when i run lsmod:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by

Like I said, I was following the instructions in the slackbook until this point. When netconfig didn't autofind it, it said to make sure that the module you are using is in your kernel, and that's exactly where I am stuck right now.

When I used Ubuntu the internet always works right out of the box, so I haven't had to mess with it very much.

The domain name line that you have to enter in netconfig confuses me too, because our router uses DHCP and when I look up what our domain name is it is blank.

manwichmakesameal · 12-15-2009, 12:06 PM

Is it possible that for some reason (crappy linksys router) that you aren't getting a dhcp offer from the dhcp server? Have you tried to run netconfig and use a static ip (that won't conflict with other clients on the network)? Also, what is the output of ifconfig after running netconfig?

edit: Just to cover all the bases, we'll follow cwwilson721's line of thinking. Is the network cable good, plugged in, etc....?

edit2: Are you using the huge kernel? If so, try using the generic with an initrd.

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 12:21 PM

Yes it's plugged in, don't be silly :P. I guess I also forgot to mention that i multi boot Ubuntu 9.10 and Windows XP on the computer as well, and there are no networking issues at all.

Setting up netconfig with the exact ip and everything that is assigned to me automatically on ubuntu or windows wont work here either. Neither will a different ip that my router isn't using. Also I get the same output from ifconfig that i posted above, even after running netconfig.

When allend replied he mentioned that my motherboard should be using the forcedeth module. I don;t have it on my computer that I can tell, i tried recompiling my kernel and looking for it. I found only one that that could have been close and it was in the lan 10-100mb section of the network drivers. It was already included though, but wasn't directly called forcedeth. It was an nVidia driver, the only time it was mentioned in all of the kernel setup.

How can I get the forcedeth module on my computer?

-edit Nevermind, I have it on there now. Now the next problem, i can't get my ethernet card to use forcedeth.

manwichmakesameal · 12-15-2009, 12:57 PM

What is the output of ifconfig after you run

Code:

you@yourmachine# ifconfig eth0 up

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 01:02 PM

When i run ifconfig eth0 up, i get

Code:

eth0: ERROR while getting interface flags: No such device

but in my /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf i have eth0 set to use dhcp with the rest blank.

manwichmakesameal · 12-15-2009, 01:07 PM

Have you tried modprobing the forcedeth module? And which kernel are you using, huge or generic?

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 01:10 PM

Code:

modprobe forcedeth

Does nothing, if that's what you were asking me to do.

And i just compiled the 2.6.29.6 kernel like it says to do in the slackbook, so I'd think it would be the generic one, wouldn't it? Should I be running the huge.s kernel to do this or what?

manwichmakesameal · 12-15-2009, 01:12 PM

So, after modprobing it,

Code:

lsmod | grep forcedeth

shows nothing?

Tedward · 12-15-2009, 01:15 PM

after modprobing and typing lsmod | grep forcedeth this is what comes up:

Code:

forcedeth                51864   0

Does that mean it is loaded but not being used by anything?