I've been trying to help my cousin over the phone for about three days and no luck with BellSouth DSL and damn small.
A user on another forum stated that with damn small the /etc/network/interfaces file isnt needed.
I've used netcardconfig and set it to dhcp but still can't connect direcly to my cable modem.
I have my computer setup as follows:

PC #1 Asus desktop
Kubuntu 8.04 and two network cards
Asus p5gc-mx/1333 motherboard
eth0 network card is a sundance technology (pci slot)
eth1 network card is a attansic technology (on the motherboard)
eth0 is static and is connected to my lan using a crossover cable and connected to pc #2 laptop
eth1 is dhcp and is connected to my cable modem

desktop /etc/network/interfaces file
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.1
netmask 255.255.255.0
up sudo ethtool -s eth0 autoneg off speed 100 duplex full

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet dhcp
up sudo ethtool -s eth1 autoneg on speed 100 duplex full


PC #2 Dell laptop
Damn Small 4.4.4 and one network card
Dell D620 laptop
eth0 network card is a Broadcom BCM5752 gigabit ethernet (on the motherboard)
This NIC uses the 'tg3' kernel module.

laptop /etc/network/interfaces files when using static
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.3
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.0.1

laptop /etc/network/interfaces file when using dhcp
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

I can connect to the Internet using dhcp when my desktop is connected to my cable modem.
I can connect to the Internet using static when my laptop is connected to pc #1 using the crossover cable.
I can connect to the Internet using dhcp when my laptop is connected to my work network using a nic cable. (my job has a Novell server)
I can't connect to the Internet using dhcp and a nic cable when my laptop is directly connected to my cable modem.
Cable modem is a Motorola SB4200 surfboard cable modem

I've modified my resolv.conf to include my ISP's name servers.
I've modified my network/interfaces file to say: iface eth0 inet dhcp
Using "pump -i eth0" for dhcp didn't work
I figured if I can get my laptop to work directly connected to my cable modem then I can get my cousin's system working.

I've even tried a puppy linux 2.17.1 boot cd and I still can't connect directly to my cable modem.
Do you think it's some kind of incompatiblity problem between the Broadcom BCM5752 and the Motorola cable modem?
I'll see if I can install the version of the BCM5752 driver on Broadcom's website.
Oops, since I'm using kernel 2.4.31 I can't use the latest BCM5752 driver because it's for kernel 2.6

Here are some results from ifconfig eth0:
rx packets: 15545
tx packets: 108
errors: 0
rx bytes: 1011289
tx bytes: 22673
interrupt: 10
Any ideas?

Try connecting the laptop directly to the cable modem. If it gets an address, and I think it will, then you will have to look at your Dell machine as the problem. I suspect that you do not have the Dell set up as a router which you have to do to get your configuration to work. (ipforwarding)

The laptop is connected directly to the cable modem. When the laptop is connected directly to the cable modem that's the only time I can't connect to the Internet and can't get an ip address via DHCP. Here is info from my first post.

"I can't connect to the Internet using dhcp and a nic cable when my laptop is directly connected to my cable modem.
Cable modem is a Motorola SB4200 surfboard cable modem."

Here are some results from ifconfig eth0:
rx packets: 15545
tx packets: 108
errors: 0
rx bytes: 1011289
tx bytes: 22673
interrupt: 10

When my laptop is connected this way I never get an ip address or subnet mask.
laptop /etc/network/interfaces file when using dhcp
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp
The only way I can connect to the Internet with the Dell D620 laptop is when I the laptop is connected to PC#1 using the crossover cable.

If anyone has the following configuration with damn small please post your fix on how you got your desktop or laptop to work when using damn small linux along with a desktop or laptop connected directly to a cable or dsl modem.
1. Damn Small Linux, cable modem with a desktop or laptop connected directly to the cable modem.
or
2. Damn Small Linux, dsl modem with a desktop or laptop connected directly to the dsl modem.

If the NIC on the laptop works when it is connected to the desktop then it should work when it is connected to the cable modem. I don't see how a hardware driver will affect a DHCP request.

Do you power off the laptop between connecting it to the desktop machine and connecting it to the cable modem?

Have you logged on to the cable modem to see if it can supply more than one address? Does the cable modem have a filter to only supply addresses to a specific hardware address?

I would disconnect the desktop machine from the cable modem and power off the cable modem. Then I would power off the notebook machine. Then I would power on the cable modem. Once it was fully configured I would plug the notebook NIC into the cable modem and then turn the power on for the notebook computer. Then see if it can get an address via DHCP.

I would also use a more popular live CD distribution to see if it will work. Ubuntu would be a good choice.

Also I don't like to see zeros in a subnet address. I could be wrong but I would replace the third octet with a number higher than zero.

Just to elaborate on stress_junkie's post typically cable ISPs standard service only provides one dynamic IP address. The cable modem stores the MAC address of last attached network device in volatile memory and will not provide an IP address if it changes i.e if one connects a different computer without first removing power to the device. That is probably why your laptop works in the office and via a crossover cable and not directly to the modem.

Now, how does this relate to your cousin's problem with DSL (i.e. digital subscriber line)

I put damn small on my cousin's old pc that I gave him and it won't connect to the Iternet when connected to a Netgear router that connected to a westell dsl modem. I asssume if I can fix my problem then I can fix his.

My laptop works on my home network with the crossover cable and at the office by just plugging in a nic cable to a Novell network.

I'll try the following:
"I would disconnect the desktop machine from the cable modem and power off the cable modem. Then I would power off the notebook machine. Then I would power on the cable modem. Once it was fully configured I would plug the notebook NIC into the cable modem and then turn the power on for the notebook computer. Then see if it can get an address via DHCP."

I've already tried Debian 4.04 r4a, Kubuntu and puppy linux. All won't allow me to connect to the Internet when directly connected to the cable modem. The desktop that I gave my cousin is old so that's why I put damn small on it. The Dell D620 I'm just playing around with.

I appreaciate your help guys and responses!
Thx for being patient with a frustrated woman!

Make sure it's not a crossover cable.
The Kubuntu is a good test. Don't know if I would trust the others.
Don't give up.

Stress_junkie,

You have solved my problem.
Thx so much!
I've been tearing my hair out trying to solve this.
Doh, I didn't think about powering off the cable modem.
My laptop now see dhcp when directly connected to the cable modem.

Now for problem #2.
My cousin have three pcs connected to his Netgear router WGR614 and a Westell dsl modem (BellSouth).
I installed damn small on one of the pcs for him.
A xp desktop and a vista laptop connect to the Internet fine while the damn small pc doesn't see the Internet.
Any ideas?
Of course the damn small pc is set for dhcp.
The netgear uses 192.168.0.1 (I think) for it's gateway.
I wasn't sure if he needed to change some setting in the netgear config.
From what I remember, his router is set to use the router at dhcp.

If the Windows machines can connect to the Internet then the DSL modem and the Netgear are okay. I don't know anything about Damn Small Linux. I think the first thing I would do is see if either dhcpd or dhclient are run during startup. Some distributions use dhcpd while other distributions use dhclient. Find out which one is installed, if any, by using the which utility.
You will probably only have one. Try running the one that you've got as root.
or
My ignorance of Damn Small Linux is getting in the way of being helpful.

No problem stress, I think my cousin wants me to put win98 on this old pc. I told him that most anti-virus software is not meant for win98 nowadays. So, I'll play it by ear. Thx for your help once again!

Hey Stress for helping me, do you want a free Fox dvd demo disc? It's great for testing out your surround system.
http://webpages.charter.net/glenise/stuff/foxdemo2.jpg

That looks great!

I'm headed out for a little bit but please send me your mailing address so I can send this to you. Send me a PM.