I am trying to install Debian Woody on my computer but am having troubles getting the installation to recognize my network. I load the module for my network card without trouble using the tulip module. But when it gets to the network configuration via DHCP it always fails. I am behind a router, Siemens 2604 if that matters. I know it uses DHCP to connect as it works fine under Knoppix using that. I've read that that enabling PnP in bios settings can cause troubles, but that is turned off so it isn't the problem in this case.

I've also tried using the new sarge netinstall cd. It detects the network fine, downloads needed installation files, but always fails when installing things. Can't find some files or something, not sure the exact error it's been a month or so since I've tried that one. The point being, I know it can detect my network fine, it's just that the Woody installation (2.4 boot option) isn't doing it. What am I missing?

Are you trying to to the network install directly from the automated installer? I usually don't go that route. Just do a base install off the CD and then get apt sources right, then do an apt-get dist-upgrade. Then install all the packages you want via apt-get. Much easier and generally bulletproof.

I'm just trying to get the base system installed. I was going to apt-get everything after I got it up and running. But I can't do that since I can't get the network configured properly. I don't know if I am not including a needed module to get the network to work properly or what. I've also tried just ignoring the unworking network and going ahead with the base install. This seems to complete ok, but I still don't have access to the network, thus no apt-get which kind of defeats the whole purpose. If there is a way to get the network configured properly after the base install, that would also be a viable solution. I can't get that to work either though.

Yes but after you've installed the base system, you then have all the tools you need to install the ethernet card. What card is it? Can you show me the output of lspci -v (just the relevant part). Then I might be able to suggest a module for you to load.

00.0d.0 Ethernet controller: Lite-On Communications Inc LNE 100TX [Linksys Etherfast 10/100] rev25
Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc: unknown device c001
Flags: bus master, stepping, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
I/O ports at cc00 [size=256]
Memory at e3000000 (32-bit, not prefetchable) [size=256]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=256k]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management Version 1

I'm sure it is the Tulip module I need for this card, which I am loading. Thanks for any help you might be able to give me in getting this working.

So the module is loading without error and shows up in the output of lsmod? If that is the case then you should just be able to do a ifconfig eth0 up. That should bring the eth0 interface up. Check it by just typing ifconfig. Then you should be able to do a dhclient eth0 since you say you use DHCP.

ifconfig eth0 up seems to bring the network card up without trouble and dhclient eth0 exits without error (even when using the -e option) after a minute or so. But I still cannot even ping my router or do dns lookups.

I had the same problem recently when installing my NIC with the dmfe-module. The problem was that both my NIC and router was using autosense resulting in the NIC asking the router "What speed?" and the router responding "I dunno...u decide..", "NIC: No you..." "Router: naww...u decide" and so on...

I loded dmfe with mode=4 (force 10 mbit full duplex) and it worked like a charm after that.

I have the exact same network card that you do, and have had the same problem. I have never been able to do a net install with dhcp using the bf2.4 kernel. So what I do is just install the base system with the vanilla kernel. Then just apt-get the 2.4.18 kernel source and compile it with the tulip driver and MAKE SURE you also have packet filtering and socket filtering enabled as well. They are under the network options. You must have those two options enabled for dhcp to work with that card. So the bf2.4 kernel probably doesn't have them enabled.

I don't have the option to give parameters when loading the tulip module, so I can't try loading it with mode=4. I also tried just doing a vanilla install, but unfortunately the vanilla kernel does not recognize my hard drive controller (hpt366). I did verify that DHCP does work with the vanilla kernel, but no way to install it since it can't see my hard drive.

I also tried using the unofficial sid installer, but it errors when trying to launch the keyboard chooser so I can't proceed with installation there either.

Hi,

I have just installed debian on my system, and I cant get my network interface card to work....

It is a SMC card, using a realtek chip, and the module is 8139too. In the lsmod output, the module is loaded, but when I try

(eth2 also appeared in the /etc/network/interfaces file)

#ifconfig eth2 up
error: eth2 No such device

also the output of dhclient is...

#dhclient eth2
error: eth2 No such device

If i look for the device files in /dev they do not appear... How do I detect which device file my network card is using? and how do I install the necassary devices files if required?

Is there some kind of network configuration utility?

Thanks in advance,

Cyber

Try eth0 instead of eth2.