kernel ip autoconfiguration
 

Hi,

I have compiled a custom kernel (2.6.24.7) with IP autoconfiguration and DHCP enabled for a thin client application.
When the system boots the kernel never attempts to obtain its IP address by DHCP.
Is there something else I need to enable? (The network drivers load correctly and of coarse I do have a DHCP server running).
I should note that the thin client does not allow any parameters to be passed to the kernel at boot time.


thanks
Gordon

I suppose you need client rather than server...

Hi,
The kernel doesn't have any configuration for DHCP that
I can see, but it would be helpful if you can send
more information, what distro are you using,
what network card, your overall network configuration, etc.

In order to use DHCP you only need a correct driver for
your network card in the kernel (not as a module since
you are going thin client) and the configuration of
the network interface should be with dhcp.

Did you see in your DHCP server any request from the
client ? The DHCP server is working correctly? try testing
from another machine if the server answer the dhcp request.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

To give you some more information, I am trying to boot an IBM Netvista N2200 remotely using NFS. The N2200 has a non-standard bios which does not allow any command line parameters to be passed to the kernel during boot. In the bios are parameters for the IP address of the NFS server and a checkbox to select DHCP as the means by which the Netvista obtains it's IP address.
Both of these work allowing me to boot the kernel. This implies the network card, DHCP server and NFS are working.

The stumbling block is trying to load the Root FS using NFS. On loading the kernel the IP address of the system and the address of the NFS server has to be set again(they are not passed to the kernel by the bios).

The ethernet drivers are built into the kernel (not modules) along with NFS and NFS Root support.
The following kernel config parameters in networking are set, "IP: Kernel Level Autoconfiguration" and "IP: DHCP support"

On boot, when trying to locate the Root FS, the kernel reports "No NFS server found" but no connections were made to the DHCP server to obtain an IP address.

I have read conflicting reports that the command line parameter "ip=dhcp" must be passed to the kernel at boot for it to automatically use DHCP, but I have not had this confirmed.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Gordon

Hi,

I think the steps you are taking are correct although the BIOS
is something different, most of them use PXE in order to do
a remote boot, but if your kernel loads then that step is working
fine.

From your information your kernel configuration seems to be correct,
and the problem would be that your initrd command/script is not
initializing the network using DHCP in order to mount the RootFS.

My idea would be is you can make a test setup using LTSP which
is very easy to setup and that way you can test with proven components
if you setup works correctly and after that modify that setup to use
your own kernel, RootFS etc. If you use the PXE method for boot
you can have a more easy way to control which parameters pass to the
kernel, which initrd to use etc.

Best regards,