I have RH8 on and I'm trying to get onto my LAN and the Internet but my network card isn't becoming activated. I went into windows and found all the things I need to fill out for my network card in the configuration for RH. I'm also a little confused by windows giving me to entirely different number letter combinations and labeling them both memory range. I have put them both in and RH says it still can't configure my network card. My network card was automatically found and worked perfectly in Knoppix from a CD. Is there anything else I can do to configure my network card so it will be activated. When Linux is loading I get all OK's except when I brings up SIS 900 fast Ethernet and gives me a failed. Any ideas on what to do? I tryed to go into my BIOS but the only option there is to disable my card or enable and it is enabled so...
Thanks,
Darin

try scan pci and lok is there ur ethernet
try to use the command ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.1 up
or netconfig

Doesn't it show up when you run network device control? If it does and it won't activate, no DNS entries or, incorrect IP addresses. If connected to another machine's NIC, possible causes are no host name, a host name already in use on another machine, incorrect wiring e.g. straight through CAT5 cable instead of a crossover. If these fail, you may try as root # insmod sis900. If it comes back insmod: a module named sis900 already exists, the module has been found, and your configuration is faulty. I suspect a lack of DNS, hostname, or other network configuration in that order. Make sure you check the boxes to activate on boot, and allow all users to enable and disable the device when you run the Network Configuration gui.

Does it connect directly to the internet? If you can get it working on the internet without LAN networking first, that will make it easier to find the problem. You should get it to find the internet easily as a standalone machine. Also, if you are trying to network right off the bat with ICS, iptables will always prevent ICS without modification. If you are feeding it internet from another computer or switch, (again, iptables has to be properly configured) are all the IP addresses and default gateway set correctly? I have had the best luck using static IP's networking RH 8.0 pointing to the static IP (internal device) of the gateway machine. For ICS, NAT, and firewalling of RH 8.0, I strongly recommend Firestarter, found here -> http://firestarter.sourceforge.net/

I have used the SIS900 on a number of RH 8.0 installations/machines, and it is always detected and configured automatically. You should be able to configure it entirely from within linux, I'm not sure what you mean by the Windows letter combinations. I always use the Network Device Control gui in System Tools to set up networking for RH 8.0. You do not need to go to such low levels as IRQ's and I/O ranges to configure the SiS900 for Linux in my experience. In fact, since it shows up on boot, it is almost certainly a DNS, hostname, IP address, wiring, or other minor problem.

Here's another sometimes useful hint, if everything else is correct, and still no connection, unplug your modem and router for 10 seconds, then power them back up and reboot. Some cable/dsl servers need to access the NIC from a fresh start to connect.

If it works with Knoppix, then find out which settings Knoppix uses.

That's not even the problem yet. I tryed to go in a put in the host and netmask and gateway. I went into the hardware tab, went to edit my ethernet to make sure it was right. I just had a name and the type of card and it was and no I/Os or anything and when I hit OK it said my network card could not be initilized not that it couldn't find the network. I think Redhat can't even see the card.

-Darin

Have you tried insmod sis900? What motherboard are you using?

I had the exact same problem last week. RH 8 CD install has a bug with the sis900 drivers. You have to apply some updates from ERRATA. Everything before and up to 262, update 262 is the one that fixes the problem.

-R