Linux times out waiting for a valid dhcp response

enigma Z · 09-25-2003, 04:10 PM

Hey, uh I have Cable internet, but I can't connect.

I have Linux configured for DHCP, and it times out waiting for a valid response. I gave it my gateway address, and told it to use dhcp, but didn't give it a host name or a DNS server. Can anyone help me?????

KevinJ · 09-25-2003, 04:14 PM

I don't think it needs DNS info or hostname to find DHCP. That is a broadcast request.

How are you cabled up?

-K

enigma Z · 09-25-2003, 05:20 PM

i'm hooked up through a network hub to the cablemodem

What's a hostname, and where do I put in the DNS info?

KevinJ · 09-25-2003, 05:46 PM

All of that will be handled by the DHCP server if you ever get to it. Did you have another system plugged into this cable modem? Or the same system with a different ethernet card?

-K

enigma Z · 09-25-2003, 05:59 PM

yes, into the same modem, however, it is windows, and as we all know, "Windoze doez it automatically." I also have windows on this system, and as you can see, I can get to the internet just fine from here

KevinJ · 09-25-2003, 06:34 PM

Okay... well... I have run into trouble because if the MAC address changes, my cable provider won't give me a new IP until like 12 hours later. But that doesn't seem to be bothering you.

You might have a hostname assignment, like C12345A, it would be your Windows machine name...
then try adding this line to /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0

DHCP_HOSTNAME=C12345A

(or maybe its HOSTNAME= try them both)

then restart your network.

-KevinJ

enigma Z · 09-25-2003, 08:34 PM

Hey, I'm running slackware and I saw that line in /etc/rc.d/inet1 or something like that, would that work??

jschiwal · 09-25-2003, 09:18 PM

When you said you gave it your gateway address, do you mean that another computer is hooked up to the cable modem and this computer is the gateway? More information on your local network, or whether you have one would be useful.

enigma Z · 09-26-2003, 11:01 PM

K here's the layout:

CABLE MODEM
-----NETWORK HUB
------------WINDOWS PC
------------WINDOWS LAPTOP
------------MY PC

The cable modem is connected to the input jack on the hub, while three pc's, a windows PC, a windows Laptop, and mine are hooked up to separate jacks on the hub.

While in windows we can see each other too on the network if that helps

My pc runs windows and linux, and I can get to the internet on Linux

enigma Z · 09-27-2003, 04:24 PM

Hey, i just switched to Mandrake 9.1, and the network configuration thru Drakconf doesnt help either

jschiwal · 10-29-2003, 04:39 PM

Your configuration is like mine. I use a linksys cable modem hub.
Does the hub have a dhcp server built in. You don't need to enter a gateway address if that is the case, the dhcp protocol takes care of that. The hub probably has a web setup interface.
The IP address probably is of the form xxx.xxx.0.1 where the first two numbers are the Network address. If you didn't change the local network address try typing http://192.168.0.1 in a web browser.

Most cable companies only issue a single dhcp cable modem ip address for residential service. The hub negotiates the address for itself, and issues different ip address for the computers hooked up to your local network. If you were using a gateway computer your configuration would look more like this:

Cable Modem --- Gateway PC --- Hub --- PC 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|--- PC 2

and the NAT translation would be performed by the Gateway PC.

enigma Z · 10-29-2003, 04:50 PM

Hey thanks. I solved the problem--my nic was dying