Has anybody tried Ubuntu yet? I just downloaded/installed it 3 days ago and absolutely love it! I'm a complete noob, but it wasn't hard at all. Extremely user-friendly. Take a look at it...they have a Live CD as well

The first thing to do is check and make sure your ethernet card is connected. Open a terminal and type "ifconfig -a" (try "/sbin/ifconfig -a" if you get a command not found error). You should see two interfaces, lo (the loopback interface) and eth0, the first ethernet interface. If you do, you're 99% of the way there since your card has been detected OK.

Next you need to configure your network. If your Windows box is running Internet Connection Sharing, it should be running a DHCP server which will provide clients with network info automatically. You dhould be able to type "dhclient eth0" or "dhcpcd eth0" (try both) to obtain an IP address for your computer. Otherwise, you can use ifconfig to assign yourself an IP address as follows:

ifconfig eth0 <address>up

If you need to do that, you'll also have to set your Windows computer up as the default gateway with:

route add default gw <IP of Windows machine>

Hope this helps...

I have to go to work now,but i'll try tonight,Thanks for the response,If anyone else has any idea's please leave your input and i'll post back tonight.

Thanks ajc

btmiller done as you said and according to you i'm now 99% of the way there, my card as been detected ok.

Now the next bit you wrote as me a little confused my windows box as you call it,is running internet connection sharing,but i'm not sure where i type dhclient eth0 is it in the open terminal like i did on the first part or somewhere else, I tried it in the open terminal dhclient eth0 gave bad command and when i tried dhcpcd eth0 it froze my machine.

Can you break it down a little more for me please if your right and i'm 99% there someone give me 1% PLEASE

Thanks ajc

BUMP

try dhcpcd eth0 and you need to type it in console/terminal.

ifconfig -a

will also give a detailed list of all the internet devices and your ip information.

ifconfig -a gives me a list of stuff,but i don't know what to do with it or understand it,and dhcpcd eth0 in a console window freezes my machine thats the problem ?.

could you explain it more please,sorry i'm just missing something here.

ajc

post your ifconfig -a output, thn we can tell you whats going on..

i have to go to work sorry i'll post tonight

Thanks ajc

I had the same problems when I used DSL earlier on.
Actually, the problem is this -
When you want a straightforward system that sets it all up for you, it requires some pretty heavy resources. Slackware - and it's spin-off, VectorLinux - and Gentoo are probably the distributions best suited for bringing dated HW to life (I use Vector for my 600MHz, 32 MB RAM laptop. It is my best recommendation). But they are not... too easy to work with. They may require a helping hand. Everyone can install Slackware by choosing the "install everything" option, but that isn't optimizing, y'know?
If you want to do this after using Mandrake, SuSE, Ubuntu, FC3 or something like that (okay, the last 2 require som post-install tweaking, but it's heavily documented), you are probably not totally equipped to handle such a situation.
It should be noted that for a system as the one you describe, a KDE- or Gnome-based desktop isn't a good idea. They require a bit more RAM to play with.

Rock on over to your nearest bookstore
grab a copy of the UK mag "Linux Format"
and check out your nearest
Linux User group
in the UK

someone there might be able to help
and all it could cost you is a pizza and some coke
and there are plenty of LUGs in the UK

live long and prosper
floppy

Ok i'll post ifconfig -a output in a while,just got in from work,i'm interested in the fact that OSourceDiplomat reccomends vector linux i downloaded this and could not get it to run,Thanks for the replies though and i'll just get something to eat then post the ifconfig output .if anyone could tell me how to get vector linux working i'd be grateful as this as been mention that it should suit my system.

Thanks ajc

results when i typed ifconfig -a

eth0link encap:ethernet hwadd00:40:05:33:fb:2e
broadcast multicast mtu:1500 metre 1
rx packets:0errors:0dropped:0overruns:0frame:0
tx packets:0errors:dropped:0overruns:0carriers:0 txqueuelen:1000
collision:0 (0.0b) txbytes:0(0.0b)
interupts:3 base address:0x300

lo link encap:local loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0
up loopback running mtu:16436 metric1
rx same as above
tx same as above except txqueuelen:0
rx bytes:0 (0.0b) tx bytes:0(o.ob)

hope this makes some sence to someone

Thanks ajc

LOL, waiting for the try another distro,what the hell i'll stick with windows,so much for get one to run then post here and we'll help you sort it.

It's gone very quiet

Thanks for those of you who posted idea's

Maybe linux is a closed shop

ajc

Maybe you are better off with Windows, its user friendly, full of viruses and you dont need to learn anything new. It auto configures everything for you. I love being a microsoft bitch..

Goodbye