It's been 3 1/2 weeks since I began fooling around with SuSE 9.1 Pro and it's been 1 week since I've completley given up on linux, as a whole, and since reaffirmed my loyalty back to XP. WHY?
1. Every time I get on 1 of 7 forums and people try to help me it's a disaster. Everyone uses drastically different versions of Linux and everyone assumes that I should be an expert already so as to understand command lines in the console and stuff like that.
2. No one in the world can get me connected to the internet. It should be realtively simple. All I need to establish my 'always on' connection in XP is: DSL modem, NIC card, IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DNS Primary, and DNS Alternate. Apparently all Linux OS's can't connect with that at all. Apparently it's impossible to connect to the internet unless you have whatever the hell PPPOE and DHCP is. In fact, this PPPOE and Tunneling protocol and DHCP crap has nothing to do with my ISP. They don't use any of that at all.
So basically, I was severely optimistic with a lot of hope that I could tell Microsoft to shove it but it seems as though the people (linux programmers, creators, forums) I thought would help me do that have simply shoved me back to MicroSoft instead.
Thanks.

first of all this has nothing to do with the software fourm, so if in fact you post in the
future about something like this, please put it in the General fourm ...
second, all linux distros can in fact connect to the internet with DSL, i for one used DSL before moving and getting cable ... and if you connect directly to your DSL modem, then all you would have had to worry about is getting your NIC to work, the rest is irrelevant and it would of been picked up when your NIC was functioning properly ...
and if someone is too vague, and assumes you are an "expert" in the command line, then just simply ask them to elaborate ... if they were kind enough to answer your
question, then i am sure they would be kind enough to elaborate on what they have
told you if you did in fact not understand ..
and you have to understand, linux is not an OS for everyone, nor is a version of
MS windows for everyone ... i personally get angry when i have to use windows at
work or when i went to school, and it sounds like you get angry when you have to
use Linux ... so just because it wasn't for you it doesn't mean you have to come here
and trash those who tried to help you and say it was their fault that you are using
XP again ...

oh and to answer your qusetion, nothings impossible ..

1. Freedom of choice, great, isn't it? The command line is the "lowest common denominator" of Linux as all systems have the command line.

Did you check out the Linux Documentation Project?
DSL HOWTO for Linux

OK, I tried Linux, I think it sucks and I don't like it. I want to go back to Microsoft Windows.
# Microsoft's instructions: How do I uninstall Linux completely and keep/use Microsoft Windows only?
How to Remove Linux and Install Microsoft Windows 2000
How to Remove Linux and Install Microsoft Windows XP
You can remove lilo from the mbr with
/sbin/lilo -u
You can remove grub or lilo from the mbr by booting with a Microsoft Windows 98 boot floppy (at the prompt, type fdisk /mbr), or by using the Windows XP Recovery Console or the Windows 2000 Recovery Console

# Basic Microsoft Windows security (can be out of date as I don't really keep up)
Firewall: ZoneAlarm Virus protection: AntiVir
Multi spyware removal utility: Lavasoft

# Microsoft Windows help sites
Windows BBS
Computing.net
Annoyances.org
Microsoft's Computer Management

Ever try putting toothpaste back into the tube?

Sorry, but I got trashed in my last post for not knowing anything and was advised to stay away from Linux when I asked for elaboration.
I do not get angry at Linux like I get angry at Windows because I've only used linux for maybe 2 days total because it was pointless for me to keep it installed if it's impossible to get an internet connection. I would still love to migrate to Linux. I absolutlely hate WIndows but if it won't work then I can't use it.
It's funny you mention the NIC card and all but (SuSE)YAST recognizes my NIC just fine. Beyond that its a mess, simply put. It gives me several options to connect with which include PPPOE and cat-ADSL (or whatever) and Tunneling thru protocol (or whatever). After that it asks about passwords for servers and whatnot (thats the DHCP).
And yet again I repeat that my ISP does not use PPPOE or DHCP or any of that therefore I am lost because from what I understand thats how Mandrake and others set up their conenctions. Believe me, I've called my ISP techline 4 billion times to try to get things going.
I would just like to know why, for me to connect to the internet thru any Linux OS, it sounds like its going to take immense amounts of effort and work?
So if you would like please be elaborate because I keep getting the same redundant answers rehashed to me with every post.

1> don't follow instructions ment for different distros, and there is no need for the command prompt on a suse box unless you want to use it. all configuration can be done within yast.
2> it is simple if you don't try to overengineer it. forget the command line and let yast do it. unless your isp has assigned you a static ip(unlikely, but not enough info to tell) than your going to need dhcp,thats the point of dhcp, so you don't have to input all the other goop, dns addresses, default gateway, etc.

post your isp, your nic model, your connection type, etc. so were not wandering to the dark here.

1. welcome to LinuxQuestions.org. i am a newbie to linux and have learned more about linux in this forum then i have in all the books and web pages i have read over the time ive played with linux. ppl here may give you something that is over your head, but if you ask them to back up and give you some more basic instructions they have always done so for me. very helpful IMHO, and i look forward to coming to these forums so i can learn more.

2. if you are using basic DSL connection that is either PPPoA or bridged ATM, as those are the only other 2 opptions for DSL other then the one flavor you stated is not part of it, then you can connect directly to the net with linux.

were i am now is on a PPPoA ADSL connection behind a Zyxel 642R router. my RH9 box connected from before the first boot with zero problems. at the house i run on cable connection. i have been behind both a Linksys and a SMC7004FW router. in both cases my laptop, also running RH9, connected right before first boot.

i have played with debian, suse, slackware, fedora core 1 (did not work on my laptop as would not install my NIC drivers), knoppix and all have ran just fine connecting to either my DSL, or my cable connections.

so if you are still having problems, then you need to do a few things.

1. find out exactly what type of DSL connection you have from your ISP. (PPPoA, PPPoE, Bridged ATM)
2. provide this community with that information.
3. be patient and explain to ppl what happend in detail, and also what did not happen.
4. verify that your NIC is working under linux. if SUSE did not detect and install the proper drivers for your NIC, then just like in windows you will have problems.

if you just came here to flame and bitch, then go away and dont bother coming back. please keep that closed mind of your closed and in the back pocket of Microsoft, but if you are frustrated and wanting help, then stick around and the ppl here will try to help you as much as they can.

Thanks FancyPiper, been reading thru some of that and it doesn't really do me any good. I've tried ifconfig and all that trash because I have a static IP but it's to no avail. I guess I'm just linux-retarded.

Can anyone point me to a linux command line ditcionary? Sure every OS has command lines but at least with XP i've never had to screw with one. I see all this stuff and I'm supposed to know what to type but I've only been in Linux a month so where am I supposed to gleen all this knowledge from?

I will call my ISP and try to get a specific answer as to what kind of DSL connection it is. (I do know that it is a static IP)
What I do know that happened:
1. SuSE recognized my NIC card just fine, Linksys, etc.
2. Did not recognize any DSL connection however.
3. I tried every variable possible in the configuring of the DSL connection but nothing worked.

Thats the wired thing, I just checked out Linksys Linux support and it talks about using the Tulip driver. I remember seeing that plainly at one point when I checke dthe configuration of the NIC card. Therefore I believe that my NIC was functioning just fine.

kewl, found your nic but no connection. i'm having problems with linksys pcmcia cards in 9.1 , wonder if the diriver is hosed. might explain a few things. question for the group, does the pci linksys cards use the same module ( pcnet_cs) as the pcmcia cards?, i don't have a linksys pci card available. if so i think we may have to clear that hurdle first. i have reported it to suse but no updates have be made availble yet.

nice find rshaw if that is the case. that will be a good steping point.

brent1a, i am glad you are sticking things out and hope you can see that ppl at this forum are more then willing to help ppl out.

having the static IP will mean a little more steps once we get your NIC to see the connection. lets hope that by the end of the day/week you are up and running on linux.

yes linux has a HUGE learning curve if you are coming out of the windows world like i did, but once you get the hang of it, and what questions to ask. life gets much better in the linux world then under windows.

at least that is MHO.

the german sites have a few reports of linksys problems, no resolutions yet(that i've found)

It's a steep learning curve, but well worth the climb.

I think my son used the command line quite a bit in Win2KPro. It saves lots of re-booting to take a NIC up and down to renew a connection. Does WIN XP not give you access to the command line? It's very handy and saves time, even in 'doze, if you can ever find the information you need to type and their funny syntax and no history to back up and correct as in bash (up arrow gives last command and you can edit typos).

Your shell (command line) is most likely bash (Bourne Again SHell), so there is a link to those commands in my sig.

Here are some handy ones and in the LNAG (Linux Newbie Administration Guide), they have a list of handy ones that I stole some of these from.

# Bash shell commands
Command Reference NHF
O'Reilly Directory of Linux Commands
# Handy bash commands I might use or ask a newbie to use:
# Find CPU specifications
cat /proc/cpuinfo
# Find running kernel version
uname -r
# What compiler version do I have installed
gcc -v
gcc --version
# What is the running kernel and compiler installed
cat /proc/version
# Find X server version
X -showconfig
# What pci cards are installed and what irq/port is used
cat /proc/pci
# What kernel modules are loaded
lsmod
# Memory and swap information
cat /proc/meminfo
free
An article: Tips for Optimizing Linux Memory
# How are the hard drives partitioned
fdisk -l
# How much free/used drive space
df -h
# Show disk usage by current directory and all subdirectories
du | less
# What takes up so much space on your box
# Run from the directory in question and the largest chunk shows up last
find $1 -type d | xargs du -sm | sort -g
# What is the distribution
cat /etc/.product
cat /etc/.issue
cat /etc/issue
cat /etc/issue.net
sysinfo
# For finding or locating files
find
locate
which
whereis
# Use dmesg to view the kernel ring buffer (error messages)
dmesg | less
# Watch error messages as they happen (sysklog needed)
as root, tail -f /var/log/messages (shows last 10 lines, use a number in front of f for more lines)
# What processes are running
ps -A
# Find a process by name
ps -ef | grep -i <plain text>
For example, XCDroast
ps -ef xcdroast
# See current environment list, or pipe to file
env | more
env > environmentvariablelist.txt
# Show current userid and assigned groups
id
# See all command aliases for the current user
alias

as requested :
http://www.onlamp.com/linux/cmd/
http://www.laynetworks.com/linux.htm
http://www.unixguide.net/linux/linuxshortcuts.shtml
http://www.linuxselfhelp.com/cats/commands_shells.html

and the best one of all if you just wanna read and learn
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz