module problems in w/ 2.4.5
 

I have two ethernet cards. One runs the eepro100 module and the other needs the rtl8139 module. The eepro100 runs fine but I can't get the other up and adsl to work

I recently installed slackware w/ the 2.4.5 kernel. I used netconfig to configure eth0 which worked succesfully. So, rc.netdevice has the command in it to load the eepro100 module on startup. I installed rp-pppoe-3.5 and used adsl-setup to configure it properly. adsl-start works and I can connect to the internet.

Here comes the fun part.

My 2nd ethernet card uses the realtek 8139 chipset. So, I edited rc.modules to load rtl8139 on startup, but modprobe cannont find that driver. I am still not sure why it can't, but I tried a couple things to solve this problem.

1. I found the driver source and tried to get it to compile with no luck. I did this for several hours before giving up.

2. I decided to recompile the kernel with support built in. I also recompiled several other prior modules as part of the kernel.

The first time I did this and started my new kernel I got a lot of "module not found" errors on startup. Some of them having to do with ppp. The kernel still started and both of my ethernet cards where now detected and configurable. However, I could not get adsl to start up. And it doesn't give me an intelligable error message.

So I recompiled the kernel again and left some of the other modules alone but made sure to include support for my ethernet cards. Started that kernel and had some differnt "module not found messages having to do with iso88* or something like that. Anyway, both etherent cards still work but adsl does not start. I can still boot back into my 2.4.5 kernel and adsl works, but noly one of my ethernet cards.

If you are wondering, this will be a routing machine which is why I need two cards.

I would appreciate suggestions and will provide any specific information you guys might need to help. Thanks.

try using the 8139too driver instead, AFAIK it's more recent in general, and better

Okay, I found the source for the 8139too driver in

/usr/src/linux-2.4.5/drivers/net

how do I go about making it into a module? I tried tail, but it didn't have compile instructions.

Any idea about the adsl thing after I recompiled the kernel??

I would suggest, at least for now, to go back to the 2.4.5 kernel that worked with the Intel NIC and the adsl. Then "modprobe 8139too", you should then be able to config eth1. If all this works like you want, then you can use the "lsmod" command to determine what modules are loaded. That would provide some basic info on what support would be required for a custom kernel without the use of modules.

thank you I will try that when I get home