Internet Connection

[Cambo105]

Hi everyone, I am very new to Linux and in the interest of just trying it out, I've downloaded the latest version of Knoppix. It runs excellent on my computer (HP dv2000, Core 2 Duo) and with 2 gigs of ram, I can run it directly from the ram to make it even faster. My only problem is I am having a lot of trouble connecting to the internet. I don't know how to connect to the broadband internet at my college and I don't even know where to start. Also any tips on connecting to wireless internet would be appreciated because once I can get my wired connection all set I'd like to be able to connect to wireless as well. Thank you in advance for your help

[Harry Kuhman]

Hi everyone, I am very new to Linux and in the interest of just trying it out, I've downloaded the latest version of Knoppix. It runs excellent on my computer (HP dv2000, Core 2 Duo) and with 2 gigs of ram, I can run it directly from the ram to make it even faster. My only problem is I am having a lot of trouble connecting to the internet. I don't know how to connect to the broadband internet at my college and I don't even know where to start.

If your school configures network connections by DHCP, you may actually already be connected just by booting. Yes, some people have asked for connection help in the past and we later determined that they were connected and just didn't check. If not you may need to set some network parameters by the netcardconfig command. But I can't tell you what those parameters are for your case. It would be best to ask the network administrator what the setting for you should be, or failing that some knowledgeable local technical user.

Also any tips on connecting to wireless internet would be appreciated because once I can get my wired connection all set I'd like to be able to connect to wireless as well. Thank you in advance for your help

Sorry, but wireless support in Knoppix isn't particularly good. Of the several wifi cards that I have, only one worked in Knoppix 4.02 and even that one stopped working with 5.0.1 and up. If you card doesn't seem to be supported there is a very good chance that it is not. I can suggest other Live CDs that have better wifi support than Knoppix that may help. Of course you'll need to kmow things like the network SSID, type of encryption used, and encryption key.

[Cambo105]

I am relatively young (19) and rather new to Linux and my technical knowledge of computers is lacking, so please excuse my ignorance. When I run netcardconfig I am asked for 5 numbers. First, the IP address: which address is this? The one for my school's network or my computer? If its for mine, how do I find it? Then the network mask, broadcast address, default gateway, and nameserver. Basically the same questions apply for all. What are these numbers and where/how do I find them?

Thank you for help in advance, hopefully I'll have knoppix online soon.

[Harry Kuhman]

I am relatively young (19) and rather new to Linux and my technical knowledge of computers is lacking, so please excuse my ignorance. When I run netcardconfig I am asked for 5 numbers. First, the IP address: which address is this? The one for my school's network or my computer? If its for mine, how do I find it? Then the network mask, broadcast address, default gateway, and nameserver. Basically the same questions apply for all. What are these numbers and where/how do I find them?

Thank you for help in advance, hopefully I'll have knoppix online soon.

These are all particular settings for your network connection. The IP address is indeed the IP address that will be assigned to your own computer. I don't have the time to write a full course on IP addressing here, but if you want to learn more about it (worth doing) you can find plenty of information about this on the Internet, a Google search would be a good way to start.

I can't tell you what your IP address will need to be. Many networks use DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) to assign parameters like this automatically at boot time, and on such system Knoppix does a DHCP setup at boot time and is just on the network automatically when it's booted. If DHCP is not used then someone should be telling people who are allowed to use the network what the particular settings should be for their system. Most of these values will need to be determined by the system network administrator. Some things, like the broadcast address, can be figured out from other settings (the network mask and the IP address determine the broadcast address(, but it is usually just give as part of the needed information. So I go back to what I said before, as the network administrator, or some other technically knowledgeable user of that network. One other thing that I could ask: If you don'y use Knoppix but rather use Windows, how do you get the information that you use to set up your networking? The commands to set up a windows system on a network would be different, but the settings would basically be the same.

[Cambo105]

Connecting to the network using windows is much easier, I connect the ethernet cable and windows recognizes the network and then I just have to click on connect, no messing with IP address and the like.

[Harry Kuhman]

Connecting to the network using windows is much easier, I connect the ethernet cable and windows recognizes the network and then I just have to click on connect, no messing with IP address and the like.

That's likely being done by DHCP, which I mentioned in the first post. Are you sure that Knoppix isn't connected also (which I also mentioned)? If it is not, the next step is to determine why. Post the results if the command ifconfig and we can start from there.

[Cambo105]

I have yet to try the DHCP option yet, but by manually entering addresses, I get this.

knoppix@Knoppix:~$ netcardconfig
ifconfig eth1 128.119.26.247 netmask 255.255.254.0 broadcast 128.119.27.255 up
route add default gw 128.119.26.1
SIOCADDRT: File exists
auto lo eth1
Setting Nameserver in /etc/resolv.conf to 128.119.100.83
Adding Nameserver to /etc/resolv.conf: 128.119.100.19
Done.

I'll try DHCP and post the reults.

[Harry Kuhman]

I have yet to try the DHCP option yet, but by manually entering addresses, I get this.....

Well, that certainly looks meaningful. It would seem to be a computer directly on the Internet, which yet again raises the question of why you think you are not on the Internet. But since you say that you set those values manually I have to be a bit more cautious.

Let me be even more clear:

• 1) Tell us what your settings are from Windows (run ipconfig)
  
  2) Shut down windows and power down your computer completely. Do not do a warm reboot boot. Then start the computer and boot Knoppix. Open a command shell. Do not yet run netcardconfig. Run ifconfig. Tell us the results.
  
  C) Type ping 72.232.180.133 and tell us what result you get. Stopping the ping is an exercise left for the user (what would happen to man's quest for knowledge if we told you everything?)
  
  IV) Once you have the information from 1 2 and C it is fine to go ahead and try netcardconfig and answer the DHCP question yes. Knoppix already did this during boot, but it's worth a shot. Then try 2 and C and and see if anything is different.

[Cambo105]

The only reason I think I'm not connected is I can't access any web page. Thank you for your patience with my ignorance. I'll try these now.

[Cambo105]

1. IPv4 128.119.26.228
Mask 255.255.254.0
Gateway 128.119.26.1

2.
eth1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:163:A8:91F
inet addr:128.119.26.193 Bcast:128.119.27.255 Mask:255.255.254.0
inet6 addr: fe80::216:d3ff:fea8:91df/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:1214 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:6 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:139332 (136.0 KiB) TX bytes:492 (492.0 b)
Interrupt:16

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:28 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:28 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:1400 (1.3 KiB) TX bytes:1400 (1.3 KiB)

C. ping 72.232.180.133
PING 72.232.180.133 (72.232.180.133) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 72.232.180.133: icmp_seq=1 ttl=47 time=47.2 ms