Internet connection stopped working

[jimk]

I use knoppix 3.2 on CD and recently the internet stopped working on it. It seems it happened about the same time I installed a PCI sound card.

I have DSL with a static IP address. I tried to re-enter the numbers in the netcard config tool, but it still doesn't work. While it's trying to connect to a website, it says "resolving host ... " in the corner of the mozilla window.

I can still connect using the same computer with either windows 98 or red hat 9.

I have 2 NICs installed and neither works anymore in knoppix.

Could this be some kind of IRQ conflict? If so, how can i fix it?

Thanks

[Harry Kuhman]

I use knoppix 3.2 on CD and recently the internet stopped working on it.

Try the shell commands sudo mii-tool -r and then netcardconfig.

Also, try booting in expert mode and answering all questions n.

Also, try the noapic boot option.

I doubt very much if it is related to the card you added. It would be very interesting to find out if the problem corrected itself if you removed the card though. Please post back, did you install any updates, security patches, newer version of DirectX or other software, or other similar software from Microsoft?

[jimk]

Harry, thanks very much for the reply. I tried your suggestions with mixed results.

Booting in expert mode and with the NOAPIC option didn't seem to make a difference.

When I used sudo mii-tool -r the first time, I got
eth0: no link
eth1: no autonegotiation, 10baseT-HD, link OK

So I plugged my DSL modem into eth1 and I was able to connect after running netcardconfig.

However, after I rebooted and did sudo mii-tool -r, I got the following output:

SIOCGMIIPHY on 'eth0' failed: Invalid argument
restarting autonegotiation...

Haven't been able to connect on knoppix since.

Both network cards show up during the startup chatter.

To answer your last question, I haven't installed any Microsoft updates, patches or software recently. The only updates that would have happened on the windows side would be the virus database (using AVG antivirus).

I still haven't tried removing the soundcard, but if nobody has any more suggestions I'll try that next.

[Harry Kuhman]

.....
When I used sudo mii-tool -r the first time, I got
eth0: no link
eth1: no autonegotiation, 10baseT-HD, link OK

So I plugged my DSL modem into eth1 and I was able to connect after running netcardconfig.

I'm at a loss to know why mii-tool seemed to reset eth1 and not eth0, and I'm assuming from what you have said that eth0 is the card that used to work for you under Knoppix, and that it was connected to the modem at the time. But also, you said you were connecting right to a DSL modem (no router or NAT device, unless it's one of those DSL modems wiith the router built in). Most DSL users need to set up their computer with PPPoE or other software to log in, but you don't seem to be doing that. Clearly it's not needed from the above I was able to connect but it might help us in the future to know more about your configuration. If you do have a local router in the DSL modem then tests if you can ping that will be suggested, for example.

However, after I rebooted and did sudo mii-tool -r, I got the following output:

SIOCGMIIPHY on 'eth0' failed: Invalid argument
restarting autonegotiation...

Haven't been able to connect on knoppix since.

Both network cards show up during the startup chatter.

To answer your last question, I haven't installed any Microsoft updates, patches or software recently. The only updates that would have happened on the windows side would be the virus database (using AVG antivirus).

I still haven't tried removing the soundcard, but if nobody has any more suggestions I'll try that next.

This is very strange that it would again work and then stop. Without a Microsoft security update having been installed and no new direct-x with the soundcard, I'm at a loss. You don't say why you have 2 ethernet cards, if you do have a DSL modem with a router included then you don't need two for connection sharing; I would try making the system more simple by taking one out at least while trying to find what is going wrong. Please do continue to post back and let us know what you learn.

[jimk]

Removing the second eth card seems to have solved the problem. I did a normal knoppix boot, ran netcardconfig and I'm on the net.

Harry, your advice to remove it and make the system simpler was right on. My box has five PCI slots and I was using them all.

You were correct in your assumption that I was using eth0. Eth1 was there in case I wanted to add internet sharing in the future, but I don't need it now. You also were correct that I'm not using a router and that I haven't had to use PPPoE.

The reason I installed the sound card was because Knoppix didn't work with the mo-board's onboard audio. The card is an Ensoniq PCI Audio, and I had to install a windows driver to make it work with Win 98. As far as I could tell, no DirectX was installed with it.

Which brings me to the next question: How can Microsoft updates affect an expansion card? Do they actually overwrite the firmware? If so, that's very disturbing, to say the least.

Anyway, it's nice to be back up and online. I really appreciate the help, Harry!

[Harry Kuhman]

You also were correct that I'm not using a router and that I haven't had to use PPPoE.

Glad to hear it's resolved for you, although I really don't have much insight into what the problem was. I curious as to what DSL service lets you not use PPPoE or log in to it.

Which brings me to the next question: How can Microsoft updates affect an expansion card? Do they actually overwrite the firmware? If so, that's very disturbing, ....

In general you wouldn't expect updates to affect expansion cards when other OS's are run, but all modern NIC cards have a small EEPROM on them that is used to store the MAC address. Since it's going to be there anyway, most manufacturers also use this eeprom to hold configuration information for the NIC. If this NIC configuration is put into a bogus state and if the OS trusts that the NIC setup is valid and uses it rather than setting it to standard defaults (which would seem like a very valid assumption), then the NIC will not work right under that OS while it will still work right under an OS that configures the device on it's own.

In my case Knoppix worked just fine on a new HP notebook I bought with XP installed. After a month or so of using both Knoppix and XP I finally decided to accept the XP "security updates". Right after that I found that Knoppix no longer could connect to my network (connecting to a NAT router feeding a DSL modem). What I believe has happened, after a lot of digging into the chip and some protocol sniffing of the wire, is that the eeprom has been changed and the NIC no longer starts up properly under Knoppix unless I do one of the tricks I gave you in my first post here. I understand why sudo mii-tool -r works, but I still don't understand why noapic seems to help as well. I'm still trying to track down more on it, thus my questions.

Unfortunately, my notebook NIC is built into the motherboard, so it's not a simple swap. My $1000+ notebook, which used to run Knoppix just fine, has been crippled by something. And yes, I've confirmed that the same CDRs, and same versions of Knoppix that used to work fine, no longer do.

I had not seen this on a Win 98 system, but another user here reported it under 98 too. I never accept any upgrades from Microsoft for my 98 desktop, relying instead on two firewalls and in not using Microsoft browsers or Outlook but rather safer third party software that I do keep current.

Recently, I was talking to a friend who does computer support at a large mid-western University. I mentioned Knoppix and he, without any prompting from me, said something like "Yea, unless Microsoft has managed to stop if from working on your NICs. We've seen a lot of that here". Again, I'm trying to get more details, but while I don't think I have solid proof yet (which would be identifying the offending code), I have a lot of reason to think this is happening. One contact was even supposedly going to use some special tools he had to monitor the NIC eeprom as XP was installed and all updates accepted, but the last word I got was he was backing down on his offer to do this, and the stated reason was fear of reverse engineering/DCMA charges from Microsoft! (He's in a position where his company can not afford to anger Microsoft.) So I'm still looking for other confirmation.

I have two other long threads in this forum started under my name that you might want to read for additional details. Here:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2117 and here:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2164

[jimk]

I read those threads, and that sounds really scary. I don't think that's what happened in my case because I didn't do any security updates. The only explanation that makes sense to me would be too many cards in the system. The new sound card didn't work at first until I switched it with the eth1 card.

Unfortunately, my notebook NIC is built into the motherboard, so it's not a simple swap. My $1000+ notebook, which used to run Knoppix just fine, has been crippled by something.

Have you tried a USB network adapter? I have no experience with them, but I'd think it should work with a notebook. Or don't they work with knoppix?

curious as to what DSL service lets you not use PPPoE or log in to it

DSL service is through North Central Telephone Co-operative http.//www.nctc.com. I believe they resell the service of Bluegrass Cellular, http://www.blue.net. I haven't been able to find any documentation or TOS that go with the DSL service. I live in rural Tennessee, and it's the only broadband available besides satellite dish.

[Stephen]

I curious as to what DSL service lets you not use PPPoE or log in to it.

Mine (Sympatico) has never made me in about the 6 years I have been using it they used to use the MAC id for authentication the first couple of years but after that it has been a direct connection boot and you get a dhcp connection or if I use my IP I get a static connection they say they are using PPPoE now to connect but you can still connect via dhcp with those modems no authentication or login required all it takes is for the phone line to be activated for DSL and you can connect.