network card not working?

[redss]

My network card won't get an ip address via DHCP in knoppix 5.1. However, it works fine in my earlier knoppix (3.4).
"pump -i etho" gives me "Operation failed"

the relevant line from lspci -v says:
01:08:0 Ethernet controller: Intel corp 82801DB PRO/100 VE (LOM) Ethernet Controller
subsystem: intel corp unknown device 3009
...
i/o ports at d880 (size-64)

I've tried the noapic & nodhcp cheatcodes. Without dhcp, the card can get an ip address, and can ping others on the internet and attempt to establish telnet socket connections but not successfully - it seems like it's not communicating bidirectionally, although it looks like the telnet connection is established.

How can I troubleshoot this?

[Harry Kuhman]

It might help if people knew what your Knoppix system was trying to do a DHCP handshake with. Is it a home router, and if so what make and model and even firmware revision? Is it trying to DHCP directly to a cable ISP (in which case I would strongly suggest that you do get a router for the very important hardware firewall it provides). Is it something else (maybe a private local network at work with it's own router)?

I have no experience with that specific NIC, but it seems strange that it would work in prior versions of Knoppix but not with a current version. You might want to go through the change logs to see if support for it was intentionally removed, and if so why.

[redss]

I have the Knoppix pc connected to a SOHO 4 port router (Belkin F5D5230, latest firmware V1.20.001)

I've never had any other issues with the router so I'm stumped.

[Harry Kuhman]

I have the Knoppix pc connected to a SOHO 4 port router (Belkin F5D5230, latest firmware V1.20.001)

I've never had any other issues with the router so I'm stumped.

The only router I ever had DHCP problems with was also a Belkin router. Not this model though. But using Ethereal and a hub to "sniff the wire"I could clearly see that the Belkin wasn't handshaking properly. My first thought would be to see if same system can handshake with anything else, even if you had to ask a friend to bring a router over for a few minutes. Unfortunately my Belkin never got any firmware upgrades (they modified the hardware and abandoned us first generation users), but if yours is getting updated this might be corrected in the future. Of course, it might not even be a Belkin issue, so I would sure try a test if I could.

[juliantchan]

I have the Knoppix pc connected to a SOHO 4 port router (Belkin F5D5230, latest firmware V1.20.001)

I've never had any other issues with the router so I'm stumped.

I have a similar problem with an onboard Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ h/w (see one of the posting on Mar 2 by me).

Can you please update whether the problem has been fixed and how it was fixed?

Thanks and Regards,
Julian

[redss]

As I recall, I determined that the router (the DHCP function specifically) wasn't compatible with that version of knoppix. Because my earlier knoppix could get an IP via DHCP, and 5.1 could get an IP from other routers. But not sure if the incompatibility was more with knoppix 5.1 or the Belkin router (but I will say I've used that Belkin router successfully on a ton of other systems. so it looks more like a problem with knoppix 5.1).

[juliantchan]

As I recall, I determined that the router (the DHCP function specifically) wasn't compatible with that version of knoppix. Because my earlier knoppix could get an IP via DHCP, and 5.1 could get an IP from other routers. But not sure if the incompatibility was more with knoppix 5.1 or the Belkin router (but I will say I've used that Belkin router successfully on a ton of other systems. so it looks more like a problem with knoppix 5.1).

So your original problem has not been fixed yet.

It really puzzles me why the same onboard hardware is working when boot from Windows XP Pro but not Knoppix 5.3.1 (both Live DVD and HDD environment). This suggested definitely there's no faulty hardware problem. The only difference I noticed is that the green (and amber) light on the onboard LAN port is not ON after successfully booted from Knoppix but it is ON when booted from Windows XP. I have seen "eth0 detected" and "DHCP Broadcast sent" message displayed while Knoppix is booting. Does this imply Knoppix software is able to detect the onboard hardware but not able to interface with this onboard Realtek LAN hardware?

I have also used two (2) routers (D-link 725+ and D-link DIR655) for this test but yield same result. No matter how hard I try with various commands and netcardconfig combination , the same error message "No answer from DHCP" will come up eventually. I have also put the Knoppix 5.3.1 DVD onto an IBM T42 laptop for a try and I am able to bring the network up on this laptop without trouble.

I think I have enough for now and I will wait for the 6.0.1 DVD version and see how it goes unless someone is kind enough to lend their hand. Otherwise, I will have to source a working/proven PCI Ethernet card to continue the work...

Thanks and Regards,
Julian

[juliantchan]

Problem Solved


Strongly believe there's nothing wrong with the hardware, trying to nail down the problem, I turned my focus onto the software side and environment. Since I know very little about Linux/Debian, I am working with the environment side only. I owned two desktop computers with mother board from MSI (model PM8PM and PM8M3-V). I am having trouble with the PM8PM mother board desktop - LAN port green LED is not coming up after booting up Knoppix (but not Windows XP Pro though). So I put the two PC side by side with power plug unplug from socket. Below are steps which I have performed:

A. Testing with Windows XP Pro
(BIOS setting: Onboard LAN ENABLED and onboard LAN option ROM DISABLED)

1. put the power plug into power socket
a. PM8PM - LAN port green LED is OFF
b. PM8M3-V LAN port green LED turned ON
2. boot system with Windows XP
2.1 During hardware booting
a. PM8PM - LAN Port green LED is OFF
b. PM8M3-V - LAN port green LED is ON
2.2 After Windows XP is up
a. PM8PM - LAN port green LED is ON
b. PM8M3-V - LAN Port green LED is ON
We can clearly concluded that:
1. LAN port activation treatment of the two mother boards are not the same
2. Windows XP can activate the LAN port of PM8PM

B. Testing with Windows XP Pro
(BIOS setting: Onboard LAN ENABLED and onboard LAN option ROM ENABLED)
1. put the power plug into power socket
a. PM8PM - LAN port green LED is ON
b. PM8M3-V LAN port green LED turned ON
2. boot system with Windows XP
2.1 During hardware booting
a. PM8PM - LAN Port green LED is ON
b. PM8M3-V - LAN port green LED is ON
2.2 After Windows XP is up
a. PM8PM - LAN port green LED is ON
b. PM8M3-V - LAN Port green LED is ON
We can clearly concluded that:
1. PM8PM onboard LAN port green LED is set to ON all times when the "onborad LAN option ROM is enabled

Same result is yielded when above tests is repeated with Knoopix 5.3.1 DVD.

Above tests deduced even an (MSI) onboard LAN port is detected, it should be ACTIVATED (little green LED lights up) during hardware booting. Knoppix 5.3.1 will detect the existence of such a LAN port but will not ACTIVATE it. Should you have trouble with onboard LAN port (of MSI motherboard??), please look into parameters of BIOS/INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS/VIA OnChip PCI Device:
1. Onboard LAN Controller should be ENABLED
2. Onboard LAN Option ROM should be ENABLED

I am very happy now and will be having fun with Linux/Debian.

Regards,
Julian Chan

[Annihilannic]

Thanks for taking the time to post your solution. I had exactly the same problem with an RTL8139 and your workaround fixed it immediately.