Networking notworking, DHCP on Knoppix 3.3

I posted about this in the Hardware board, but perhaps it would be better here in networking:

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=27203

DHCP doesn't seem to initialize properly most of the time. Out of a dozen or so raw bootups, it only worked one time -- fortunately, I saved the config that one time, so I can get out to the network if I "cheat" and use the saved config.

To add to the saga, my roommate has an older Celeron box, and it refuses to get on the network also.

My setup is an Asus P5A with K6-2/400 and a 3Com 3C905B networking card.

His is some unknown motherboard, a Celeron 600, and an Intel 10/100 card from about three years ago.

We have been booting a Knoppix 3.3 11-03-2003 CD. Other than the networking, it seems fine.

Please see the other thread for more details on my networking woes:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=27203

Many thanks!