dhcp fails [solved]

stonecrest · 2005-02-24 05:48:14

I'm trying to get online on my Compaq Armada M300. I'm using the e100 network module, which appears to be working fine (it says "eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full duplex") but then it fails with dhcp. On bootup, it responds with "no dhcp or bootp offer received".

Is dhcp computer specific or just dependent on my ISP and network setup? Because I have another laptop right here that if I take the network cable out of the Armada and put it in this one, dhcp works fine. For what it's worth, I'm plugging straight into a cable modem and that's it.

I'm not sure what to do to resolve this and trying to google was very quickly over my head. Can anyone please help?

/etc/rc.conf

MODULES=(!usbserial !ide-scsi e100)

lo="lo 127.0.0.1"
eth0="dhcp"
INTERFACES=(lo eth0)

gateway="default gw 192.168.0.1"
ROUTES=(!gateway)

dtw · 2005-02-24 10:29:37

well, you rc.conf is ok!

FUBAR · 2005-02-24 14:02:09

DHCP is a protocol for broadcasting network information to computers on the network: it saves you the hassle of manually configuring every computer that's connected to the network. In stead, computers on the network get the correct information (IP, gateway, DNS-servers) from the DHCP server.
Obviously, you have to have a DHCP server on your LAN before you can use DHCP. Nowadays, ISP's always work with DHCP (apart from professional connections with static IP's).
I'm guessing you've got a router behind your modem to share your internet connection, make sure the router has a DHCP server and that it's enabled.

Change your /etc/rc.conf like this:

MODULES=(!usbserial !ide-scsi e100)

lo="lo 127.0.0.1"
eth0="dhcp"
INTERFACES=(lo eth0)

#gateway="default gw 192.168.0.1"
#ROUTES=(!gateway)

stonecrest · 2005-02-24 19:43:32

Thanks for the information FUBAR, but nope, as I said I'm going straight to a cable modem and that's it. No router.

When the laptop had windows on it, I was getting a similar (the same?) problem. I'd plug in the cable, Windows would say that I was connected, but every packet that was being sent out wasn't being received. I didn't bother with it too much because I was planning on installing linux.

I've also tried two different ethernet cables, both of which work fine on my other laptop.

This is starting to sound like a physical problem with my laptop's ethernet jack, isn't it? :?

phrakture · 2005-02-24 19:56:28

stonecrest wrote:

Thanks for the information FUBAR, but nope, as I said I'm going straight to a cable modem and that's it. No router.
When the laptop had windows on it, I was getting a similar (the same?) problem. I'd plug in the cable, Windows would say that I was connected, but every packet that was being sent out wasn't being received. I didn't bother with it too much because I was planning on installing linux.
I've also tried two different ethernet cables, both of which work fine on my other laptop.
This is starting to sound like a physical problem with my laptop's ethernet jack, isn't it? :?

I'd check the documentation from the ISP - are you sure you registered and set things up properly?
When I had comcast cable internet, I had to run some CD install to register my account before anything worked...

stonecrest · 2005-02-25 02:43:59

I called up my ISP, they said there's nothing to install (which is what I was 99% sure of). I also contacted the ebay seller (he's a powerseller with great feedback, not some random guy), and he said that he tested it and made sure it could connect to LAN.

This is so unbelievably frustrating.. and I'm running out of ideas. :?

cactus · 2005-02-25 02:45:17

just curious, what is in your daemons list?

stonecrest · 2005-02-25 05:11:24

Okay, the problem has been resolved! :oops:

I ended up calling my ISP yet again and got someone much more helpful. This sounds like hogwash to me but it did work.. according to the guy, switching from one computer to another causes the circuitbreaker in the cable modem to trip. After I unplugged the modem for 2 minutes and plugged it back in, my ethernet connection amazingly worked. So everytime I switch computers, I have to unplug my cable modem. Have I been living under a rock for the past few years or is this normal practice??

Anyway, I'm just so relieved to have a working internet connection. After that hitch, I'm up and running Xfce on Arch on this old Armada M300 8)

FUBAR · 2005-02-25 10:45:21

stonecrest wrote:

Okay, the problem has been resolved! :oops:
I ended up calling my ISP yet again and got someone much more helpful. This sounds like hogwash to me but it did work.. according to the guy, switching from one computer to another causes the circuitbreaker in the cable modem to trip. After I unplugged the modem for 2 minutes and plugged it back in, my ethernet connection amazingly worked. So everytime I switch computers, I have to unplug my cable modem. Have I been living under a rock for the past few years or is this normal practice??
Anyway, I'm just so relieved to have a working internet connection. After that hitch, I'm up and running Xfce on Arch on this old Armada M300 8)

Ah yes, you have a crappy modem! I used to work at the helpdesk of a cable ISP and that's the first thing you have to do when you're having connection problems: unplug the modem for at least 10 seconds.

When you switch computers, try releasing the IP before you disconnect the LAN-cable. If you then request an IP on the newly connected PC, it should work fine without having to reset the modem. Of course, this was the case with our modems and I don't know if it's true with your kind of modem. Try it out!

stonecrest · 2005-02-26 00:12:47

FUBAR wrote:

Ah yes, you have a crappy modem! I used to work at the helpdesk of a cable ISP and that's the first thing you have to do when you're having connection problems: unplug the modem for at least 10 seconds.

hehe I have done this in the past but it's awfully hard to realize that the cable modem is the problem when you can take the ethernet cable from the non-working machine, plug it into your other machine, and have a perfectly working connection. But from now on, this is the first thing I'm going to try

Arch Linux

#1 2005-02-24 05:48:14

dhcp fails [solved]

#2 2005-02-24 10:29:37

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#3 2005-02-24 14:02:09

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#4 2005-02-24 19:43:32

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#5 2005-02-24 19:56:28

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#6 2005-02-25 02:43:59

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#7 2005-02-25 02:45:17

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#8 2005-02-25 05:11:24

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#9 2005-02-25 10:45:21

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

#10 2005-02-26 00:12:47

Re: dhcp fails [solved]

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