Re: Some prob in 2.4.0-test11 [The loooong answer]

[Sreeji K Das <bksys@xxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 13 Dec 2000, Ketan Mehta wrote:
> hi all,
> 	we have d/led 2.4.0-test11 kernel src and compiled it. All worked fine
> and then when we rebooted it booted fine , but the eth0 is not detected
> and initialised, so no network support is there. I fail to understand
> where can problem.
> 	any pointers in this will of great help.
> bye
> ketan

I'm sure such questions would have been answered many times & may be you
could check the archives.

Anyway, here is what you can do:

When you want your network card to be used under Linux, this is what you
have to do:

* Find out the details of the network card.

* Read Ethernet-HOWTO & find out whether support is available for your
  network card. Ethernet-HOWTO is available at:
  http://metalab.unc.edu/mdw/HOWTO/Ethernet-HOWTO.html

* If the card is supported, then identify the module to be loaded for your
  card. This is listed in Ethernet-HOWTO.html.

* Download the module, if it's not already available. To see whether the
  module is already available, try modprbe <Mdoule_Name>
  Eg. modprobe ne2k-pci. (Some of the modules require that you pass the IO
  address & IRQ of the Card. Eg. modproble ne io=0x6700 irq=5)

* If modprobe fails, you need to download & compile the
  Kernel. Either you can compile the module separately (Normally the
  instructions to compile the module are given at the end of the module
  file.), or you can enable the module support in Kernel & compile as:
    cd /usr/src/linux (or whatever is your source tree)
    make menuconfig
    Enable the module that you require.
    Save & Exit
    make dep && make bzImage
    make modules && make modules_install

* Now restart the system, & try modprobe <Driver> [Optional Params] & u
  should get the card working. Once you get it working, you can put the
  appropriate entries in your startup script (rc.modules in Slackware).

Following are some pointers on how to identify your network card.

* Network card may be one on board, or it could be an ISA/PCI/PCMCIA card.
  Do a cat /proc/pci & check for a line starting with something like: 
  "Ethernet controller". You can get the I/O & IRQ from here. This is the
  way to get details for a PCI card.

* If it's an ISA card, I don't think any listing (as /proc/pci) is
  available. You'd have to see the Ethernet card manual & set the jumpers
  accordingly to set the I/O & IRQ. Alternatively you can use any DOZE or
  WINDOZE (!) tools supplied to get the I/O & IRQ details.

OOPS ! I guess that went quite lengthy ! Hope it's useful.

Sreeji