two pc lan configuration problems

[JHAx86]

Hi,

I buyed a router and connect my two pc to it. My Vector Linux pc have Windows Me installed in a partition too. From Me and XP in my other pc i have Internet access and I can transfer files between machines. But when I tried to boot my vector linux (5.9 standard) It fails to boot in graphic mode, even reinstall do not fix the problem (this same installation always worked well before configure the network, even after plugged the pci net card), this started after configure the network by running netconfig.

If I start x from text mode it starts but I don't have access to internet. If I do ping it says "net unreachable".

Also, I don't know why an error in the net configuration results in no graphic boot.

Thanks for read, any help appreciated.

[newt]

I would think that if you can 'startx' successfully then booting to graphics (GUI) mode should work as well.  You can verify this by booting to the text mode, login, and change modes by typing 'init 4' and hitting Enter.  This should switch you to GUI mode.  If you succeed in switching modes then it may just that you chose a TUI mode during install, and can be fixed via VASM(CC).

You network situation may just be that the network is not started, or not configured properly.  Can you post the output from 'ifconfig -a'?  Also, is your network static or dhcp?

[JHAx86]

I would think that if you can 'startx' successfully then booting to graphics (GUI) mode should work as well.  You can verify this by booting to the text mode, login, and change modes by typing 'init 4' and hitting Enter.  This should switch you to GUI mode.  If you succeed in switching modes then it may just that you chose a TUI mode during install, and can be fixed via VASM(CC).

That's not my problem. I chose GUI mode during install, and I was able to boot in GUI mode until I tried to configure the network, after change the network configuration and reboot, the screen is blank (and I cannot ask for another terminal nor kill x, still blank) when booting with the default entry in the lilo menu (the one saying "linux" that is GUI in my case) so I must choose "linux TUI" (lilo menu third entry) in order to be able to see something and at least work in the console. Also, do startx works if I boot first in TUI mode but the first time appeared a message saying something like: "xfce can't access the network and may not work properly, want to continue?" or something like that, I don't remember as it appeared only once.

You network situation may just be that the network is not started, or not configured properly.  Can you post the output from 'ifconfig -a'?  Also, is your network static or dhcp?

It is dhcp. Here ifconfig output:

eth0

Link encap: Ethernet HWaddr 00:14:78:05:10:AB
inet addr: 192.168.1.3 Bcast: 192.168.1.255 Mask: 255.255.255.0
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU: 1500 Metric: 1
RX packets: 0 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 frame: 0
TX packets: 0 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 carrier: 0
collisions: 0 txqueuelen: 1000
RX bytes: 0 (0.0 b) TX bytes: 0 (0.0 b)
Interrupt: 11 Base address: 0xde00

lo

Link encap: Local loopback
inet addr: 127.0.0.1 Mask: 255.0.0.0
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU: 16436
Metric: 1
RX packets: 6 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 frame: 0
TX packets: 6 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 carrier: 0
collisions: 0 txqueuelen: 0
RX bytes: 672 (672.0 b) TX bytes: 672 (672.0 b)

[StrayBit]

I have found that many times when I try to setup/change my network that I will get the same message and my resolution has been to edit, as root, /etc/hosts to insure that it has a line with your ip address and the name of your machine.  For some reason, it gets wiped out during this exercise..  In my case, however, I could continue entering gui but, IIRC, my network wouldn't work

Here is the line I currently have in my hosts:

Code:

192.168.1.2   vector.linux.net vector

In your case it would be 192.168.1.3  followed by what ever the entry is in /etc/HOSTNAME.  You may not need the third entry (vector)

HTH

[JHAx86]

Thanks for the answers.

I tried what you said. The original hosts file had two lines, both starting with 127.0.0.1. I commented out those lines and write a third one following your instructions: "192.168.1.3 ......". But the problem persist. Any other idea? Is that line the only one I must write?

[M0E-lnx]

Your /etc/hosts file should have a line that starts with 127.0.0.1. This is needed for your local host loopbacking.

I still dont understand why you can't log into GUI mode just because of the lack of a network connection.
What kind of error do you get?.
XFCE4 will complain if your /etc/hosts file is incorrect, but running vasm -> network -> netconf should fix this for you

[JHAx86]

Your /etc/hosts file should have a line that starts with 127.0.0.1. This is needed for your local host loopbacking.

ok, I uncommented those lines again, ran netconfig and add 192.168.1.3 + my HOSTNAME to /etc/hosts. Now the message when xfce is loading does not appear any more. But still no net and no GUI boot.

I still dont understand why you can't log into GUI mode just because of the lack of a network connection.
What kind of error do you get?.

When booting, when vector linux is loading modules, before my first attempt to configure the network it shows: "initializing network...                [OK]". Now it shows nothing when initializing the network. And when the boot process is finalizing, when the "vector login" text is shown, if I'm in TUI mode, it shows an output similar to ifconfig and then the cursor appears and I can login, if i'm in GUI mode it shows an error with eth0, I have no time to read it because the screen turns blank, and as I said before, I cannot kill x or ask for another terminal because the screen continues blank, if I press Num Lock the light changes its state so the system is not stopped, at this point I reset my PC by pressing the reset button. To avoid this blank screen I must choose TUI mode in lilo menu, so I can start x later.

[hata_ph]

For no internet connection, did u key in and DNS IP in your VL client?

For the hostname resolve between windows and linux, add wins to /etc/nsswitch.conf as show below

hosts:     files dns wins winbind

[JHAx86]

I was in a mistake in my previous post, actually my network is not dhcp.

So I configure it again, now I can boot in GUI mode but I have no access to internet and if I try to run Sea Monkey it shows the "server not found" message and my mouse stops, if I try to kill x the system crashes. This same happened with different live cd distros I tested like knoppix or puppy, I lose the mouse in they all if I try to use internet. It seems to be a problem with my network adapter driver. All distros detect my network adapter but it is not the correct one. I tried to compile the driver from the network adapter driver disc but it had a lot of errors so I searching for a newer version.

my network adapter is a tp-link tf-3239 series. I installed the card in my computer about a week ago and my problems started, must be it. All distros i have tested detect it as a realtek-xxx...... (sorry but I don't remember all digits) chip based networkd adapter, but it seems that driver is not working.

For no internet connection, did u key in and DNS IP in your VL client?

I did it after reading your post.

For the hostname resolve between windows and linux, add wins to /etc/nsswitch.conf as show below

I did it, in the original file it was written "hosts: files dns". I replaced that with "hosts: files dns wins winbind". But nothing changed.

Did somebody try to use this card in linux?

[sgla1]

I am surprised that your network configuration affected your ability to start the gui.  Maybe xfce needs to be able to connect to the loopback address (127.0.0.1)?

As to your network configuration it will be much easier if you start the dhcp server on your router and let it set the addresses on all your local machines.  It will also set other important settings like gateway, dns server(s), and will set local network addresses that work with each other and the router itself.

In order to troubleshoot your networking issues you can use "ping", moving outward from localhost.  Verify that you can ping 127.0.0.1 by number, then localhost, then the IP of your local machine, then the IP of another machine on your local net, then the router, then yahoo.com.  Please let us know if or where a problem occurs.

If all ping checks are not successful, "route -e" will show your routing table.  Make sure that the default route points to your router's internal IP address.  For example:

Code:

default         192.168.1.30    0.0.0.0         UG        0 0          0 wlan0

My guess is that your static network config does not have the correct gateway, but that is only a guess.

[JHAx86]

Hello, thank you for the reply, here the info you asked for:

First, a resume:

you gave me 7 steps to follow:

1- ping 127.0.0.1: ok
2- ping by localhost: ok
3- ping my vector linux machine ip: ok
4- ping my other machine: fail (an extrange kernel output appeared: "Disabling IRQ 10" if I in gui mode the mouse stops, suspect this has something to do with my no gui boot problem)
5- ping my router: fail.
6- ping yahoo (also tried my ISP home page): fail.
7- route -e: don't sure but seems ok.

now the full output:

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 127.0.0.1
Mon Jan 12 22:29:08 2009

PING 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.217 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.055 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.052 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.051 ms

--- 127.0.0.1 ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 2998ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.051/0.093/0.217/0.072 ms

Mon Jan 12 22:29:11 2009
----------------

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 vector.linux.net
Mon Jan 12 22:30:35 2009

PING vector.linux.net (192.168.1.3) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from vector.linux.net (192.168.1.3): icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.203 ms
64 bytes from vector.linux.net (192.168.1.3): icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.072 ms
64 bytes from vector.linux.net (192.168.1.3): icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.058 ms
64 bytes from vector.linux.net (192.168.1.3): icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.073 ms

--- vector.linux.net ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 2999ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.058/0.101/0.203/0.059 ms

Mon Jan 12 22:30:38 2009
----------------

192.168.1.3 is my vector linux machine static ip.

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 192.168.1.3
Mon Jan 12 22:31:29 2009

PING 192.168.1.3 (192.168.1.3) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.1.3: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.202 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.3: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.058 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.3: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.055 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.3: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.054 ms

--- 192.168.1.3 ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 2999ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.054/0.092/0.202/0.063 ms

Mon Jan 12 22:31:32 2009
----------------

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 192.168.1.2
Mon Jan 12 22:32:14 2009

PING 192.168.1.2 (192.168.1.2) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=3 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=4 Destination Host Unreachable

--- 192.168.1.2 ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 0 received, +3 errors, 100% packet loss, time 2998ms
, pipe 3
ping died with exit status 1

Mon Jan 12 22:32:27 2009
----------------

At this point, the kernel generated an output saying "Disabling IRQ 10". I suspect this has something to do with my no gui boot problem. The output was not quoted because all these quotes are from logsave command, and it seems it is not receiving kernel output, but I saw it in screen.

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 192.168.1.1
Mon Jan 12 22:34:35 2009

PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=3 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.3 icmp_seq=4 Destination Host Unreachable

--- 192.168.1.1 ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 0 received, +3 errors, 100% packet loss, time 2998ms
, pipe 3
ping died with exit status 1

Mon Jan 12 22:34:48 2009
----------------

Code:

Log of ping -c 4 yahoo.com
Mon Jan 12 22:35:19 2009

ping: unknown host yahoo.com
ping died with exit status 2

Mon Jan 12 22:35:40 2009
----------------

Code:

Log of route -e
Mon Jan 12 22:37:07 2009

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface
localnet        *               255.255.255.0   U         0 0          0 eth0
loopback        *               255.0.0.0       U         0 0          0 lo
default         192.168.1.1     0.0.0.0         UG        0 0          0 eth0

Mon Jan 12 22:37:17 2009
----------------

Sorry for fill the page with commands outputs. Can you see where the problem is?

[nightflier]

What is the content of your "/etc/resolv.conf" file?

[sgla1]

If you got as far as step 3 then your basic tcp/ip setup is ok.  I assume that if you run

Code:

ifconfig -a

you see that eth0 (or wlan0 or whatever your nic is) has an IP address and also says

Code:

UP BROADCAST NOTRAILERS blah blah

  If not you can try

Code:

ifconfig up my_interface

I don't see a route to your local network.  You should have something like:

Code:

192.168.1.0     *               255.255.255.0   U         0 0          0 wlan0

in your routing table.  It looks to me like "localnet" is an alias for your loopback address
 

Code:

grep -R localnet /etc 2>/dev/null
/etc/networks:localnet 127.0.0.0

You can add a route to your local network manually -- see the man page for "route".

Again I would suggest you set your machine to dhcp and let the router's dhcp server sort it all out.  Is there some reason your machine has to be statically set?

[JHAx86]

Again I would suggest you set your machine to dhcp and let the router's dhcp server sort it all out.  Is there some reason your machine has to be statically set?

I use p2p programs and need have some ports forwarded, also I've a ftp server on my other machine. Tried to make these work with dhcp enabled and no luck.
I'll follow your new instructions once I restart this machine and boot with Vector  Linux.

What is the content of your "/etc/resolv.conf" file?

I edited that file to add my two isp ip. Don't sure (I've to restart this machine and chose linux tui in lilo menu in order to check it) but the current content of that file may be:

Code:

Nameserver             ???.???.???.4
Nameserver             ???.???.???.5

I'll check it later when restart this machine and I'll edit this post if necessary. I don't remember now my isp ip so I used ? in my post for unknown digits. I can get it from my router but I think it is not necessary. Note: the two ip are correctly written on the file, I checked it many times.

[JHAx86]

Great news

About my no GUI boot problem and my stopping mouse, it is solved now. Since I tried to configure my network adapter in Vector Linux, my problems started. No GUI boot and my usb mouse stopped when trying to access internet. Also an extrange message saying "Disabling IRQ 10" when using the console.

Solution

Disable Plug and Play OS in BIOS. Now I can boot in GUI mode and my mouse act normally. The network adapter was not the cause of the problem it was the trigger.

One of two problems solved.

------------------------------------------------------

Now to the second one:

Use route add is useless, all changes lose after reboot. How can I do it permanent?
I tried:

Code:

route add -net 192.168.1.0 gw 192.168.1.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 dev eth0

after it, repeat the ping test. The result where the same, up to step 3 and no more. Can't access my router or the other machine, or yahoo.com. I tried reboot firt, but the changes were lost, route -e returns the original configuration after reboot, with my changes lost.

about the content of resolv.conf file. For some ransom it was:

Code:

search linux.net
nameserver 200.108.192.4 # it is my isp

Maybe because I tried to configure the network from the beginning again and forget to edit this file the second time. I restored it to what I said in my previous post.

Also I find out something:

By booting puppy linux in my other machine (onboard ethernet adapter, via chipset) and answer to the network configuration wizard, I was able to surf the internet. I went to google.com and did a pair of searches. Then, returning to my vector linux machine, I boot the same live cd and answer the same wizard, except that i changed the machine ip from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.3, all other parameters where the same, and I was unable to reach internet.

I only can conclude that my network adapter is not compatible with linux, as all distros I've tested in this machine failed to access internet. They detect it, and say it is ok, but no internet. Even ping to router fail.

If buy another pci network adapter card is the only solution, can somebody tell me where to find a list of tested cards? This way I'll sure that my next card will be supported.

The driver disc has a driver for linux. I did not use it at first because the card was detected. Then I tried to compile it but there were errors and the compiled file wasn't created. The driver is for kernel 2.4.x and does not compile under 2.6.