Can't connect to the internet

[CJB 0]

I've set up Mandrake 9.2 Download Version on my PC but I can't seem to connect to the internet (broadband). I am pretty sure it is an error on my part filling in incorrect information in the internet configuration (I can connect on my Windows XP machine using the same broadband modem).

 

The information I have is as follows:

 

Incoming Mail Server (POP3)

Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP)

News Server (NNTP)

My Login ID

My e-mail address

My Password

 

Note: My ISP automatically allocates an IP address everytime I log on.

 

Under the LAN configuration Mandrake asks me for the following information:

 

IP address (What do I fill in here when my ISP automatically allocates a different IP address everyytime I log on???)

Netmask

Boot Protocol (I am given a choice of DHCP - this is the default, static or bootp)

Started on Boot Y/N

DHCP Client

 

The problem I'm having is that I don't know what the Netmask, Boot protocol, DHCP Client, DNS Server, Gateway, Host name and Zeroconf host name are so I literally don't know what to type in.

 

 

I got the following information under Windows:

 

Windows IP Configuration

Host name: chris

Primary DNS Suffix:

Node Type: Unknown

IP Routing Enabled: No

WINS Proxy Enabled: No

 

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS suffix:

Description: Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address: 00-E0-18-53-F8-7F

Dhcp Enabled: Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes

Autoconfiguration IP Address: 169.254.198.224

Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0

Default Gateway:

 

PPP Adapter IMS:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:

Description: WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface

Physical Address: 00-53-45-00-00-00

Dhcp Enabled: No

IP Address: 203.218.46.232 Note - This changes each time I connect

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255

Default Gateway: 203.218.46.232 Note - This changes each time I connect

DNS Servers: 218.102.62.71

205.252.144.120

Net BIOS over Tcpip: Disabled

 

I tried typing in the parameters in various combinations to no avail. Part of the problem is the fact that Windows gives me two DNS server numbers. Which one do I use (if any)?

 

This is what happens when I boot up Mandrake in verbose mode - among the list of boot-up messages I saw the following:

 

zcip[942]: Retrieved address 127.255.255.255 for eth0:9

zcip[942]: sending probe 1 for 127.255.255.255

zcip[942]: address in use

zcip[942]: sending probe 1 for 169.254.254.95

zcip[942]: sending probe 3 for 169.254.254.95

zcip[942]: claiming ownership of address 169.254.254.95

zcip[943]: waiting for collisions

 

Additionally, I tried typing ifconfig -a in Konsole and got the following readout:

 

eth0 Link encap: Ethernet HWaddr 00:E0:18:55:F8:7F

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets: 1 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 frame: 0

TX packets: 14 errors: 0 dropped: 0 overruns: 0 carrier: 0

collisions: 0 txqueuelen: 100

RX bytes: 60 (60.0 TX bytes: 2814 (2.7 Kb)

Interrupt: 10 Base address: 0xe000

 

eth0:9 Link encap: Ethernet HWaddr 00:E0:18:55:F8:7F

inet addr: 169.254.254.95 Bcast: 169.254.255.255

Mask 255.255.0.0

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

Interrupt:10 Base address: 0xe000

 

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:95 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:95 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0: carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes: 5312 (5.1 Kb) TX bytes: 5312 (5.1 Kb)

 

Also, when I type route I get the following readout:

 

Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface

169.254.0.0 * 255.255.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0

127.0.0.0 * 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 lo

 

Any ideas ???????

Please help!!!!

[danleff 0]

Nice run of information!

 

This is over my head, but let me ask a few questions.

 

You have a realtek NIC?

 

The NIC is connected to the modem? In other words, you are not trying to run the modem to the system via USB?

 

Quote:

IP address (What do I fill in here when my ISP automatically allocates a different IP address everyytime I log on???)

Netmask

Boot Protocol (I am given a choice of DHCP - this is the default, static or bootp)

Started on Boot Y/N

DHCP Client

 

This is what I did in Mandrake. Skip the question about Netmask. I did not need to add an IP address, since it is dynamically assigned by the ISP.

 

Choose dhcp.

 

Yes, to start at boot.

 

I also seem to remember that Mandrake should auto detect the nic, then answer the questions I noted. So, skip and addition of IP addresses and netmask, just leave them blank.

[CJB 0]

Thanks for your response, danleff.

 

Sorry, forgive my ignorance - what's an NIC??

 

I know the internet connection is not via any USB socket. The Realtek LAN card is built into the motherboard (Asus). The external broadband modem is an NEC ATU-R110 supplied free-of-charge by the ISP (who don't support Linux users - I called them and asked). It is connected by cable from the phone socket and to the computer via the network socket (which looks like a phone socket).

 

Should I leave the DHCP Client box empty. If not, what do I fill in there?

 

Thanks for your help.

[danleff 0]

Sorry for the lingo...

 

NIC = the realtek LAN card, in your case, built into the motherboard.

 

Yes, I was trying to make sure that you were not trying to connect the modem directly to a USb port.

 

I will have to get into my Mandrake box later and follow through.

 

Tell me what model Asus motherboard or system this is.

 

By any chance an nForce chipset motherboard? What I mean, is, did you install a motherboard or is this a system that you bought.

 

If you have Windows installed also, does the internet connection work there?

[CJB 0]

The computer was purchased as an Asus Terminator K7 Barebone System (basically a box with the motherboard, CDR and floppy) and an Asus installation CD. The motherboard has LAN card, 56K Dial-up modem (which I don't use having broadband), graphics card and sound card all integrated together. The vendor lets the customer choose the other components. In my case I have an AMD AthlonXP 1400 processor, 256MB RAM, 40GB Hard Disk, Acer CRW 1610A 16x10x40 CDRW and Maxell 48x CDROM. The vendor installed it all for me together with the original Windows XP OS. I've had it for two years without any problems whatsoever.

 

I installed Mandrake Linux 9.2 a couple of weeks ago on a 5.3GB partition as a dual boot with Windows XP. Both OS's work fine except for the internet connection on Mandrake which I just can't figure out.

 

Windows connects to the internet with no problem at all (it's what I'm using while typing this) so I know it's not a hardware problem. ;(

 

Thanks.

[danleff 0]

Thank you for the additional information. It is most helpful. I will be looking into this. I found your system and get it now.

 

Let me just ask one more question. Are you using Konqueror as your web browser?

 

If someone has an obvious answer, please chime in!

 

Let me look at the Control Panel and see what we have.

 

It looks like you have been in the control panel already. If so. go to the control panel choose network and internet.

 

Choose DrakConnect helps you set up your network and Internet connection.

 

Under hostname it should say localhost.

 

Under internet access;

 

Look and see if under status, it shows that you are connected. This may take a few seconds.

 

Under LAN configuration it should show;

 

etho <your local connection address..like 192.168.X.X> 8139too up

 

If not let us know.

[CJB 0]

Hi danleff,

 

Yep, I have Konqueror and the e-mail program is Kmail. I only installed the KDE environment so there is no other browser or mail program.

 

I originally installed both KDE and GNOME but found switching between the two a bit pointless (just an opinion as a new user, maybe I'll explore it as I become more confident with Linux).

 

In the wizard, as you mentioned, there is a status heading. When the wizard starts it try's to connect and after a few seconds it tells me that the connection failed. I wanted to attach screen shots here of my internet connection wizard but I can't work out how to attach them here.

[Dapper Dan 0]

When I was using Mandrake, I always set the Internet congifuration to "let ISP asign IP" or however it is worded.

If it's not a Mandrake configuration problem, I've run into this with motherboard nics not working too. You may want to consider just running down to the computer store and buying a pci slot nic which are very affordable,(10-15 bucks), and almost all of them will work with Linux. If you decide to do this, check here on pci nics though, just to be sure.

[danleff 0]

As Dapper Dan suggested, this may be an issue with Mandrake recognizing the onboard network card, although if it is a Realtek, this is a mystery.

 

Such network cards are cheap, as Dan said, and worth avoiding the hassle. If the computer store is at all helpful. ask them to confirm that you buy a realtek or 3com card.

 

I popped in a Realtek card on my nForce board, since Mandrake won´t recognize the onboard. Works fine, cost me $10.

[CJB 0]

OK, thanks for the information. As another shot, I typed in the following commands in Konsole:

Code:

cat /proc/pci

Code:

cat /etc/modules.conf

Code:

cat /proc/modules

Code:

/sbin/ifconfig -a

Code:

/sbin/route -en

From these commends, I got the following information:

Code:

[christopher@IMS christopher]$ suPassword:[root@IMS christopher]# cat /proc/pciPCI devices found:  Bus  0, device   0, function  0:    Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8363/8365 [KT133/KM133] (rev 129).      Master Capable.  Latency=40.      Prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xf8000000 [0xfbffffff].  Bus  0, device   1, function  0:    PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8363/8365 [KT133/KM133 AGP] (rev 0).      Master Capable.  No bursts.  Min Gnt=8.  Bus  0, device   7, function  0:    ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super South] (rev 64).  Bus  0, device   7, function  1:    IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT8233/A/C/VT8235 PIPC BM IDE (rev 6).      Master Capable.  Latency=32.      I/O at 0xd800 [0xd80f].  Bus  0, device   7, function  2:    USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 26).      IRQ 9.      Master Capable.  Latency=32.      I/O at 0xd400 [0xd41f].  Bus  0, device   7, function  3:    USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (#2) (rev 26).      IRQ 9.      Master Capable.  Latency=32.      I/O at 0xd000 [0xd01f].  Bus  0, device   7, function  4:    Bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI] (rev 64).      IRQ 9.  Bus  0, device   7, function  5:    Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 AC97 Audio Cont     roller (rev 80).      IRQ 5.      I/O at 0xb800 [0xb8ff].      I/O at 0xb400 [0xb403].      I/O at 0xb000 [0xb003].  Bus  0, device   7, function  6:    Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. Intel 537 [AC97 Modem] (rev      48).      IRQ 5.      I/O at 0xa800 [0xa8ff].  Bus  0, device  18, function  0:    Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (     rev 16).      IRQ 10.      Master Capable.  Latency=32.  Min Gnt=32.Max Lat=64.      I/O at 0xa400 [0xa4ff].      Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xee800000 [0xee8000ff].  Bus  1, device   0, function  0:    VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. ProSavage KM133 (rev 3).      IRQ 11.      Master Capable.  Latency=64.  Min Gnt=4.Max Lat=255.      Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xef000000 [0xef07ffff].      Prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xf0000000 [0xf7ffffff].[root@IMS christopher]#

Code:

[root@IMS christopher]# cat /etc/modules.confabove snd-via82xx snd-pcm-ossalias eth0 8139tooprobeall usb-interface usb-uhcialias sound-slot-0 snd-via82xxprobeall scsi_hostadapter ide-scsi[root@IMS christopher]#

Code:

[root@IMS christopher]# cat /proc/modulesnls_cp850               4284   1 (autoclean)vfat                   11820   1 (autoclean)fat                    38040   0 (autoclean) [vfat]snd-seq-oss            32000   0 (unused)snd-seq-midi-event      6080   0 [snd-seq-oss]snd-seq                42544   2 [snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi-event]snd-pcm-oss            43652   0[root@IMS christopher]# cat /proc/modulesnls_cp850               4284   1 (autoclean)vfat                   11820   1 (autoclean)fat                    38040   0 (autoclean) [vfat]snd-seq-oss            32000   0 (unused)snd-seq-midi-event      6080   0 [snd-seq-oss]snd-seq                42544   2 [snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi-event]snd-pcm-oss            43652   0snd-mixer-oss          14200   0 [snd-pcm-oss]snd-via82xx            15360   0snd-pcm                79588   0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-via82xx]snd-timer              18436   0 [snd-seq snd-pcm]snd-ac97-codec         45720   0 [snd-via82xx]snd-mpu401-uart         4704   0 [snd-via82xx]snd-rawmidi            17760   0 [snd-mpu401-uart]snd-seq-device          5832   0 [snd-seq-oss snd-seq snd-rawmidi]snd-page-alloc          9044   0 [snd-via82xx snd-pcm]snd                    41380   0 [snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-via82xx snd-pcm snd-timer snd-ac97-codec snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device]soundcore               6340   0 [snd]af_packet              14856   2 (autoclean)sr_mod                 19384   0 (autoclean)floppy                 55932   28139too                17384   1 (autoclean)mii                     3864   0 (autoclean) [8139too]nls_iso8859-1           3484   4 (autoclean)ntfs                   77292   3 (autoclean)supermount             84032   3 (autoclean)ide-cd                 33956   1cdrom                  32608   0 [sr_mod ide-cd]ide-scsi               11376   0scsi_mod              106176   2 [sr_mod ide-scsi]scanner                12064   0usb-uhci               25136   0 (unused)usbcore                74988   1 [scanner usb-uhci]rtc                     9004   0 (autoclean)[root@IMS christopher]#

Code:

[root@IMS christopher]# /sbin/ifconfig -aeth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:E0:18:55:F8:7F          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1          RX packets:1 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0          TX packets:13 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0          collisions:0 txqueuelen:100          RX bytes:60 (60.0 b)  TX bytes:2472 (2.4 Kb)          Interrupt:10 Base address:0xe000eth0:9    Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:E0:18:55:F8:7F          inet addr:169.254.254.95  Bcast:169.254.255.255  Mask:255.255.0.0          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1          Interrupt:10 Base address:0xe000lo        Link encap:Local Loopback          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1          RX packets:118 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0          TX packets:118 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0          RX bytes:6668 (6.5 Kb)  TX bytes:6668 (6.5 Kb)[root@IMS christopher]#

Code:

[root@IMS christopher]# /sbin/route -enKernel IP routing tableDestination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface169.254.0.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.0.0     U         0 0          0 eth0127.0.0.0       0.0.0.0         255.0.0.0       U         0 0          0 lo[root@IMS christopher]#

Is this information useful for helping to determine what the problem is?

 

Thanks!

[danleff 0]

This is odd. What does the section say under LAN configuration it should show your network card as something like;

 

etho <your local connection address..like 192.168.X.X> 8139too up

 

If nothing is there, your card is not set up, I think.

 

Try clicking on the ¨launch the wizard¨ and see if this brings up the card.

 

Check ¨use auto detection.¨ > LAN Connection > then check ¨auto IP¨

 

Disregard the other questions by clicking next until it finishes.

 

Reboot, then get into the Control Center and see if it comes up.

 

If not, then the card is an issue, as Dapper Dan suggested, at least in Linux.

 

I have one other idea..let me think on this. It may be a bios setting.

 

If the above does not work, get into the bios and look for a menu PNP/PCI. Look and see if Plug and play OS is enabled. Disable this, save the results and reboot. See if the card comes up in Mandrake.

[CJB 0]

Hi danleff,

 

I tried the Internet Connection and LAN Configuration many times now and following the settings you suggested but I still get the 'Trying to connect' / 'Can't connect' scenario.

 

As for the BIOS settings. This is what they are:

 

Quote:

Award BIOS Setup Utility

 

1. Removable Device [Legacy Floppy]

2. IDE Hard Drive [sT340810A]

3. ATAPI CD-ROM [maxell MCD-ROM48]

4. Other Boot Device [iNT18 Device (Netwo]

 

Plug & Play O/S [No]

Reset Configuration Data [No]

Boot Virus Detection [Enabled]

Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled]

Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled]

Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]

APIC Mode [Disabled]

[CJB 0]

In addition to the information I sent previously, the broadband connection I believe is DSL (something to do with the pppoe - whatever that is - I was told). ;(