[luau] Road Runner

[Ray Strode]

> 1)Why do I have to type ifconfig -a to list eth0?  If I don't use -a, 
> then only the loopback comes up. 

/sbin/ifconfig
shows the currently _active_ interfaces.

/sbin/ifconfig -a
shows all interfaces

So if it shows up with -a and not without -a, then the interface isn't 
activated (doesn't have an IP)

> 2)Again, when eth0 comes up with -a, then no IP or Broadcast addresses 
> appear without typing /sbin/dhcpcd eth0. 

Typing /sbin/dhcpcd eth0
gives eth0 an IP address (activates it).

> 3)After typing /sbin/dhcpcd eth0, then eth0 appears with an IP and 
> Bcast address WITHOUT typing -a? 

now that it is activated, you can type /sbin/ifconfig and it will show 
up, because it is activated.

> 4)By going into my Network Configuration Window after typing neat at 
> the prompt, I selected to activate device when computer starts.  When 
> I rebooted, as root:
> a)the address for root is: root at dhcp-304-32 root.  This is different 
> than before when it was root at localhost.  Also, is it correct that I 
> now don't have to type -a to /sbin/dhcpcd eth0 to load eth0 because 
> its detecting it at start?  Not only that, but the IP and Bcast come 
> up without typing /sbin/dhcpcd eth0. 

Yes,  since you have it do it at boot, it runs /sbin/dhcpcd eth0 for 
you.  It also runs some other things (and that's why your hostname 
changed from localhost to dhcp-304-32)

> b)typing netstat -r brings up three IP addresses, but still no Gateway 
> except for default 

No, that's correct.  Default in this case means all traffic will route 
through the gateway (which is that ip that ends in .1).

> c)ide-cd and cdrom now don't appear when I run /sbin/lsmod.  All the 
> other modules appear. 

This could be related to the kernel module autoloader again.  Did you 
previously have a cdrom in the drive an now you
don't?

> d)my box is much slower 

I'm not sure.  if you run
top
it should bring up a list of programs currently running.  One of the 
columns is % CPU.  Is any program listed there using a large amount of 
the CPU?

> 5)Why do I have different IP addresses when I run netstat -r and 
> /sbin/incofig?  Netstat lists the IP as 66.91.112.0, and incofig lists 
> the IP as 66.91.114.64? 

/sbin/ifconfig gives your IP address.  netstat -r shows you your routing 
table.  the 66.91.112.0 is the network address. It combined with a net 
mask is used to identify what part of the ip is common across all 
computers on the same subnet as you (This is important because at the 
hardware level, the ethernet can only talk directly to computers on the 
same net as it).  To speak to other computers that aren't on the same 
net as it, it must relay (route) it's message through another computer 
called the gateway.

> 6)Now when I run cat /etc/resolv.conf, 5 results are listed:
> nameserver 24.25.227.34
> nameserver 24.25.227.36
> nameserver 24.25.227.32
> domain hawaii.rr.com
> search hawaii.rr.com 

good.

> 7)I still don't have internet acceess.  Would you please include a few 
> IP addresses that you know work. 

You don't?  That's odd to say the least.   If your resolv.conf has that 
information then your card is communicating with the dhcp server.

Do you have a file called /etc/host.conf?

It should contain

order hosts,bind

or something similar.

To find out type:

cat /etc/host.conf

if it says file not found or if the output isn't "order hosts,bind", 
then type
echo "order hosts,bind" > /etc/host.conf

okay try pinging theses guys:

ping 66.91.112.1  

This one is your new gateway address i think.  
You might wanna verify that it is your gateway, by running netstat -rn 
and making sure it's the same address that is listed on the line that 
has "default" for destination  (and "UG" for flags).  If some other ip 
is on that line try pinging it too.

Earlier in the week it was something else, so you might wanna try it too 
(just in case for whatever reason road runner is giving you this one 
again all of a sudden)

ping 24.165.44.1

Since the gateway is on the same net as you and you can contact the dhcp 
server (which is also on the same net as you) chances are very high that 
this ping should work.

Then try
ping 24.25.227.34

This is the namesever where domain names are translated into ips for 
you.  If this doesn't work, then that would explain why names like 
hotmail.com don't work.  Last but not least, try

ping 216.168.224.69

This is the ip of a network solutions (for our purposes just some random 
host on the net somewhere).

>> echo 'DEVICE="eth0"' > /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
>> echo 'ONBOOT="no"' >> /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
>> echo 'BOOTPROTO="dhcp"' >>/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
>
> Okay, typed that in.

Did you type that in before or after you ran your config program and 
chose activate on boot?  I ask, because ONBOOT="no" means it won't 
activate on boot, and I think the config program you are using writes to 
the same file, so if you did that after, it may overwrite your changes.  
I think this is a non-issue though, because you said when you boot your 
interface is being activated.

> Here is the output:
> Module              Size    Used  by
> ide-cd              27136     0  (autoclean)
> cdrom               28800     0  (autoclean)[ide-cd]
> souncore            4848      0  (autoclean)
> binfmt_misc         6656      1
> iscsi               23200     0  (unused)
> autofs              12064     0  (autoclean)(unused)
> e1000               43632     0  (unused)
> appletalk           24976     0  (auotclean)
> ipx                 20128     0  (autoclean)
> ipchains            41600     0
> st                  27024     0  (unused)
> usb-ohci            19360     0  (unused)
> usbcore             54560     1  [usb-ohci]
> ext3                67728     5
> jbd                 44480     5  [ext3]
> aic7xxx             114704    6
> sd_mod              11584     6
> scsi_mod            98512     4  [iscsi st aic7xxx sd_mod]

Okay if /sbin/ifconfig -a ever stops showing eth0 again, then just type
modprobe e1000
and it will come back again.

> Here's the million dollar question: why is it that when I don't type 
> /sbin/dhcpcd eth0, I don't receive an IP address?  

Because /sbin/dhcpcd is the program that contacts the dhcp server and 
gets you an ip address.
When you configure your computer to activate eth0 on boot, then during 
bootup,

/sbin/dhcpcd is called for you, so now you don't need to worry about 
/sbin/dhcpcd.  Actually,

perhaps the better way to manually activate your card is

/sbin/ifup eth0

So in the future if you want to manually actiave your card use 
/sbin/ifup  (it will call /sbin/dhcpcd and do some other things like set 
your hostname)

> After I type /sbin/dhcpcd eth0 I get the same IP address as yesterday 
> (IP for my box correct?). 

Usually you will get the same IP address..occassionally it will change.

> Unfortunately, I didn't get internet access.  Typing www.hotmail.com 
> brought the same error message: Unknown Host 

Okay, so for some strange reason host lookups aren't working.  Hopefully 
when you try to ping ip addresses that will atleast work.

I believe Warren is doing an install thing on thursday.  If we don't get 
it working by then, then you can bring your box in and the problem 
should get figured out.

Sorry you are having such poor luck with this.  Don't let it sour your 
impression of Linux!  It's really a wonderful OS.

--Ray