initalizing eth0 on bootup

[geezer]

In trying to get rid of the infamous "QT error" in compiling ksendfax, I downloaded a lot of programs, a lot of which looked like they would be good or nice to have. (NO the infamous QT error is still there after downloading ALL of the QT3 and QT4 libraries - but all that downloading got gfax working so at least I have my fax back)

It would seem that I downloaded one that is interfering with my eth0 connection to my DSL router.

Previously when I logged into KDE, the connection was immediately there and solid.

Now it takes a minute or two for the connection to firm up. The connection icon on the taskbar blinks on and off and a red 'X' appears in it on and off and apurple wheel icon is overlaid sometimes. I can click on the place where the icon is/should be and the connection dialog pops up and indicates that the connection is active. If I boot Firefox during this activity, Firefox cannot connect to the Kubuntu homepage. f I wait a minute or two until the icon stops blinking on and off and comes on solid, the connection is okay and web pages come across fine.

Any idea what I might have downloaded that is giving the etho connection trouble - maybe two programs are fighting to control and one wins

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

The problem seems to have disappeared now. I downloaded more programs, but none that are related to the ethernet connection that I know about.

Something changed and the connection now seems to be solid immediately on boot into KDE again.

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

the ethernet connection to the router and knetworkmanager has taken another turn.

Now if I click the knetworkmanager icon on the task bar it describes the ethernet connection as not active.

If I right click instead and click on manual configuration, it shows the inetrface as enabled and working.

I can access the internet through the router (that's how I'm able to post this ). I can click on the "Configure Interface button and set/reset to "automatic" for dhcp and "start on boot". and even reboot the computer.

Makes no difference - the knetworkmanager display the ethernet connection as "Not Active" even though the ethernet connection is active.

Any ideas?

I reinstalled knetworkmanager - no difference.

Even used the "KDE Menu->System Settings->Network Settings" to confirgure the connection - makes no difference.

knetworkmanager still displays ethernet as not active.

[lingenfr]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

replace k/networkmanager with wicd

http://wicd.sourceforge.net/

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Assuming certain things, KNetworkManager does work, and work well. I can attest to that, as I'm using it on my wireless connection and have had no problems what so ever.

What make/model router do you have? Is it configured for WEP or WPA? If you are using KNetworkManager, you have to be using WPA, which, is more secure than WEP anyway.

What make of wireless ethernet card do you have? If it's Atheros, getting things set up properly is actually pretty easy.

What is the output of:

ifconfig

and what does your interfaces file look like:

cat /etc/network/interfaces

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup


This is really pretty strange because it was working and working very well. Then it started the intermitent blkinking behavior at KDE boot, took about a minute or so to get a solid icon and connection. Then it stopped doing that and worked very well. Then it it started displaying "No Active Device" even though the eth0 is connected to the router and working.


Router: ActionTec combined router and DSL modem.

Ethernet card Intel Gigabit interface built into the computer.

The outputs:

terry@Home-Net:~$ ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:191:A9:C4:C3
inet addr:192.168.1.65 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::219:d1ff:fea9:c4c3/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:784 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:695 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:100
RX bytes:869283 (848.9 KB) TX bytes:71564 (69.8 KB)
Base address:0x40c0 Memory:d9100000-d9120000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
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:300 (300.0 b) TX bytes:300 (300.0 b)

terry@Home-Net:~$ cat /etc/network/interfaces
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
address 127.0.0.1
netmask 255.0.0.0


iface eth0 inet dhcp





auto eth0
terry@Home-Net:~$

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

WEP or WPA are for wireless connections I believe - I've got wireless turned off. Using an ethernet connection only.

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Okay, so I'm clear on this: you PC is connected to your router by wire - it isn't a wireless connection - correct? Assuming 'yes'.

Edit your interfaces file (as root) and change it to this:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

Note that there is a blank 'last line' in this file. The IP address for the auto lo stanza aren't necessary. Save and reboot.

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

WEP or WPA are for wireless connections I believe - I've got wireless turned off. Using an ethernet connection only.

That explains why I didn't see anything in the listings about a wireless connection. Check your router security settings to be sure. If set to WEP I would strongly suggest that you change it to WPA (if it will support it). As said, WPA is more secure than WEP, and, KNetworkManager only works with WPA.

I'd still like to see the output of ifconfig with your wireless turned on. The interfaces file would need to be modified again for the wireless connection.

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Okay, so I'm clear on this: you PC is connected to your router by wire - it isn't a wireless connection - correct? Assuming 'yes'.

Edit your interfaces file (as root) and change it to this:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

Note that there is a blank 'last line' in this file. The IP address for the auto lo stanza aren't necessary. Save and reboot.

Accomplished the above and rebooted.

The output is now:

terry@Home-Net:~$ ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:191:A9:C4:C3
inet addr:192.168.1.65 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::219:d1ff:fea9:c4c3/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:990 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:1041 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:100
RX bytes:853144 (833.1 KB) TX bytes:112004 (109.3 KB)
Base address:0x40c0 Memory:d9100000-d9120000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
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:300 (300.0 b) TX bytes:300 (300.0 b)

terry@Home-Net:~$ cat /etc/network/interfaces
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp
terry@Home-Net:~$


No change on knetworkmanager.

I can click on the icon in the taskbar and it comes up as "No Active Device".


One of the first things I did when I got the router working under Linux (then Windows) was to turn wireless off. I just don't trust it. The router offers WEP only with 64 bit, 128 bit and 256 bit encryption, but didn't trust having someone piggyback on the signal. If my wife ever gets a modern computer (hers is currently about 15 years old) and can support a modern Linux, I'll probably have to get wireless connections then.

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Okay. With a WEP only router you wouldn't be able to use KNetworkManager as the wireless connection controller anyway. I'm wondering if the "No Active Device" being reported isn't specific to "No Active (wireless) Device". Only a guess.

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Okay. With a WEP only router you wouldn't be able to use KNetworkManager as the wireless connection controller anyway. I'm wondering if the "No Active Device" being reported isn't specific to "No Active (wireless) Device". Only a guess.

Well what really has me baffled is that knetworkmanager worked, it recognized the ethernet connection and reported it accurately. Then it just stopped working and couldn't recognize the ethernet connection.

Are you saying that knetworkmanager only works for wireless connections?.

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Are you saying that knetworkmanager only works for wireless connections?.

I'm not saying that. But why, when you right-click on the KNetworkManager bluebar icon in the system tray, does it only identify Wireless Networks and the option Connect to Other Wireless Network... ?

[geezer]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Are you saying that knetworkmanager only works for wireless connections?.

I'm not saying that. But why, when you right-click on the KNetworkManager bluebar icon in the system tray, does it only identify Wireless Networks and the option Connect to Other Wireless Network... ?

When I right click on the knetworkmanager in the taskbar (on the far right next to the the time display), I get the following options:

Manual Configuration
Options
Help
Quit

If I click on "Manual Configuration", a dialog window opens with the e3thernet connection displayed under the "Network Interfaces" tab. The other tabs are: "Routes", "Domain Name System" and "Network Profiles". The first 3 display the correct information for the ethernet connection. I have repeated clicked on the "Configure Interface" button and checked the settings there and they are correct. I have "disabled" and then "enabled" the interface. Both of thoise buttons work correctly, i.e., they disable the ethernet connection and then enable the ethernet connection. I have checked this by accessing a web page with the ethernet connection enabled - connection is solid. Try again with the ethernet connection disabled - Firefox "cannot access the server", Enable the ethernet connection and the web page displays. So knetworkmanager is controlling the ethernet connection ( or at least whatever program is controlling the dialog window is correctly controlling the ethernet connection).

If I put the mouse on the "Options" option above, the following options are displayed:

Enable Wireless (in solid black print)
Disable Wireless (in grayed out print)
Switch to Online Mode (in grayed out print)
Switch to Offline Mode (in black print)
Connection Information -- which shows that there is "No active Device"
Configure -- which allows me to configure knetworkmanager, but nothing about reognizing the ethernet connection.

So to summarize:

• the ethernet connection is working
• knetworkmanager did work on initial install and did so immediately on KDE boot
• knetworkmanager then needed a minute or so to make the ethernet connection after KDE boot
• knetworkmanager then reverted to the initial install behavior above
• knetworkmanager then fails to recognize the ethernet device, but the ethernet connection works and what ever is controlling the ethernet connection works properly

Now does any of that make any sense??

[Snowhog]

Re: initalizing eth0 on bootup

Here is a 'project page' for KNetworkManager. It has a pretty good explanation of how it works. Note that this is an OpenSuse site. Their KNetworkManager may/likely (?) be different than *ubuntu's.

Interesting, that the description and screen shots show KNetworkManager listing both wired and wirless network connections. Makes me wonder about why mine only shows wireless connections. The information does state that KNetworkManager is a front end to NetworkManager.