[Wylug-help] networking laptop woes [Red Hat DHCP logging]

Wed Jul 13 18:53:26 BST 2005

Thanks, John. Knoppix got a connection immediately. Your suggestion is
also reinforced by the fact that, even when I set an IP address
manually, I couldn't get onto the network. However, I have the latest
available FC4 dist on it, because once a release is out the only update
is via yum, apt, or whatever - and I need access to the network to get
that :o( Indeed, updating and adding new software is the primary reason
for wanting to get the box onto the LAN. My newly acquired memory stick
can transfer files quickly and easily.

Earlier searches haven't been fruitful in finding a distro which will
work "out of the box" on this Acer laptop model, Aspire 3002LC. Debian
sounds a bit too raw for my very limited skills. I'm not wedded to any
particular flavour because the type of work I want to do on it is on
software generic to almost all common distros, i.e. Gimp, vi, gedit,
OO.org, etc. plus show some presentations. So long as what I produce
will work when I transfer it between boxes, which it certainly should,
it's OK.

I'm not familiar with KDE but I very much doubt it will wave its horns
and shout boo at me, if that's the default - sorry, all you guys with
boxes full of spanners, I say I've got other things to do - judge for
yourselves if that's idleness talking ;) 

So, if anyone can recommend a distro which is most likely to work, I'm
standing by ready to find a mirror . . .

On Wed, 2005-07-13 at 16:04 +0100, John Hodrien wrote: 
> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005, Mike Goodman wrote:
> 
> > /etc/sysconfic/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 contains:
> > DEVICE=eth0
> > BOOTPROTO=dhcp
> > HWADDR=00:C0:9F:7B:BD:38
> > ONBOOT=yes
> > TYPE=Ethernet
> > DHCP_HOSTNAME=sonny.local.sys
> >
> > I put that first because the next bit goes on and on and on and . . .
> > with a great deal of repetition. Once you've seen the pattern, me
> > booting up and shutting down a couple of times, I think you will know
> > whether it is going to be useful:
> > Lines in /var/log/messages (yes, Dave, I'm now sure that's where syslog
> > went) which contain references to eth0 or SiS900, the ethernet device,
> > but little or no mention of dhcp:
> 
> The config looks fine.
> 
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: sis900.c: v1.08.08 Jan. 22 2005
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet at 0x1800,
> > IRQ 3, 00:c0:9f:7b:bd:38.
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Media Link On 100mbps full-duplex
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Media Link On 100mbps full-duplex
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000004
> > 00000249
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000004
> > 00000249
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000251
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:32:19 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:35 sonny kernel: sis900.c: v1.08.08 Jan. 22 2005
> > Jul 11 09:43:35 sonny kernel: eth0: SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet at 0x1800,
> > IRQ 3, 00:c0:9f:7b:bd:38.
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Media Link On 100mbps full-duplex
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000004
> > 00000240
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000259
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000240
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:36 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:40 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:40 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:48 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:48 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:43:56 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:43:56 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:59:43 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 09:59:45 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 15
> > Jul 11 09:59:51 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 09:59:51 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:00:00 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 17
> > Jul 11 10:00:07 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:00:07 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:00:17 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 21
> > Jul 11 10:00:23 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:00:23 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:00:38 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 2
> > Jul 11 10:00:40 sonny dhclient: No DHCPOFFERS received.
> > Jul 11 10:00:43 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:00:43 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:01:15 sonny kernel: eth0: Media Link Off
> > Jul 11 10:01:45 sonny kernel: eth0: Media Link On 100mbps full-duplex
> > Jul 11 10:02:04 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 3
> > Jul 11 10:02:07 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 4
> > Jul 11 10:02:08 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:08 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:11 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 9
> > Jul 11 10:02:16 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:16 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:20 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 12
> > Jul 11 10:02:24 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:24 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:32 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 14
> > Jul 11 10:02:32 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:32 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:40 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:40 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:46 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 13
> > Jul 11 10:02:52 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:02:52 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:02:59 sonny dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255
> > port 67 interval 6
> > Jul 11 10:03:04 sonny kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> > Jul 11 10:03:04 sonny kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000000
> > 00000260
> > Jul 11 10:03:05 sonny dhclient: No DHCPOFFERS received.
> 
> It's really not a happy bunny is it?  This looks to me like linux really isn't
> happy with the NIC.  We should stop worrying about DHCP, this is one level
> beneath that.
> 
> You bring the NIC into life, it says it's got a cable connected or not as it
> sees fit, and I doubt it's ever successfully sent anything to the network.
> 
> I've seen suggestions that this is a sis900 driver bug and so could be fixed
> by a newer kernel.  It could be worth downloading the latest fedora kernel RPM
> and upgrading to that (although I can't see anything tempting in the
> changelog).  Otherwise, could you try booting a knoppix CD?
> 
> jh
> 
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