Eth0 is timing out

[Broubaby]

I installed debian on a pentium 100 to be used as a firewall. This is my third machine that I have attempted to turn into firewalls. The first 2 were successful and work great. I am having a problem with this third machine. I am using netgear fx310tx network cards with the tulip network card driver. This third machine has 3 PCI slots, 2 of the slots are occupied with the 2 network cards and the other slot has a video card. I first configured both cards (just as with the other machines). I can only ping the static ip address that is configured to eth0. I can not ping the gateway or any other address on the internet. The error I get "eth0 timing out ... resetting eth0". Once this message appears, ctrl-c gets me back to the prompt where the error message keeps showing itself. Here are the troubleshooting things I have done:
1 - swapped network cards (I have 9) to rule out the card
2 - removed 1 network card to see if I could get just one working
3 - moved the 1 network card to the other open PCI slot (same error)
4 - moved the video card to a different PCI slot and moved the network card to where the video card was
5 - tried multiple straight and crossover ethernet cables
My configuration is as follows:
dsl-router --> firewall --> hub
I am stuck! Does anyone know what the error may be?

[error27]

so basically you type:

"ping 123.123.123.123"

and you get the error message? Or is it something else you are doing that gives you the error message?

What version of the kernel are you using?

[Broubaby]

Actually the error occurs whne I run "route".
The version of the kernel is 2.2.17 (This is the number that was returned when I ran uname -a). I am new to Linux and am so sick of windows that I have prepared for this pain in the name of learning. This little Grasshopper is motivated to learn!! :)

[Broubaby]

Just a note I forgot to add, I have several motherboards that I could swap out but I am more interested in what is going on with this problem. Thanks for any help that anyone can render!

[error27]

I think it's a bug in the tulip driver. Other people reported the same thing with the 2.2.15 kernel.

Sadly it seems the tulip driver is a massive pain in the butt. (Although I use it myself and have never had a problem on any of the kernels that I use). There are a ton of ethernet cards that use the tulip chipset but they are slightly different from each other or something.

Try a newer kernel. I'd actually try the 2.4.10-pre9 because they just recently made some changes to the tulip driver.

[Broubaby]

How do you suggest I get the 2.4.10-pre9 newer kernel since I am unable to configure the network card in this system so I can access the internet. I do have another system at one of my stores that I can access the internet. How do I download the proper file to a 3.5" floppy? I realize this is probably a really, bad newbie question but once I know the answer I promise I'll never ask it again!! (Thanks for the suggestion and help)

[error27]

Not an unfair question...

I assumed you were dual booting and could just download it to windows and mount that from linux and copy the sources to linux from there.

To mount windows it "mount -t /mnt vfat /dev/(harddrive and partition number"

If the system at your store runs linux you could compile the kernel there and save that to a floppy. Build in module support but don't build any actual modules. You could fit that on a floppy pretty easy.

Of course if the system at work is windows and doesn't have a cd burner then you are screwed...

:P

heh... good luck. I have to go to sleep...

[Broubaby]

Thanks for your help! I will begin my mission tomorrow. The box at work I was referring to is a linux firewall (no cd burner) but it looks like I can download the files to a floppy. YOu have given me plenty of info to move me forward - thanks much!

[error27]

you won't be able to save the files to a floppy. only a compiled kernel.

:(

[Broubaby]

Is there a simple step by step FAQ on how to compile the kernel and build in module support? Once I mount the floppy and copy the compiled kernel, what commands do I use to update the system that I am having the problems? I hate being a newbie!

[error27]

In some ways it would be pretty cool if one of your different network cards did not use the tulip chipset.

If that were the case you could probably just slip in the different card and reboot.

to compile the kernel
1) download the source.
2) unzip
3) cd linux
4) make menuconfig
here you want to go through all the menus and make sure that you compile the tulip driver. Change all the 'M' to '*' so that all modules are built into the kernel.
5) make dep
6) make bzImage
7) mount /mnt/floppy
8) cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /mnt/floppy
9) umount /mnt/floppy

When you get home:
1) mount /mnt/floppy
2) cp /mnt/floppy/bzImage /boot/linux-2.4.9-pre10
3) rm /vmlinuz
4) ln -s /boot/linux-2.4.9-pre10 /vmlinuz
5) lilo
6) reboot

NOTE. this is not a typical compile. Normally you will want modules. ( so 6a "make modules && make modules_install" ).

[Broubaby]

Thanks very much for all of your help and instruction! I should be able to follow your instructions. Without your help, I could not have begun to solve this problem! :)

[Broubaby]

I found the new kernel files at http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/testing/ . I set up another machine I have with debian linux (same old kernel). How do I get the kernel files from the address above to my linux machine. What commands do I use to ftp, if this is the method? This is another batch of basic questions so I appreciate your patience. If I wanted to update the kernel in this new linux machine, do I basically foolow the same instructions as before? Thanks again!

[teeitup]

You may want to visually inspect your Netgear cards.
The FA310 has two distinct flavors.

It's easy to tell, just look at the big chip in the center of the card.

The original used a Digital 21140 chip.
This was the "tulip" chip used in more ethernet devices in the 90's than almost any other single chip.

The newer versions use a Netgear 9916a chip.This one uses a different driver. It is included in the kernel after 2.2.17 I think or is available from the Netgear site.
Beware the driver on the included floppies. A search of this site will reveal problems with the shipped drivers.

This may be another avenue for you to explore. All FA310 cards are not created equal.

Good Luck,