Problems with 3com 905c NIC

[lordmiki]

I'm having this weird problems with my linux box. I'm using debian net install to install Woody. Everything goes fine, i boot the system, use apt to get neccecary software, set up. It works just fine.

But after few reboots the OS can not find eth interface. On msg Initializing network interfaces i get : could not bring up eth0 interface, device not found. It is weird because in installation i select the correct drivers wich are 3com 900 series, vortex\boomerang , it configures network trough dhcp... etc. There is nothing wrong with NIC .. it works great under windows, and preforms great under woody install.

Any idea how can i solve this ? Load 3com 900 modules after boot ?

[bwkaz]

When this happens, check your link light on the network card. I'd be willing to bet it's off...

I have the same problem sometimes, my 3c905c loses a link with the switch or hub (whichever it's plugged in to, depending on whether I'm in the dorm or at home) when I power down. If it's happening to you too, then either

1) booting Windows,
2) booting DOS, or
3) unplugging the network and power cables, waiting a few minutes, and then plugging power back in, then the network

fix it for me.

[lordmiki]

It is on all of the time. So is the LED on the switch. First time i thought that NIC was messed up. But it works fine in windows. And sometimes in Debian :) I'll try compiling the 3com 90x support into kernel instead as module. I hope it will work ..

[Christopher L. Estep]

Originally posted by lordmiki
It is on all of the time. So is the LED on the switch. First time i thought that NIC was messed up. But it works fine in windows. And sometimes in Debian :) I'll try compiling the 3com 90x support into kernel instead as module. I hope it will work ..

See if the module for the NIC is loading:

modprobe 3c59x

All recent kernels should load this module if you have this NIC (it's a kernel module for the 3Com EtherLink 59x/90x series of NICs, including the entire 3C905 series: 3C905-TX through 3C905C-TX).

If the module is loading, then you may want to see if your network settings are correct (if you use DHCP, run

/sbin/ifconfig -a
)
If things are *not* what they should be, then you need to reconfigure your NIC settings.

I have a 3C905-TX (the ancestor of your C) and I have no problems whatever.

[lordmiki]

The point here is that first 2 reboots modules are loading properly. All subsequent reboots i get message that says : Device not found. That is the strange thing. Ill try to modprobe. It is irritating little bugger, since everything worked fine in potato with 2.4.18 kernel.

[mdwatts]

Also try adding

alias eth0 3c59x

to /etc/modules.conf.