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Message from Steven
===================
monz wrote:
>
> Next, here's my /etc/rc file:
> 
> #!/bin/sh
> PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
> mkswap /dev/hda2 ### line added by monz
> swapon /dev/hda2
> e2fsck -pf /dev/hda1 2>/dev/null
> mount -avt nonfs
> hostname BasicLinux
> #ifconfig lo 127.0.0.1
> #route add -net 127.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 lo
> #above 2 lines commented out by monz
> #because i use udhcpc to automate DHCP

Those two lines (ifconfig, route) are needed
to active localhost.  They should not be removed.

> ####_ACTIVATE_PCMCIA_####
> /etc/pcmcia/start
> 
> ###_ACTIVATE ETHERNET_###
> # ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.1
> # lines below added by monz 
> insmod airo.o
> insmod airo_cs.o

Those two insmods are useless.  PCMCIA
modules must be activated by cardmgr
(not directly using insmod).

> udhcpc eth0

That will not work unless there is a DHCP
server on the network.  I suggest you do
this from the command line (not /etc/rc)
so you can see what response there is
(if any).

> ifconfig eth0

That ifconfig is useless (unless you put in an 
address).

> ifconfig -a gives me the outputs for dummy and
> lo, but dummy just has the "empty" data and
> lo just has the data that my /etc/rc gave it.

Your interface has no address.  Neither from
DHCP nor from your empty ifconfig in /etc/rc

> When i try to ping a known domain, it tells me
> "Unknown host".

There is no point pinging until your interface
actually has an address.

I say again: it is better for you to do each step 
from the commandline (where you can see the result 
of each step) rather than putting everything in 
/etc/rc (and having to reboot each time you change 
something).  Once you've got everything working 
perfectly from the commandline, you can automate 
the process by putting everything in /etc/rc.

Keep in mind that wireless networking is more
complicated because there are several additional
parameters (eg encryption, channel) that need to
be correct for the connection to work.  These can
be set by a utility (eg iwconfig); or, if you know
the exact parameters, they can be put in an option
line in /etc/pcmcia/config.  However, if you are 
trying to connect to a stranger's wireless network 
(with unknown parameters), you really need some 
sort of wireless utility.   

Cheers,
Steven