Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

Hi Steven,


Thanks for taking the time to go thru this
with me. I really don't understand networking
well at all -- i'd say that it's the weakest
link in my understanding of computers.

Add on top of that the fact that wireless was
always tricky to get working on this old
hardware, and there you have my problems.
Specific comments below ...


--- baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> > 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


OK, i think i get it. I can use the empty
ifconfig comman *if* udhcpc picks up an address
first, correct?

Otherwise, i have to put in my own address.

 
> > 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.


I'll take that advice. The problem is that i
started editing my configuration files too soon,
and now they're a mess.

 
> 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.   


I'll try running the wireless.tgz package that
you linked to in the other post.


One other question: is it OK to use the information
that i got from connecting to the internet in
Puppy Linux on another computer? I'm assuming
that if i can get the Toshiba connected, and
it's sitting right next to the Puppy machine,
that it will pick up the same network.


Thanks!


-monz