> I mentioned this. I don't want to buy a new piece of hardware when > I could fix the issue by using a different software stack, but if > necessary, that's what I'll end up doing (buying the hardware).
Very frequently the problem is nothing more than missing case arms in a couple of switch() statements. The most recent one I submitted was: http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sources/patch/applied/ether8169-macv34/ If you have a detailed PCI-device listing (obtainable via a BSD or Linux live CD), it is pretty easy to figure out which driver should be supporting your card and whether the reason it isn't is missing case arms. If you've been around the block a few times it takes an hour or two to diagnose, patch, test, and submit the patch to Bell Labs. However, if you're just getting started it can take you a week or two of fussing, which may compare unfavorably with picking up a known-good Ethernet card for $5 from eBay/NewEgg/etc. Having a working Ethernet makes it easier for you to get started, and once you're started you can go back and figure out what's wrong with the built-in Ethernet. Dave Eckhardt
