On Fri, 31 Mar 2000, Paul Watkins wrote:
> I have a cable modem which used to work well with my Linux Box with manual
> settings for host name, ip number, gateway and dns entries. But I can't
> configure using DHCP. I know that DHCP is working because I added a 2nd ip
> number and a Windows NT 4.0 box. I can use DHCP on my Windows machine -- no
> problems -- but DHCP won't work on Linux --
>
> any ideas here?
>
> Paul
Paul,
The discussion on DHCP vs DNS concerns the Linux box providing
DHCP SERVICE to the rest of the local boxes. It did not concern your
problem, which is involves the dhcp client on your linux box not working
properly with your cable modem service. The same question comes up with
*DSL service, too.
Red Hat Linux (at least since 6.0) uses pump as the dhcp client
by default. In troubleshooting, I suggest you try the following five
things (in order): (You may have already tried #4)
*************************
1) Does your ISP (cable company) require that you "pre-register" the
hardware ethernet number (MAC address) of your ethernet card in order
to use DHCP, or do they automatically accept and register any card?
(I'm assuming they offer dhcp service, right? :-) Some ISP's make you
pre-register one card. If you don't know, then ask them.
*************************
2) Try using a longer "time out" for pump. To do so, go edit:
(you most likely will have to create it):
/etc/pump.conf:
# assumes eth1 is your connection to Internet - uses dhcp client pump
# establish connection to ISP
device eth1 {
retries 3
timeout 60
}
# note: the parameter values above may be longer than normally necessary,
# but should be long enough to test if the ISP's dhcp server is slow in
# responding these parameters have worked when pump didn't want to work
# without a pump.conf file.
********************************
(If #1 or #2 above don't fix it, then you can face some "finger pointing"
where the cable service tech support may try to claim that their service
is working properly. It is possible that their service is working
properly, but don't be bullied! YMMV depending on the ISP or even the
technician!)
********************************
3) Is the cable modem working?
Try one of your (windows) boxes, directly connected to the cable modem
(make sure you have the correct cable for a PC direct connection to this
box. Most external ADSL modems require a "cross-over" cable.)
If the Doze box connects via dhcp (check with Run==>winipcfg), then
this points the finger at your linux box's dhcp client (pump).
If it does NOT work, it strongly points the finger at the ISP.
*******************************
4) Is the cable modem working/is dhcp working?
Call the cable modem service hotline: ask them to check the line
(Just because you "see the 3 lights on the modem" or they claim to
run some sort of loopback diagnostics tests on your line and modem does NOT
mean that they have proven that their dhcp service is working
properly!!! The hotline technician may or may not know this!)
Ask them to give you a temporary "static IP number", so you can manually
assign it (use linux conf if you need to change eth1 parameters).
If you can get the manual number to work, but not dhcp, that proves that
the cable modem and line are working, as well as your ethernet card. By
itself, this information doesn't prove or disprove that their dhcp service
is working properly. However, if #1, #2, #3 all fail to achieve a successful
dhcp connection, but #4 does (static #), then this is STRONG evidence that
the ISP's dhcp service is not working properly. In this case, the
ISP should be willing to grant you a static # until they can fix it.
*****************************
5) try dhcpcd instead of pump as your dhcp client.
If tests 1,2,3,4 point the finger at your dhcp client (pump), then try
a different dhcp client - dhcpcd.
(For dhcpcd, sorry, I'm wimping out here. I suggest searching redhat-list
archives for dhcpcd: http://www.moongroup.com/redhat.phtml)
*************************
If 1-5 above don't help, then suggest you repost to the list,
state versions of redhat (and/or kernel) and pump (and dhcpcd if you've
tried it) and explain what you've tried. (maybe even mention pump.conf
values)
***************************************************************************
Jerry Winegarden OIT/Technical Support Duke University
[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www-jerry.oit.duke.edu
***************************************************************************
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