how to install PCMCIA LAN Card (newb)
Forum: Networking
Topic: how to install PCMCIA LAN Card (newb)
started by: djeddiej
Posted by djeddiej on Jan. 11 2004,05:57
Hello everyone -Quick Newbie question.
I just successfully installed DSL on a Toshiba Tecra 700CT Laptop. I want to use either my gvc GPN0345 or Linksys PC100 PCMCIA Cards to connect to my network and the internet. Both cards have install.txt files that state the following:
Installing the PCMCIA Card Services
Card Servicess for Linux is written by David Hinds
<dhinds@hyper.stanford.edu>. It is now a part of many of the Linux distributions, like RedHat and Slackware. You need to install it into your Linux system for use of the PCMCIA or "PC Card". The source version is available at <hyper.stanford.edu> in the "/pub/pcmcia" dirctory,as
"pcmcia-cs-x.tar.gz". Replace "x" with the version number of the latest package.
Question 1: Do I need to download and install this package? I thought I read that DSL had PCMCIA Services installed.
To install the PCMCIA Card Services, you need to install a full kernel source and do the following shell commands:
#tar zxvf pcmcia-cs-x.tar.gz
#cd pcmcia-cs-x
#./Configure
#make all
#make install
Generally, you don't need to change any default selections when you run "./Configure" to configure the compiled environment. But if you want to use Card Bus adapter, enable the (CardBus) option.
Question 2: Do I have to do this, or is it related to question 1? (i.e. not necessary)
Configuration for LAN cards
For LAN card users, you need to use editor to edit the file
"/etc/pcmcia/network.opts" to assign IP address, netmask, gateway IP, nameservers,broadcast address, and etc. after the Card Services installation. A part of the file "network.opts" is as listed which is mandatory setup for the TCP/IP of your Linux machine:
#File: /etc/pcmcia/network.opts
#
#
#
#Host's IP address, netmask, network address, broadcast address
IPADDR="1.2.3.4"
NETMASK="255.255.255.0"
NETWORK="1.2.3.0"
BROADCAST="1.2.3.255"
#Gateway address for static routing
GATEWAY="1.2.3.254"
#Things to add to /etc/resolv.conf for this interface
DOMAIN="your.domain"
SEARCH=""
DNS_1=""
DNS_2=""
DNS_3=""
#
#
Question 3: I found the network.opts file in the appropriate folder. I noticed these settings - some I think I understand, some I don't. Here is what I filled in - Do these settings make sense? (i.e. are they correct) - some I don't know what to fill and would appreciate some help (I looked around google but they do not seem to explain some of these settings, perhaps I am looking in the wrong spot).
#Host's IP address, netmask, network address, broadcast address
# djeddiej: I changed this to a static IP in my network, is this ok?
IPADDR="192.168.1.111"
# djeddiej: left alone
NETMASK="255.255.255.0"
# djeddiej: I changed this based on patterns of similar values I saw across the web. Is this right?
NETWORK="192.168.1.0"
# djeddiej: I changed this based on patterns of similar values I saw across the web. Is this also right?
BROADCAST="192.168.1.255"
#Gateway address for static routing
# djeddiej: I changed this based on patterns of similar values I saw across the web. Is this also right? I assume by gateway they mean my router (a linksys)
GATEWAY="192.168.1.1"
#Things to add to /etc/resolv.conf for this interface
# djeddiej: my local workgroup is called home. so should I set this here?
DOMAIN="home"
SEARCH=""
# djeddiej: I added one setting here, is it the correct one to use if I want to use a name with the Monkey web server?
DNS_1="tecra1"
DNS_2=""
DNS_3=""
Any advice on these settings (and the whole process in general) would be appreciated. I can catch on quickly, so if there is a link that would summarize these steps too, that would also help. My objective would be to send e-mail hopefully from DSL as well as surf, and even perhaps create simple test web pages (I do most of my work in Win right now).
cheers - djeddiej
Posted by djeddiej on Jan. 11 2004,06:00
Hi again -As a follow-up to my previous posting, I had entered those settings and I don't get any connection to the network/net. There are no green lights in the Link/Rx, Power/Rx or 10/100M of the PCMCIA card when I boot into DSL...am I missing something?
thanks again
djeddiej
Posted by djeddiej on Jan. 11 2004,18:11
harumph...This linksys/gvx PCMCIA card install is apparantly getting problematic...
I have done some research into installing the ethernet PCMCIA card and have discovered that Toshiba laptops have 'been particularly problematic for Linux PCMCIA support' because Toshiba 'designs their own CardBus bridges'. This can be seen at < Sourceforge's information on the PCMCIA Linux Drivers >
.One of the postings on that thread states that they were able to configure a 700CT by changing a setting called PCI_OPTS, but it appears to be in redhat or mandrake. Is there an equivalent setting in DSL? I followed the thread which reached its conclusion here (http://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/HyperNews/get/pcmcia/toshiba/20/1/1/1.html?nogifs).
I read information about Debian Linux distributsions at (http://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/ftp/doc/PCMCIA-HOWTO-2.html#distributions) but the files mentioned in the paragraph do not seem to contain this setting.
I am at a little of a loss at this point (I am still plugging away at this) but would appreciate some advice on getting it to work on DSL. I don't want to blame the distro, but networking is important, and if it has the potential to work on another distro, than I can try that path too.
cheers
djeddiej