Can't connect to the net

Forum: Networking
Topic: Can't connect to the net
started by: crazy grasshopper

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 11 2006,01:42

Please help. Iam setting a Sony Vaio up for my daughter. I am a newbie to Linux.

The laptop has detected the card Xircom Cardbus Ethernet 10/100 using tulip_cb driver.

When I click on FireFox an alert message comes up and notifies me that I can not connect to the net.

What do I need to do?

Thanks,
Crazy Grasshopper

Posted by Ramik on Nov. 11 2006,07:47

How did you setup your net on windows ? Static IP, DHCP ?
How do you connect to the internet ? - Does your router connect, or windows ?

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 11 2006,23:17

Hi,

I will need some help here because I never have had to set a network up before.

Currently I use a dell latitude using the same type of network card. I have cable internet and have hookup through a router. The system basically set me up through Windows 2000.

How do I check my system for (static) IP or dhcp?

Posted by Ramik on Nov. 12 2006,05:20

This may take a while :-)
Well, their are two main things to look out for:
WAN: How you connect to the internet.
LAN: How your network is connected.

LAN:
In your network each computer gets an IP Address to be used internally, IP assigning is done by either a DHCP Server, or by the computer itself using Static IP.
The simplest way to find out whether its DHCP or Static is to check the settings on your working windows machine.
Go to the Control Panel -> Network Connections to find a connection that is representing your LAN, by default its "Local Area Connection" - one for each CARD.
Right click it -> Properties -> Internet Protocol (TCP\IP) -> Properties.
Their you will either see the check box "Obtain an IP address automatically" which means your router provides your PC an IP using its build-in DHCP server, or "Use the following IP address" which means you enter an IP address on your own.

If you have a DHCP server (I.E: Build in the router) then it should provide an IP to your DSL too as long as:
1. DSL correctly identified your Net Card.
2. The router settings are to give any new client on the LAN an IP (Some high security settings, usually at work places, avoid this so no can come with a laptop and automatically connect to the local network).
3. The DHCP server is working properly (They tend to be bugy :-)).

If its a Static IP then you'll need to assaying one manually to your DSL as well, This can be done by:
1. Guess another IP by your settings of the first computer - if the IP Address was 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1 or whatever, it will usually be right to simply enter the next number: 192.168.0.2/192.168.1.2/10.0.0.2.
2. Your "Default Gateway" will usually be your router, enter the IP in your browser and you should be able to enter your router configuration panel (a web site), their you can find all sorts of info regarding your LAN and in some cases you may also find the connection to the WAN (Internet).

WAN:
Their are two ways your system may connect to the Internet, either your computer dials out through the router to your ISP, or your router does this for you.

If the computer connects for you, you will see in "Network Connections" another connection, this won't be named "Local Area Connection" but will be named something like PPPoE\PPP\PPtP\Bridged...\... , In it you will find all sorts of information that will be needed for DSL to connect to the internet if the windows machine if powered down.
If you find nothing as such, it is most likely that the Internet Connection is done by the router, this is usually better because it will save you the trouble of setting a dialer, all you need is to set your LAN and the WAN should available unless your router is set with High Security that forbids outgoing connections to non specified IPs by the router internal IP Address.

* You may find your router in < http://www.portforward.com/, > this might help if you don't know its IP and\or its username\password.

Hope this helped, their is tons of info on this stuff on-line if you up to it :-)

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 12 2006,23:26

Thank for the explanation - Ramik.

My computer uses DHCP and the router automatically connects to the internet.

I have a cable internet service that is ran through a Motorola cable modem then to a Belkin Wireless G router and then to the laptop. Currently I have been using a wired hookup through the ethernet card - my wireless recieiver does not work.

I still need to check my routers restrictions.

Thanks,
Crazy Grasshopper

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 17 2006,02:52

I checked my settings and I got the laptop to access the internet.

The processor is a PII 333 64MB RAM 384MB swap space - it seems to run very very slow when surfing the net. The RAM is alway running at 75% the CPU is running at 50% and swap is running at 10%.

Is this to be expected or can I streamline the system to gain more speed?

Thanks,

Crazy Grasshopper

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Nov. 17 2006,02:55

I'm guessing you're using firefox?
That's probably the reason for your resources being eaten up.

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 17 2006,03:29

Yes I am using Firefox! Is there another browser that I can use that would be better?

Thanks,
Crazy Grasshopper

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Nov. 17 2006,04:09

Dillo is also included in DSL. Very light-weight.

There's also glinks, opera, and some text-based browsers.

Posted by abracadabra on Nov. 17 2006,04:14

Hi if its any help i have a xircom 10/100 not sure which driver though and ven when the router is set to dhcp it doesnt work. to get around this i just manually set ((static)) the IP, Netmast, broadcast and dns to ones similar to what dhcp would give me. ie if router is 192.168.2.1 then set your ip to 192.168.2.2 netmask to 255.255.255.0 broadcast to 192.168.0.255 and dns to 192.168.0.1. this worked for me through netcardconfig

Posted by crazy grasshopper on Nov. 17 2006,18:30

thehatrules,
I tried Dillo but it seems to not open some graphics or links correctly on some pages. I tried Firefox and it did load them correctly. Is there some type of configurations that need to be made.

abracadabra,
I traced the issue back to my router. When I rebooted, it worked instantly. DSL correctly recognized my card and provided a working driver. My router is using DHCP. It has been working since. But, thanks if I have any future issues this may come in handy.