Very Computer

I access the Internet from behind a firewall on a Macintosh-based network.
The server is a Macintosh running Vicom Internet Gateway. Most of the
machines connected to the network are Macs; there are also a few Windows PCs
on the network. We recently switched from an ISDN connection to ADSL. We
also use DHCP for assigning IPs.

My primary computer is a Macintosh. I also have a PC with an AMD K6/200
processor. A few weeks ago, I abolished Windows98 from the PC, replacing it
with RedHat Linux 5.2. I've never had any trouble connecting to our LAN or
the Internet when using Mac OS or Windows. However, when it comes to
connecting with Linux I am absolutely baffled!

Under Mac OS & Windows, all that was necessary was to specify "Ethernet" as
the network type and "Configure using DHCP" for acquiring an IP address and
getting all the other numbers (subnet mask, DNS, gateway, etc.) However,
Linux seems to want me to enter 17 different addresses in 42 different
locations (okay, so I'm exaggerating). Why can I not find a way to get Linux
to simply gather all this info from the DHCP server?

All of the manuals, FAQ's, How-To's, etc that I've been able to locate
instruct me to enter my machine's IP address (I thought the DHCP server is
supposed to assign this...), enter the subnet mask (I thought the DHCP
server is supposed to assign this...), enter the addresses of the
nameservers (I thought the DHCP... well, you get my point.)

I know the hardware works, because it's the same hardware I used with
Windows98. Under Linux, I can successfully ping my loopback address
(127.0.0.1). But I can't ping anything else. So apparently, I'm missing
something important here. I've configured everything as best I can using
netcfg, but my Linux box still can't even find our gateway/server.

Does anyone know of a helpful tutorial that is written for people coming
from a Macintosh/Windows98 background? I'm just a user, not a programmer,
and I'm afraid that I'm too accustomed to being able to tell my Mac "Do
this" and it just does it. I really want to broaden my horizons and learn
something new, and I feel that learning Linux/Unix can also help me get into
a new career. Until I can connect my Linux box to the Internet, I can't get
any new software onto it, and frankly, I'm getting tired of playing
minesweeper and mahjonng ;-)

For what it's worth, I've set up a regular user account for myself because I
know better than to run around as root all the time; I did manage to
successfully install and configure KDE, and I can find the appropriate
networking tools from within KDE. I'm just not understanding what I'm
supposed to _do_ with these tools...

--
Rik Osborne
Phase 42 Productions

   Web: <http://members.xoom.com/phase42>

You haven't said which Linux distribution you're using, so advising on
which point 'n' click GUI to use is a moot point (I assume being a Mac
user you don't have a keyboard ;-)

If it's Red Hat, run the "control-panel" program as user root, and click
on the network button. Pick the interface "eth0" and change the
configuration protocol from "none" to "DHCP". Click "OK" and "Save"
where it seems sensible to do so.

From the command line, you can use "pump" or "dhcpcd" but you'll need to
put it in the startup file /etc/rc.d/rc.local (or similar, again depends
on the distribution)

Dave
--
David Crooke, Austin TX, USA. +1 (512) 656 6102
"Open source software - with no walls and fences, who needs Windows
and Gates?"

You need to install a  dhcp client on linux to configure it through a dhcp
server.

Oh, I have a keyboard - it's just that I don't have to _tell_ the Mac that
it's a keyboard ;-P

Actually, I _did_ mention that I have Red Hat 5.2. I run KDE as well, simply
because it makes more sense to me than the various window managers such as
fvwm and AfterStep. I've already done what you mentioned below:

Quote:> If it's Red Hat, run the "control-panel" program as user root, and click
> on the network button. Pick the interface "eth0" and change the
> configuration protocol from "none" to "DHCP". Click "OK" and "Save"
> where it seems sensible to do so.

Except, being an interface designer on the Mac side, I find the Control
Panel too hideous to look at and so I just type 'netcfg' in an xterm. (See,
I don't have to point & click at everything *grin*)

Anyway, perhaps my mistake has been in entering the various appropriate IP
addresses into netcfg? Should I Just leave all the fields blank for now?

Quote:> From the command line, you can use "pump" or "dhcpcd" but you'll need to
> put it in the startup file /etc/rc.d/rc.local (or similar, again depends
> on the distribution)

I think this is where I'm missing something. By "put it in the startup file"
do you mean I should edit the appropriate config file, or do you mean I need
to copy a file/program into the appropriate directory? If you mean to edit a
config file, what do I type?

Thanks for the help and any further information! I really am trying to learn
something here. The Linux way of doing things is so different from the Mac
way of doing things that I'm simply having difficulty changing my mental
mode. It doesn't help that at this stage I have to use my Mac to get help
with Linux - I'll be completely focused on Linux and then have to stop and
go to my Mac to access the Web for info. Once I get this networking
functioning properly and can access the Web with Linux, I'll be able to keep
my focus on one OS at a time :-)

--
Rik Osborne
Phase 42 Productions

   Web: <http://members.xoom.com/phase42>

I have succeeded in getting it working! Thanks!

--
Rik Osborne
Phase 42 Productions

   Web: <http://members.xoom.com/phase42>