Network dies after 25 minutes on FC2

[virgos]

Hi,

I am experiencing a very strange network problem and I hope somebody can help me. I have two laptops at home that are linked as a small network. The first one is connected with my ISP through the eth0 and with the second laptop through a PCMCIA-eth1 (3com). The second laptop (the client) is connected through the eth0 with the first one (the server).

Earlier, the first laptop (server) used to run Fedora 1 and the second (the client) used to run Red Hat 9. Everything worked fine. I upgraded both computers and they run now Fedora Core 2. Now when I turn on the computers, the network works for something like 25 minutes and then dies and I am not able to re-establish it. Even stranger is the fact that I am only able to connect the two computers again in the morning after.

The connection between the first laptop and the external world (ISP) continues to work even after the network between both computers died.

The network is build as follows:

Network: 192.168.0.0
Computer 1: 192.168.0.1 (static IP), runs also a dhcp server, a IP-masquarade, and (I think) a DNS sever (I follow a network how-to and configured the file named.conf).
Computer 2: obtains an IP automatically (dhcp) --- used to be always 192.168.0.58, but is now always 192.168.0.60

While the network is running (for 25 minutes...), I am able, from the client computer, to ping the server (192.168.0.1) and also the ISP. And I have access to the web, email etc. But only for 25 minutes.

Any help is welcome. If you need more information, just let me know how to get them from my computer (I am not an expert --- as you have already noticed reading this message...).

Thank you very much,

Virgilio

[Jman]

You don't need DHCP for that small of a network, and it just complicates things. I would try setting the client's card to a static IP. Main Menu > System Settings > Network on the client and edit the device. Static IP 192.168.0.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, and default gateway of 192.168.0.1.

The command /sbin/ifconfig is useful in determining information about your network devices.

[virgos]

Hi Jman,
thank you very much for your quick answer. Unfortunately, the proposed changes didn't work. I had already tried to set a static IP for the client computer, but it does not work (and I don't know why). With a static IP, I am able to "activate" the eth0 on the client, but I have no connection (I cannot ping, have no internet etc.).
Besides, if I set the default gateway to 192.168.0.1, the computer gets very, very slow (it took me almost 2 minutes to open a terminal window). The same occurs in the server computer (that's why I set no default gateway for the eth1 in the server computer).
I also tried to stop the dhcp server in the server computer, but there were no changes.
Should I set something else in my client computer? DNS search, DNS primary address or something like that? The system-config-network interface has four "pages": device, hardware, DNS and servers. Should I make changes only on "devices"? Should I post the results of the ifconfig command for you?
I am really lost now.
Thank you very much.

[virgos]

Hi,
Another Information: I tried today with a static IP address and it worked. But only for 25 Minutes...

[pigpen]

The 'client' gets a lease from the DHCP server on the 'server', right? Have you checked on the client for which period the lease is valid?

[virgos]

Hi pigpen,
thank you for your answer. The "lease" time from my dhcpd.conf is 86400 (that is one day, right?). But is this time also valid if I use a static IP for the client? I ask because the network dies when I tried to use a static IP too. Should I increase the lease time?
My dhcpd.conf file is as follows:

ddns-update-style ad-hoc;
default-lease-time 86400;
max-lease-time 86400;
option routers 192.168.0.1;
option ip-forwarding off;
option broadcast-address 192.168.0.255;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.1;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.0.2 192.168.0.60;
}

Thank you very much.

[pigpen]

Sorry, I must have missed that you've also tried static IPs, so it can't be a DHCP problem.
This is a very strange problem indeed. Any of you other guys out there: any ideas?

[Cr0n_J0b]

Are you saying that you have 2 eth cards in your FC box, eth0 is DHCP and eth1 is set to internal network? the eth1 will die after 25 minutes but eth0 keeps running? If so, I would suggest that there is probably a driver issue with your eth1 card...check the /var/log/messages for any odd messages about the card...try using mii-tool or ethtool to get some info about the cards...

I have read several posts from people having issues with FC2 and networking...It took me hours to get my FC2 to work properly with my network cards, and there are still some issues.

You might have a situation where you are getting lots of errors from the eth1 driver that eventually kills the connection...

[virgos]

Hi,
I installed a pcmcia ethernet card on the client computer and now it works!! With the built-in network adapter the network still runs for only 25 minutes. With the pcmcia, it runs all day...
Although I don't know why, my problem is partially solved (although I would like to use my built-in network too).
Thanks again for all posts. And if anybody has a clue why the network runs without problems with the pcmcia, but only for 25 minutes with the built-in adapter, I would like to know.
Thank you.