Fedora n00b can't get internet connection

Shagbag · #1 22nd November 2007, 06:01 AM

I'm completely new to Fedora but not new to linux.
I've just installed Fedora 8 (GNOME) and I'm trying to configure my ethernet connection but not having any success.
I keep getting:

IP= 169.254.206.220
Broadcast = 169.254.255.255
Default Route = 0.0.0.0
Primary DNS = <blank>

I've played around using the Network GUI tool but no matter what I do - even changing it to dhcp - I still get the above connection. My Netgear ADSL Modem/Router/Gateway/DNS has IP address 192.168.0.1 but everytime I try to change things in the GUI they seem to be completely ignored.

I prefer to configure everything through the command line but Fedora - like every other distro I've used - does things differently.

I would appreciate some guidance as to what I need to do. For example, I don't even know how to restart the networking daemon in Fedora

lucky21 · #2 22nd November 2007, 06:29 AM

From the CLI: Type # service network restart

Once you change everything in your network windows. Click on file save. It will tell you, you need to restart your services. Thats when you will go into your terminal and restart your network services.

I'm assuming your hard-wired in to your internet instead of wireless.

Leave it as DHCP, thats what you want it as.

Shagbag · #3 22nd November 2007, 08:54 AM

Thx. I restarted the network with the command you suggested and it failed to establish a connection on eth0.

Looking into this further, I suspect it may be a route table problem. Compare my Fedora route table:

Code:

Destination          Gateway          Genmask   .....  Iface
169.254.0.0          *                255.255.0.0      eth0

With my Archlinux route table:

Code:

Destination          Gateway          Genmask   .....  Iface
192.168.0.0          *                255.255.255.0    eth0
default              192.168.0.1      0.0.0.0          eth0

This suggests to me (and I'm no networking guru) that my Fedora has no gateway set.

How do I set my gateway in Fedora at the command line?

lucky21 · #4 22nd November 2007, 09:58 PM

Im not sure why it's so hard for you to get hardwired into your linux box since...Even if your going through a router. It should simply be a input wire, complete, kind of thing.

You are using FC8. Your using knetworkmaganer.

If you go into System | Administration | Network...is it active?

Is your network service started?

To check services go into System | Administration | Services

and make sure NetworkManager and netowrk manager display is running.

....

Shagbag · #5 22nd November 2007, 10:16 PM

Thx for following the thread, lucky21. I managed to fix it after looking over a few network threads in this forum. My routing table is now:

Code:

[n00b@thinkpad ~]$ netstat -r
Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface
link-local      *               255.255.255.0   U         0 0          0 eth0
default         192.168.0.1     0.0.0.0         UG        0 0          0 eth0
[n00b@thinkpad ~]$

I ended up amending the following files:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
/etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth0
/etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth0

to be:

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=none
HWADDR=00:0D:60

9:E2:3F
ONBOOT=yes
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
IPADDR=192.168.0.2
GATEWAY=192.168.0.1
TYPE=Ethernet
USERCTL=yes
IPV6INIT=no
PEERDNS=yes

and rebooted. It worked (I'm typing from it), but when I open:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
/etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth0

they're both completely blank. Only /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth0 has the abovementioned configuration listed in it.

This begs the questions:

1. What do:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
/etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth0

actually do; and

2. Why are they blanked out/cleared when I shutdown and reboot?

Finally, as an experienced linux user but a Fedora n00b, I would just like to say that failure to connect to the internet is a problem that needs to be remedied ASAP if Fedora is going to attract more users. The fact that I (an experienced linux user) got into this position - and then got out of it by a combination of knowing what things to look for in the forums, finding those things and then making the necessary changes at the command line - is a screaming advertisement for either making NetworkManager "bullet-proof" or, at least, having some documentation freely available on the Fedora site about configuring network connections. I looked in the documentation section at www.fedoraproject.org and could not find a thing about configuring a faulty internet connection - everything is written under the assumption you're already connected to the internet. If the Fedora Project won't do the latter, then I will- just as soon as I know enough about how Fedora works including having answers for the above two questions. On the plus side, I DO like Fedora's interface. The fonts, in particular, are the best I've seen on any default linux install. Despite the networking hiccup, I'm looking forward to learning more about Fedora.

princemavi · #6 23rd November 2007, 05:09 AM

I totally agree. I had bad experience with Fedora 8 networking scripts as well and had to manually fix my interfaces for it to work.

Polanski · #7 25th November 2007, 04:47 PM

The configuration on sysconfig/devices/ifcfg-eth1 worked on the live cd for gnome fedora 8 but when I install the dvd i386 fedora 8 it does not work. I think the problem is that it identifies the wireless card as eth1 and not wlan0. There is a device that is labeled wifi0 so if that will work or wlan0 how can I change the identification of the card from eth1 to wlan0 or wifi0 and move all the information that eth1 has to wlan0 or wifi0, info including ip address, gateway address etc.? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would like to do all of this through the command line and not the gui.The card is labeled as intersil corp 2.5 wavelan chipset. I would really like my internet back on my ibm r40 laptop if possible.

Shagbag · #8 25th November 2007, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polanski

how can I change the identification of the card from eth1 to wlan0 or wifi0 and move all the information that eth1 has to wlan0 or wifi0, info including ip address, gateway address etc.?

I believe it is the kernel that allocates names to interfaces, ie. I don't think you can change what the kernel calls them. That's how OpenBSD works but I'm not completely sure about linux, so I'm just speculating that it's the same. You can still, however, completely configure an interface to how you like. My 3rd post detailed what I put into my /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth0 file. All you need to do is identify the device's interface and edit the associated config file (ifcfg-<interface>) in /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices. You'll need to do it as root, of course. Once done, just restart networking:

Code:

# service network restart

You may also need to edit /etc/resolv.conf and add your nameserver (DNS). /etc/resolv.conf contains some warnings about not editing the file as NetworkManager uses/amends it, so make sure you turn NetworkManager off.

Polanski · #9 25th November 2007, 11:49 PM

How can I turn network manager off? Is it a process id?

Polanski · #10 26th November 2007, 12:09 AM

After I set the settings in ifcfg-eth0 and put the dns in resolv.conf and run service network restart this is what comes up:

service network restart

Shutting down loopback interface: usage: ifdown <device name>

[FAILED]

Bringing up loopback interface: ./ifup: configuration for ifcfg-lo not found.

Usage: ifup <device name>

[FAILED]

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

RTNETLINK answers: File exists

Iron_Mike · #11 26th November 2007, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polanski

How can I turn network manager off? Is it a process id?

It's a service, open a terminal window change to root and type"

chkconfig --345 off NetworkManager
chkconfig --345 off NetworkManagerDispatcher

Polanski · #12 26th November 2007, 01:42 AM

On the second part how can I fix the problem? I will turn off network manager and get back to you.

Iron_Mike · #13 26th November 2007, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polanski

On the second part how can I fix the problem? I will turn off network manager and get back to you.

While you're in the services menu, make sure the "network" service is still enabled....

chkconfig --345 on network

Polanski · #14 26th November 2007, 02:14 AM

When I type chkconfig --345 on network it says that 345 is an unknown option and it is the same thing for turning off the network manager. Also what services menu? I can get into the services script, is that what you mean. Thank you so much for your help it is greatly appreciated.

princemavi · #15 26th November 2007, 05:10 AM

try
chkconfig --levels 345 network on