[Ham-Linux] linux and cable modems (again)

[C. Hatton Humphrey]

> I installed Redhat 6.1, I know this is not the latest release, but I got
> the disc in a library book and thought I'd install this version
> just to get
> my feet wet with linux before buying a newer distribution or
> fooling around
> with downloading huge files.
Okay, you're right... not the latest version, but you can work with it.  If
you're new to Linux, however, I'd suggest popping over to your local Wal
Mart... they should have the boxed set of Linux Mandrake 8.2 (I think that's
the number) for around $25.  That's if you want to get something that's
going to be nice and actually *help* you with all that.

One thing most people new to Linux don't realize is that with the Red Hat
and Linux Mandrake distributions (they're quite similar) it's not until
version 7.x+ that a GUI installer that really made sense was available.  Can
you do everything you're wanting to do with RH 6.1?  Sure, but they don't
provide as much assistance in getting the job done.

> The cable network uses DHCP and I selected that option when I
> installed the Redhat.  So, from some of the replies I got,
> it sounds like I choose the right option.   I think the system
> recognizes my network card because I see
> some text about ethernet scrolling by when I boot.

You should see Initializing eth0   [ OK ] in that scroll.  From a login
prompt you can hit <CTRL><PgUp> (I think that's the right combination) to go
back through the boot-up messages and see if that's what you're seeing.
Alternatively you can log in as root and use the command:

ifconfig eth0

If it shows an IP address other than 0.0.0.0 (if you're on Adelphia it'll be
24.something.something.something) then you should be online.  Another way to
test it from a prompt is to run a command like:

ping cnn.com
(you could ping any website you wanted to, honestly)

If it comes back with some numbers (not saying "Request Timed Out") then
you're set there too.  You'll have to hit <Ctrl><c> to stop the ping.

Hope this helps!

73 de KC5SIG
C. Hatton Humphrey