Re: NIC Detection Problem
Kaveh Gh wrote:
> I'm new in Debian. I have a D-link 530+ Network Interface
> Card(PCI). I have been working on Slackware and mandrake linuxes for
> several years but now I want to switch to debian! to test it! ;)
Welcome to Debian!
> Anyway, I have installed debian but it could not detect my LAN
> adapter.
There is no autodetection of hardware in the current released Debian.
You must manually specify your hardware.
The next upcoming release of Debian does include hardware
autodetection support.
> As you know, most of all D-link adapters are detected in
> redhat, mandrake, and slackware in VIA Rhine III adapter type!
Those distros do include autodetection support. But Debian does not.
This is only an issue when installing for the first time. Since with
Debian one usually only installs once this issue is never seen again.
Upgrades do not require a reinstallation. There has been little
motivation to add autodetection until recently and then only because
everyone else has it. Competition is a good thing. :-)
> So, I wanted to paste the via rhine III support module to the
> kernel(bf24 or vanilla) but it couldn't be installed.
You said you had the "D-link 530+" which to the best of my knowledge
uses the '8139too' driver and not the 'via-rhine' driver as you
indicate. That may be some of the confusion. IIRC older D-Link cards
did use the via-rhine driver but not the 530+.
Add '8139too' to /etc/modules to instruct the kernel to load that
module at boot time.
modprobe 8139too
If that works then the following:
echo 8139too >> /etc/modules
Alternatively you can use the 'modconf' program to help you do this
for you.
modconf
> so, I've decided to use my NIC driver for linux. my
> NIC comes with a driver 4 linux in tar.gz form. Now,
> my question is that how can I link the driver as a
> module to kernel in debian after setup and/or while
> I'm in setup phase?
You really don't need to compile the module yourself, although you are
free to do so, because the driver is already distributed as part of
the kernel. The part you are missing is the part to tell the kernel
to load the module.
> In my about 2 hours experience with debian ;) I've
> understood that I could use "Configure a Foreign
> Module" to link my driver. But it was mentioned that
> it must be in a normal form (../lib/module/'session')
> What does it mean? How should I prepare a floppy for
> this reason(note that driver comes with CD not floppy)
>
> So, I want to know that how can I link the module
> before/after installation? Thanks 4 ur care ;)
At installation time the installer will prompt you with the 'modconf'
screens to select kernel modules.
Then page down to here and select it by pressing enter.
kernel/drivers/net
Then at this page select '8139too'
8139too - RealTek RTL-8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter support
This will set up all of the configuration you need. If you missed
that during the installation then run 'modconf' again and repeat that
step.
Note: You may also see references to 'rtl8139' which is a fine driver
by Donald Becker. But it is not distributed with the linux kernel.
So it is much easier to use the '8139too' driver instead.
Bob
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