Stephen Gran on 14 Aug 2005 18:21:28 -0000


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Re: [PLUG] Just trying to ping my DSL modem


On Sun, Aug 14, 2005 at 10:25:25AM -0400, Douglas Lentz said:
> Hi, Stephen.
> 
> Thanks for the help. My previous emails may not have been that clear, 
> because a) I am somewhat irritated at the situation and b) the 
> Significant Other is hovering over me, saying things like "Why doesn't 
> it work? It would work if you used Windows. Why do you have to be 
> different than everyone else?"
> 
> What I was trying to establish is "When I signed up for the service, and 
> DCANET sent me the modem, did they send me a piece of junk?"
> 
> When DCANET sent me the modem, they sent me no documentation or 
> software. I downloaded the user's manual from Zoom, and that's how I 
> know about the 10.0.0.2 address, where configuration software is 
> supposed to live.  I was trying to reach the 10.0.0.2 address not 
> because the modem needed reconfiguration, but because this is the only 
> tool I have to verify that I have connectivity with the modem.  I used 
> the ifcfg-eth0 configuration you suggested, and no ping at 10.0.0.2
> 
> My strategy was to first establish that I had connectivity with the 
> modem, and then to wonder why my DHCP client wasn't working. However, I 
> have begun to suspect that the Zoom 5515 ADSL Bridge is such a "thin" 
> device that this may not be possible. Either everything from my NIC card 
> to DCANET's name servers has to be working, or nothing works, and 
> troubleshooting is not an option.
> 
> Sigh.
> 
> I went through Red Hat's GUI network setup program, selected eth0, 
> clicked "Automatically obtain address settings with DHCP" and 
> "Automatically obtain DNS information from provider". As root, I did a 
> "service network restart" and got
> 
> Bringing up interface eth0:
> Determining IP information for eth0... failed.

And the logs say ... ?  A tcpdump of the session is ... ?

> My NIC card works, cabling tests out OK, the ADSL modem appears to go 
> through a normal bootup sequence and finds its loop  (if you can believe 
> the blinking lights)  I know that my DHCP client is dhclient. Maybe that 
> isn't a good one?
> 
> The other possibility is that the modem doesn't work...but, as above, it 
> may not be possible to determine this. Zoom's manual says it works with 
> Linux. Maybe I should run out to Microcenter and buy another modem. Any 
> suggestions?
> 
> I also have a Windows 2000 box. I suppose I can call DCANET, tell them 
> to send me the software they didn't send me the first time, give them 
> the MAC address from THAT box, and use the the windows box as a gateway, 
> but, crap.  I haven't had any problems with the RH box before this, 
> installing dial-up ppp was easy, USB devices work fine.
> 
> Anyway, thanks a lot David, Stephen & Leon. I will call DCANET Monday AM 
> but I am not optimistic.

It sounds like either they don't have the correct MAC address for your
machine, or your modem is broken.  I can't remember ever pinging my
modem, so I couldn't tell you if that approach works or not.  My advice
is to call DCA.net, they are fairly friendly and intelligent, especially
if you start off the same way.

They can do line tests to see if they see your MAC address and that sort
of thing, so you'll know in fairly short order if your modem works or
not.

Take care,
-- 
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|  Stephen Gran                  | BOFH excuse #194:  We only support a    |
|  steve@lobefin.net             | 1200 bps connection.                    |
|  http://www.lobefin.net/~steve |                                         |
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