ADSL connection (BSNL dataone) with puppy Linux

Question

I have an old PC which I want to use for internet browsing. I tried using Puppy Linux (version 4.3.1) for the same but have not been able to connect.

I connect via PPPoE. My network card is RTL 8029b which is automatically detected by Puppy Linux. However, the LED indicator on the MODEM designating LAN connectivity stays off. This post is being typed from the same PC running XP, so there are no connection issues.

I am a complete newbie with Linux. Can somebody point me to instructions? I will be willing to give any more information if required.

My modem is a Huewei Smartax MT 882

Thanks

Answer 1

Presumably you can actually shutdown from your network connected XP system
and reboot with PuppyLinux to find that the Ethernet port remains in a link-down state.

This is very curious;
I would expect compatibility or configuration problems to surface as
an inability to dial-up your ADSL connection -- not as a physical link-state problem.

Maybe someone here knows if a driver (or its default configuration)
could cause such an effect.
Particularly, after the RTL card has been successfully detected (like you state).

As a next step maybe you could get some diagnostic information out for reference.
Check this PuppyLinux packaging of the lshw tool.
You could probably update your question with the RTL card details from that.

Answer 2

First, check that your linux see everything connected by using the command "ethtool eth0" - you'll have to do this as root. You should see a message "Link detected: yes". If not, then you've got a hardware link problem.

The next thing I would suspect is that Linux is not setting the port up for DHCP. When you bring up the linux box, check on the ethernet port with "ifconfig" - it should tell you many things, including the IP address of the port. If not, you may need to assign one, or set the box into DHCP mode so that it can request an address.