Re: [vox-tech] NIC cards and Autodetection

["Jay Strauss" <jstrauss@bazillMAPSion.com>]

I have a netgear FA311.  I don't think I have a monolithic kernel (not sure, I'm
using RH6.2 out of box).

I downloaded the driver and associated header files for the driver, but as usual
it didn't work.  After I complied the driver (according to directions) when I do
a "depmod -a" the driver has "unresolved symbols".

I can't believe that linux just brute forces configuring a NIC by trying all the
drivers in /lib/..../net directory, but I think your right, cause I get the same
error "unresolved symbols" during boot.

How do I go about figuring this out?

Jay

Jay Strauss
jstrauss@bazillion.com
(h) 773.935.5326
(c) 312.617.0264

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Jay Salzman" <p@belial.ucdavis.edu>
To: <vox-tech@lists.lugod.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2000 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: [vox-tech] NIC cards and Autodetection


> On Sun, 1 Oct 2000, Jay Strauss wrote:
>
> > Why are some cards autodetected (i.e when performing "checking for new
hardware"
> > during boot) and some are not?
>
> this is a window-ism, btw.
>
> what you're asking is related to /etc/conf.modules and how a system tries
> different modules till one 'works'.
>
> most hardware has a 'call and send' pattern.  you write at a particular
> point in memory, and the card will say something back to you.
>
> linux has no registry, so installing and taking out hardware is really no
> big deal.  it's all part of the bootup.
>
> anyway, linux will try a bunch of NIC modules till one works.  if your
> particular NIC is not one of the ones which are tried at boot time, then
> your card will not be autodetected.
>
> also, see below.
>
> > If you have 2 cards, each a different brand.  Will only one be autodetected?
>
> yes.  there's a reason for this, but i don't remember what it is.
>
> > How would I make a card be auto detected?
>
> now if you have to make a card be auto detected, it wouldn't be auto
> detected, now would it?  ;)
>
> i think you mean "how do i configure my card automatically on boot".
>
> i usually build a kernel with the NIC module built in (ie- no module).
> another way is to modify a start-up script like rc.boot and say something
> like
>
> modprobe -a mynic
>
> which takes care of the module dependencies.  the other way
>
> insmod mynic
>
> doesn't.
>
>
> pete
>
>