Realtek RTL8139/810x Ethernet NIC doesn't work on Puppy

[ucraniano]

Hi!
I've got RCA USB Cable Modem. It works on my WinXP by USB conection but doesn't work on Puppy. Instructions book of the modem tells that its compatible with Linux but only by Ethernet conection. So, I bought Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC (PCI Adapter). The problem is that Puppy can't auto-detect it. I think that the problem is that RTL8139, but I don't know what can I do.
Can sombody help me?
THANKS!

[Bruce B]

I can almost swear to you that I've had repeated success with that family of PCI adapters.

I can say it's an available module, at least in a generic sense.

-----------

Maybe we can work on the supposition that Puppy does well with the adapter.

Is the light on when the RJ45 is plugged in?

Does the mainboard have an adapter or two?

If so have you turned them off?

Is there an RJ45 connector on your USB Cable Modem?

Just exactly what happens when you run Puppy's network setup?

Did you look at the software that came with it for Linux drivers?

[ucraniano]

Is the light on when the RJ45 is plugged in?

Did you mean the "PC link" light? If so, yes.

Does the mainboard have an adapter or two?

I can't understand what did you mean with this question.

Is there an RJ45 connector on your USB Cable Modem?

Yes.

Just exactly what happens when you run Puppy's network setup?

Are you talking about that "connect" icon? If so, it tells that there's no modem detected.

Did you look at the software that came with it for Linux drivers?

There's a guide for Linux users:

This document contains instructions on installing Linux driver
and adjusting speed for the series of RTL8139(A/B/C/8130) Network Adapter

Installing Driver:
(1.) Kernel Had Supported Driver:
Check the directory " /lib/modules/¡K./net " if you could find "rtl8139.o"
Your kernel had supported RTL8139 series. You could easy use "linuxconf"
to setup your card. If you don't like linuxconf, you also could use
"modprobe rtl8139" and "ifconfig up eth0" to load module.
If your driver load properly, your "/etc/conf.modules" should include
line of "alias eth0 rtl8139".

(2.) Kernel Don't Support Driver:
If your kernel doesn't support RTL8139 series, you should compiler driver
by yourself. Please contact http://www.scyld.com/network/rtl8139.html
to get source code. The compiler command is located on the end of source
code. Maybe like "gcc -DMODULE -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -O6 -c rtl8139.c".
If you couldn't compiler success, maybe you should refer to error message
and copy library or head file to Linux.

Adjust Speed:
(1.) Adjusting speed:
Driver is designed with the gold that no options should be needed in most
environment. However not all cards and networks can be automatically
configured,thus allow operational parameters to be modify when they are
loaded as module. Typically the following variables may be set:
insmod rtl8139 options=0x40
Hex Decimal Meaning
0x10 16 ¡K..Force Full-Duplex operation (must be used with 0x20 or 0x40)
0x20 32 ¡K..Force 100mbps-only operation
0x40 64 ¡K..Force 10mbps-only

If loading as a module and configured /etc/conf.modules

alias eth0 rtl8139
options options=0x40

Look weird like that but I believe that works.

That's what I got out of the documentation. It seems like the
options are supported in the module. If not, you'll need to
download ftp://ftp.scyld.com/pub/diag/rtl8139-diag.c

Compiling syntax is at the end.

Run: "rtl8139-diag -F 10baseT-HD"

That will force it to 10Mbps at half-duplex. If you want full-duplex
change it to 10baseT-FD.
You'll need a switch for full-duplex.

Once you establish that it works, you can write the setting to
the EEPROM with "rtl8139-diag -w".

Other information:
You could get some helpful information on these URLs.

http://www.scyld.com/

http://www.deja.com/usenet

[renuvio]

I don't know if this could be helpful for you, Ucraniano, but i remember a similar problem related in another places about some "fake" Realtek's 8139 lan cards produced by a chinese vendor, Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics.

The links i found about this problem are:

http://forums.opensuse.org/archives/sf- ... oblem.html
http://lists.samba.org/archive/linux/20 ... 15771.html
http://www.slax.org/forum.php?action=vi ... light=8139

'tl nex time.

[Bruce B]

Does the mainboard have an adapter or two?

A lot of mainboards have built in ethernet adapters. If yours does, you could turn it (them) off in the BIOS.

Then maybe renuvio is right, you could have a fake or doa.

It surprises me you are even having problems with this one.

[Fossil]

ucraniano

I have several Realtek RTL8139 ethernet boards, all work without exception - although I do use a router and not a USB-based cable modem. Try as Bruce suggested, go into the BIOS and check if any subsection has ethernet turned off.

[Philh]

Have you tried
menu
setup
network wizard
to see if the nic is detected.

[ucraniano]

Have you tried
menu
setup
network wizard
to see if the nic is detected.

The NIC is detected, but there's another problem - the RJ45 of the USB modem doesn't enter into the NIC.
I've got 2 cables. The first one is too small for PCI. The second one is too big for USB modem.
What can I do?

[ucraniano]

I changed the RJ45 and there's an icon that tells that I'm connected. But Internet doesn't work! I ran Network Wizard but thare's no changes.
Sombody knows how to solve this problem?
THANKS!

[ucraniano]

Now I tied install puppy again and Internet works!
I don't know what I changed but I'm happy with it.
THANKS for everyone!