Slackware Linux Essentials
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5.2 Network Hardware Configuration

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Having decided that you wish to bring your Slackware machine on to some form of +network, the first thing you'll need is a Linux-compatible network card. You will need to +take a little care to ensure that the card is truly Linux-compatible (please refer to the +Linux Documentation Project and/or the kernel documentation for information on the +current status of your proposed network card). As a general rule, you will most likely be +pleasantly surprised by the number of networking cards that are supported under the more +modern kernels. Having said that, I'd still suggest referring to any of the various Linux +hardware compatibility lists (such as The GNU/Linux +Beginners Group Hardware Compatibility Links and The Linux +Documentation Project Hardware HOWTO) that are available on the Internet before +purchasing your card. A little extra time spent in research can save days or even weeks +trying to troubleshoot a card that isn't compatible with Linux at all.

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When you visit the Linux Hardware Compatibility lists available on the Internet, or +when you refer to the kernel documentation installed on your machine, it would be wise to +note which kernel module you'll need to use to support your network card.

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5.2.1 Loading Network Modules

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Kernel modules that are to be loaded on boot-up are loaded from the rc.modules file in /etc/rc.d or by the +kernel's auto module loading started by /etc/rc.d/rc.hotplug. +The default rc.modules file includes a Network device support +section. If you open rc.modules and look for that section, +you'll notice that it first checks for an executable rc.netdevice file in /etc/rc.d/. This +script is created if setup successfully autoprobes your network +device during installation.

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Below that “if” block is a list of network devices and modprobe lines, +each commented out. Find your device and uncomment the corresponding modprobe line, then +save the file. Running rc.modules as root should now load your network device driver (as well as any +other modules that are listed and uncommented). Note that some modules (such as the +ne2000 driver) require parameters; make sure you select the correct line.

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5.2.2 LAN (10/100/1000Base-T and Base-2) +cards

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This heading encompasses all of the internal PCI and ISA networking cards. Drivers for +these cards are provided via loadable kernel modules as covered in the previous +paragraph. /sbin/netconfig should have probed for your card and +successfully set up your rc.netdevice file. If this did not +occur, the most likely problem would be that the module that you're attempting to load +for a given card is incorrect (it is not unheard of for different generations of the same +brand of card from the same manufacturer to require different modules). If you are +certain that the module that you're attempting to load is the correct one, your next best +bet would be to refer to the documentation for the module in an attempt to discover +whether or not specific parameters are required during when the module is +initialized.

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5.2.3 Modems

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Like LAN cards, modems can come with various bus support options. Until recently, most +modems were 8 or 16 bit ISA cards. With the efforts of Intel and motherboard +manufacturers everywhere to finally kill off the ISA bus completely, it is common now to +find that most modems are either external modems that connect to a serial or USB port or +are internal PCI modems. If you wish for your modem to work with Linux, it is VITALLY important to research your +prospective modem purchase, particularly if you are considering purchasing a PCI modem. +Many, if not most, PCI modems available on store shelves these days are WinModems. +WinModems lack some basic hardware on the modem card itself: the functions performed by +this hardware are typically offloaded onto the CPU by the modem driver and the Windows +operating system. This means that they do not have the standard serial interface that +PPPD will be expecting to see when you try to dial out to your Internet Service +Provider.

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If you want to be absolutely sure that the modem you're purchasing will work with +Linux, purchase an external hardware modem that connects to the serial port on your PC. +These are guaranteed to work better and be less trouble to install and maintain, though +they require external power and tend to cost more.

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There are several web sites that provide drivers and assistance for configuring +WinModem based devices. Some users have reported success configuring and installing +drivers for the various winmodems, including Lucent, Conexant, and Rockwell chipsets. As +the required software for these devices is not an included part of Slackware, and varies +from driver to driver, we will not go into detail on them.

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5.2.4 PCMCIA

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As part of your Slackware install, you are given the opportunity to install the pcmcia +package (in the “A” series of packages). This package contains the +applications and setup files required to work with PCMCIA cards under Slackware. It is +important to note that the pcmcia package only installs the generic software required to +work with PCMCIA cards under Slackware. It does NOT install any drivers or modules. The +available modules and drivers will be in the /lib/modules/`uname +-r`/pcmcia directory. You may need to do some experimentation to find a module that +will work with your network card.

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You will need to edit /etc/pcmcia/network.opts (for an +Ethernet card) or /etc/pcmcia/wireless.opts (if you have a +wireless networking card). Like most Slackware configuration files, these two files are +very well commented and it should be easy to determine which modifications need to be +made.