[NTLUG:Discuss] networking questions

[Chris Cox]

Richard Cobbe wrote:
> 
... 
> 1) A couple of times over the last few months, I've tried to hook two
>    (Linux) computers together---directly---using ethernet 10baseT.  My
>    understanding is that you can do this by hooking the ethernet cards of
>    the two systems together, using a crossover cable.
> 
>    It doesn't seem to work.  When I try to go from my normal system (stock
>    RH6.2, kernel 2.2.16), it locks up the machine hard enough to require a
>    power cycle.  At first, I thought this was because my routing table was
>    messed up, so I manually removed all of the incorrect routes and added a
>    specific route for the other host, going out eth0.  (I left the loopback
>    and ``reflexive'' routes alone.)  Didn't help.
> 
>    Is this, in fact, possible?  If so, what am I missing?  Or do I need a
>    10baseT hub?

Your configuration is correct.  You connect them with a crossover cable.
I do this all the time.  My cards are a NetGear FA310-TX and an PC-Net
card built into a laptop.

> 
> 2) Separate issue.  At one point (I don't recall exactly why I got into
>    this situation), I had my system/network set up almost as normal.  The
>    only difference was that the 10baseT crossover cable which normally
>    connects my PC and my DSL modem wasn't plugged into the modem.
> 
>    I tried to ping some host, and the computer immediately hard-booted
>    itself.

That shouldn't happen.
I use SuSE 6.3 and 6.4 though (MMMV).

I know I didn't help out...but hopefully I've confirmed your sanity.

My configuration is a 56K modem running a PPP connection to the internet from
the desktop machine, then the laptop's ethernet via a crossover cable is connected to the
ethernet card on the desktop.  I usually run a dhcp server and pass out a
non-routable IP.  I setup masquerading to allow the private net ip's to use
the desktop as their gateway.  My guess is this is similar to your configuration
except you have DSL.

Regards,
Chris