Change NICs under Linux ? 1

[Johnthom]

Hi all,

My Linux box is running with Link Pro NIC, and it's a litle old and works not very well, so I'd like to replace this NIC with a new 3Com 905 10/100 M card. Until now, I don't know how to do that. I have a lot of questions as follows:

- How to remove NIC driver files for Link PRo card, ( I 'd like to know where NIC's driver files are located, and when Linux starts up, what files ( inittab, rc.local ...for example ) call to these files to startup NIC's function, if I know exactly about that I think I can remove NIC's driver files and remove commands calling to NIC'd driver files )

- Red Hat 7.1 has driver files for 3Com 905-TX card, previously I have ever installed a Linux box with this card, and it automatically detect and setup drivers for this card. But at this time, I don't install Linux, so I have to do everything myself. Please tell what packages contain driver files for this card, and how to know that? and the last question, how to install manually myself .

Thanks so much for your help.

John Thom

 

[ifincham]

Hi,

Invariably ethernet drivers are compiled as modules and would usually be loaded on demand when the associated device is referenced. The modules (drivers) control file is /etc/modules.conf and you would see something like :

alias eth0 3c59x

[and possibly : ]

options 3c59x debug=1 (& other optional parameters)

Basically this says that, on reference of eth0 load the 3c59x.o module .

For a regular install you should find that the installer has kindly copied all the relevant driver modules for just about everything you might ever use . The modules are in the subdirectories under /lib/modules/2.4.2-2 (where 2.4.2-2 is your kernel version as per 'uname -r' command).

For example do :

find /lib/modules -name "3c*"

That should show you where modules beginning with "3c" are stored. On redhat, the scripts that start the network interfaces are in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ .

Hope this helps

 

[Johnthom]

Thanks Ifincham very much.