Network problem

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Tuntematon
Posts: 15
Joined: 6. May 2019, 15:51

Network problem

Post by Tuntematon »

Sorry for creating a fresh account, but I have no idea what my account and password once were.

I have been succesfully using Salix for many years thanks to my knowledgeable friend, who has given me great assistance. Unfortunately he lives too far away to solve this problem. I am double booting and toggling between Salix and Windows 10.

My problems started when my operator had some serious problems, which they denied for several days. I decided to buy a new router, cause my old one was already acting unreliably.

Operator problems have been solved now and I get normal speed using Windows. I have installed the new router carefully following the instructions and all lights are green, indicating that there shouldn't be any problems. I have visited settings to see that everything should be fine.

However, I haven't been able to connect using Salix ever since the router change. I had NetworkManager installed, which I have reinstalled and even tried wicd. I have stopped and started services, deleted connection cache using NM connections editor. Nothing changes.

What I see using NM is ethernet icon going round and round "requesting for address" but nothing happens. After some minutes it gives up. There are times when it sees something, but connects and disconnects every two seconds. All this time it sees ethernet and even find its name. I have tried with and without "auto ethernet" option.

I have tried Wlan too. There are times when it doesn't even find my WLAN, but let's say two times in three it does. When I type my wlan password nothing really happens. It thinks for a minute and then closes down without giving any error message. There have been times when it actually connects, but decides to disconnect immediately after two seconds, just like ethernet does every now and then.

I have disabled and enabled ufw firewall to see if it has any change. No change whatsover.

I'm running out of ideas. Has any of you ever experienced something like this or do you have any idea what I should try next?
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gapan
Salix Wizard
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Joined: 6. Jun 2009, 17:40

Re: Network problem

Post by gapan »

Tuntematon wrote: 6. May 2019, 16:13 Sorry for creating a fresh account, but I have no idea what my account and password once were.
Well, hi again then!

If you remember the email address you used, I can probably find the account. But it doesn't matter really.

What is the versions of the NetworkManager and network-manager-applet that you have installed? These have received upgrades since the release of 14.2 and should now both be at 1.8.4.

I know that they fix similar problems with ddwrt and some other routers.
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galmei
Posts: 166
Joined: 1. Jun 2018, 21:54

Re: Network problem

Post by galmei »

Hello Tuntematon,

I think you are looking in the wrong place. If there is no connection to the web after a router switch, then I see two main causes.

The first cause is that a DHCP server was running in the old router, but no DHCP server has yet been allowed in the new router. This can be achieved by configuring the router. The corresponding DHCP client is automatically started by NetworkManager (WICD also does this). My suspicions are reinforced by your description: What I see using NM is ethernet icon going round and round "requesting for address". NM is waiting for the provision of an DNS information, what happens through server-client interaction. But this requires a DHCP server in the LAN in the standard Salix setup.

The second cause is, If fixed IP addresses have been agreed on the operating system installation and in the router, for example: for the network address 192.168.100.50, and the new router would have the network address 192.168.0.1 by default, then nothing would work.
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mimosa
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Re: Network problem

Post by mimosa »

I'm not sure what to throw at this!

You might try connecting from the command line - if this succeeds, the blame surely lies with NM (or wicd):

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dhcpcd eth0
If it works, as a fringe benefit, you have a working internet connection in Salix while trying to solve the problem.

I experienced something similar with Wicd in Devuan, which I was able to fix by changing the dhcp client (in Preferences -> External progams) to dhclient, and Route table flushing to ip. Devuan has these set to "auto" by default. I'm not sure which of these did the trick, but since it worked, I let it be.

You are unlikely to have a static IP unless you knowingly set it up like that.

You say Windows connects with no issues. Have you tried any other Linux distro, perhaps using a live USB?
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gapan
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Joined: 6. Jun 2009, 17:40

Re: Network problem

Post by gapan »

I was under the impression that he was referring to a wireless connection, not a wired one.
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mimosa
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Re: Network problem

Post by mimosa »

I think it's both - or rather, neither. He mentions both "ethernet" and "WLAN".

@tuntematon, can you clarify?
Tuntematon
Posts: 15
Joined: 6. May 2019, 15:51

Re: Network problem

Post by Tuntematon »

Thank you all for your kind answers!

My NetworkManager and applet versions are both 1.8.4-x86_64-1_slack14.2

I have tried running another linux distro from usb stick and managed to get ethernet working. So this has to be Salix related.

Yes, the connection issue affects both wired and wireless connections. One of them sometimes work for 1-2 seconds until it disconnects.

Someone elsewhere suggested that I should type "dhcpcd eth0" and I get this reply:

eth0: adding address....
if_addaddress6: Permission denied
eth0: waiting for carrier
timed out
dhcpcd exited

If I understood correctly, with dhcpcd I should be able to form some sort of a temporary connection, but it failed nevertheless.
galmei
Posts: 166
Joined: 1. Jun 2018, 21:54

Re: Network problem

Post by galmei »

Tuntematon wrote: 7. May 2019, 10:55 I have tried running another linux distro from usb stick and managed to get ethernet working. So this has to be Salix related.
Which distribution and which version? Other distributions could be set up to independently start a DHCP server if they can not find a running server on the LAN. You can do without a DHCP server. If a server is to be used, then it can run on the router or on any computer in the LAN. This can also be the affected (maybe only) computer. The described misbehavior is not Salix specific.
Tuntematon wrote: 7. May 2019, 10:55[...] wireless connections. One of them sometimes work for 1-2 seconds until it disconnects.
There is only the empty wireless connection between computer and router to see. A connection to the web does not have to exist.
Tuntematon wrote: 7. May 2019, 10:55Someone elsewhere suggested that I should type "dhcpcd eth0" and I get this reply [...]
You have to use Superuser privileges (sudo) to start such programs. I assume that mimosa had granted you this knowledge. The error message shown is almost without value.

But it is not necessary to blindly start a DHCP client. With

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ps ax | grep -i dhcp
one can find out if a DHCP client is running and thus NetworkManager/WICD has completed this part of the task successfully.
Tuntematon wrote: 7. May 2019, 10:55If I understood correctly, with dhcpcd I should be able to form some sort of a temporary connection, but it failed nevertheless.
No, not completely correct. You need a DHCP client (for example: dhcpcd) on your computer and a DHCP server. The latter can run on your new router.

You can check whether a DHCP server is running by connecting to the router via a web browser and checking the configuration there. To do this, start a web browser and enter the current local network address (probably still the default address) of the router. The default address of the router is mentioned in the manual. It is necessary to allow JavaScript for this address. For example: if the router's current IP address is 192.168.0.1, then enter 192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.0.1/ in the address bar of the browser. Once you have found the configuration option, you may be able to turn on the use of a DHCP server. And then save this new configuration (very important). Then exit the browser and reload Salix.

Reading the router manual is very helpful for the configuration.
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mimosa
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Re: Network problem

Post by mimosa »

It seems odd if the router isn't running a dhcp server, but you can test for this without running the gauntlet of its configuration interface by doing

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sudo dhcpcd -T eth0
and you should see something like this in the output:

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eth0: soliciting a DHCP lease
eth0: offered 192.168.1.13 from 192.168.1.1
interface=eth0
pid=10564
reason=TEST
or if not:

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eth3: IPv6 kernel autoconf disabled
eth3: waiting for carrier
timed out
dhcpcd exited
Make sure it really is 'eth0' you want by

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ifconfig -a
you should see

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eth0: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> 
You mentioned the ufw firewall - it may be as well to disable this for now, and anything else you may be using such as a VPN that could be interfering in some way.

EDIT

... and I forgot to say, try this in the other Linux you mentioned that connects. The output of the dhcp test will confirm the server is running on the router as it should.
Tuntematon
Posts: 15
Joined: 6. May 2019, 15:51

Re: Network problem

Post by Tuntematon »

Thanks for being so patient with me. As you already have noticed, my knowledge is very limited and that makes me a bit hesitant to explore all suggestions. I'm doing my best though.

I searched my stuff and found 2 live usb sticks. The first one is live Salix 14.2, which for some reason refused to load properly. The other one is an outdated version of Tails, which I tested maybe some six months ago. I can easily get ethernet running using that stick. I tried Tails with admin pw turned on, but when using sudo dhcpcd (with and without sudo) it told me there is no such command available.

So back to my own Salix installation. ifconfig -a returns this for eth0: eth0: flags=4099<up, broadcast, multicast>mtu 1500

sudo dhcpcd -T eth0 gives me exactly the same message as without "-T" added. eth0: adding address....
if_addaddress6: Permission denied
eth0: waiting for carrier
timed out
dhcpcd exited

I noticed that I can occasionally "browse" internet using Salix, but it just connects and disconnects all the time. There are periods when "requesting for ethernet address" turns to "ethernet network connection auto ethernet active" and "No network connection" (connect/disconnect)

I had to reboot the router once again cause it didn't accept my password anymore. Using windows I can access router terminal, where my profile is "rooted" meaning "default routed configuration with ipv6 and ipv4". There are several other options including "routed ipv4 only". It just crossed my mind if I should try that option, as dhcpcd eth0 command returns "if_addaddress6: Permission denied". But I won't do it yet, let's see what you think first.
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