Help from a Linux geek (or two) please!

Okay. Last night, I wiped out my WinXP install and put Fedora on my machine. Yay. Only problem is, my internet doesn't work. I'm running a Compaq Deskpro, PIII 650mhz, and I have Verizon DSL. Fedora seems to see my NIC okay, and if I install the PPPoE connection, it picks up an IP address, but I can't get my web browser to work at all. And if I reboot, the boot script fails when trying to execute the ifup command, saying it can't find the configuration file for ppp0. I'm getting quite frustrated. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and it can't find my soundcard either. ESS Audiodrive. What is it with that card? BeOS couldn't figure it out either.

I haven't heard great things about Fedora as compared with RedHat 7.3/8/9, despite the end of life issues.� If you can't get the issues resolved, or aren't so far in that you'd feel bad rebuilding, I'd seriously consider bailing and going with RH8 or 9.

I've never used PPPoE on Linux personally, but the config file is likely in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts.�

You said you get an IP address okay but can't get the browser working... sounds like a name resolution (dns) issue.� What's in your /etc/resolv.conf file?� If you're using DHCP, it SHOULD be populated automatically with Verizon's DNS servers.� If not, you could put them in manually... or at least try that to see if it resolves your problem� (no pun intended).

That DNS junk sounds logical, but it still doesn't explain why the ifup command fails on boot....

Does it fail with an error, or just fail to start?� If it fails to start, you probably need to set it to start from /etc/rc.d/rc3.d.� I'm not sure if a PPPoE connection would start from 'network' or something else, but check that there's something like S10network in that directory.� It should be a symbolic link to /etc/rc.d/init.d/network

If you can't get that working, you can always take the command that you issue to fix the problem, and drop it at the end of /etc/rc.d/rc.local.� But it would be nice to get your networking working earlier in the startup process if you can.

okay, here is my unsoliticed two cents.

i wouldn't use fedora. red hat(e) has typically used a lowest common denominator approach so unless things have changed radically, fairly recently, its binaries aren't complied with any optimisations. although with a PIII that might not be that big of a deal. that having been said, its also unsupported by redhat now as they've moved to a more server oriented customer base. reviews i've seen of the fedora betas from the community have been less than stellar. as far as linux goes (in the ease of use front), i'm very biased. i'd seriously consider using mandrake. i've never had it not recognize a nic card or fail to recognize sound, although back in the good ole days i couldn't get onboard sound to work due to the fact that chip had closed drivers. the only problem i have had is that it may install with the sound turned completely off, giving the impression that the soundcard wasn't recognized until you turn it on using Kmix. although a really quick look through google seems to suggest that mandrake has a hard time with this chip as well (well, its a family of chips). not sure about the 10.0 beta though. if the ifup command can't find the ppp0 configuration, it sounds like the install didn't work correctly, but to be honest, i haven't had such issues with nic card configuration since the last time I installed red hat 5 on an old compaq presario i had (and that was configuring dialup to earthlink).

if you've got tons of time and a clean machine.. and an infinite amount of patience, you could always try gentoo :)

I appreciate the "This distro is better than that one" thing, but as I have no internet access to download another until I get this working, I'm kinda stuck with Fedora right now� =P

Though if this problem persists long enough, Mandrake is definitely going to be getting a download.

Turns out I had to RTFM. But unfortunately, TFM was on Red Hat's website, so I couldn't very well R it when my DSL was down. But I'm up. Working on the soundcard issue...pretty satisfied with it so far. Thanks for the help, guys.

Turns out I had to run sndconfig to get the soundcard to work. Go fig. When I got it working, I got a nice little recorded message from Linus Torvalds. I hope he appreciates all the inconvenience he's putting me through. =P

you get what you pay for ;)