Re: Eth*'s and they corresponding hardwares

[Robert Tasarz <mahdi@cutty.pl>]

Hi,

Pierre Fagrell wrote:

> UnKnown wrote:
> >Hi ppl, got an intresting problem here, the other day I compile kernel
> >2.4.25 for the main router it has 5 ethernet cards 3 realtek 1 tulip
> >and 1 ne2000 everithing whent fine untill the boot proces was over and
> >I try to conect to the network. For some reason what in the previous kernel
> >was one eth in the new kernel is another, aparently the kernels load the
> >eths in a diferent way.
> > [snip]
> One easy and quick fix though, would be to just swap the ethernet cables
> around.

First - forcing mac address not always works. At least some time ago it
didn't work with my realtek 8139 card.

Second - even if it works - you have different mac, but still the same
interface name connected with card. So, if you don't want to touch your
ip/fw config files, you need to switch cables anyway. And that's not
always easy or even possible (mixed copper/fiber links).

Third - if you are lucky enough and using Sid or Sarge - install
ifrename package. Still, problem is because ifrename isn't resolving
temporary name conflicts, so simple swapping names of two interfaces
isn't possible with standard config. One of solutions is to have two
config files (one for temporary interface names) and starting 
ifrename two times. Here's example config files:

/etc/iftab.temp:

eth_0 mac 00:20:18:10:72:76
eth_1 mac 00:48:54:66:C3:B2
eth_2 mac 00:48:54:67:CC:88
eth_3 mac 00:48:54:66:C9:75
eth_4 mac 00:80:AD:3C:24:2D

/etc/iftab:

eth0 mac 00:20:18:10:72:76
eth1 mac 00:48:54:66:C3:B2
eth2 mac 00:48:54:67:CC:88
eth3 mac 00:48:54:66:C9:75
eth4 mac 00:80:AD:3C:24:2D

Now make some init.d script with:
 ifrename -f /etc/iftabl.temp
 ifrename

And run it before ifupdown. It works with 2.6.5 kernel and I think
should work with 2.4.x as well.

Regards
  Robert Tasarz