Does it need to have communications with something else or just a
connection. Can you connect it to a router or switch without anything
else connected and have it work? If so perhaps you could loop it back
to itself or just use a small cheap router with nothing else connected.
From: Brian Platt <brianplatt@hotmail.com>
To: debian-arm@lists.debian.org
Sent: Thu, February 3, 2011 10:44:26 AM
Subject: nslu2 boot without ethernet problem
I have an nslu2 with a 3g modem attached which auto dials on boot however if I boot with the ethernet cable detatched it doesn't dial nor does the slug boot properly (the status light blick orange/green). If I then plug in the lan cable the status light goes to solid green and I can login via ssh. I assume the os is halting on the lan configuration bit, any ideas on how I get round this?
dmesg shows
eth0: link down
NET: Registered protocol family 10
lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
eth0: link up, 100Mbps, full-duplex, lpa 0xCDE1
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
interface file shows
# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
# The primary network interface
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet static