"3Com Vortex"-type NIC must assume different MAC
Hello,
I have alluded to this challenge in other recent posting(s).
My new laptop is Network-challenged due to a non-working Winmodem (that's
another issue entirely; I have researched extensively and it's going to be
a while before it is working, it isn't working yet for other GNU/Linux
users either - PCTel modem 2304WT). I *Need* to be connected to the 'Net.
Goes without saying.
I have this Winbox that I am composing this posting on; it is connected to
Adelphia Powerlink (full, normal flavor, not semi-cable) through their
Scientific Atlanta cablemodem. I was told at account setup time that the
system had recorded my NIC card's MAC address and would not work if any
other NIC was used. So, what I need is to be able to shutdown WinDOS (not a
big loss ;-) and unplug the ethhernet cable from the Winbox, and plug it
into my laptop on occasion, then at other times to unplug it from the
laptop and back into the Winbox. I need both to work, but not
simultaneously -- thus as you see, no violation of my TOS (which in this
case specifies they are only providing service to a single computer).
The Cablemodem-HOWTO indicates that "the majority of [drivers for] NIC
cards allow their MAC address to be overridden so that they can appear to
be a different station address" and that's what I (badly) need to do. What
I don't know is *if, how, when, and where*. I don't know IF the driver for
my card will allow it -- when I tried a test it didn't work (I got a
DEVICE-OR-RESOURCE-BUSY error worded something like that). My card's
detailed identity is:
3Com PCI 3c905C "Tornado" at 0x3000 vers.LK1.1.16
whatever all that means.
WHEN is the proper time in the initialization chain for bringing up the
network (and everything else) to try to issue a command to the NIC? I think
this must have something to do with /etc/init.d and files in the rc.X
hierarchy. WHERE is the file that issues the command to load the driver
(which is a module, I've confirmed that support for my NIC is built as a
module in my kernel, by doing 'lsmod')? HOW is the invocation to be done --
I've seen it suggested that something like should work:
root$ ifconfig eth0 [IP-address] [optnetstuff] \ #line cont.
hw ether AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF
Is this the right style in which to specify the MAC numerically?
Thanks. Debian still rocks, never did I dream of being able to use a
computer with so much access to all the internals of the platform. These
temporary troubles will be overcome...
Soren A
--
"So, tell me, my little one-eyed one, on what poor, pitiful,
defenseless planet has my MONSTROSITY been unleashed?"
- Dr. Jumba, Disney's "Lilo & Stitch"
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