Re: hotplug netwotk interfaces

[JG <j2003gi@yahoo.es>]

Hi,

Raffaele Sandrini <rasa@gmx.ch> writes:

> Hi
> 
> Is it somehow possible to enable a kind of hotplug with the debian interfaces 
> system?
> 
> If i configure my eth0 device like:
> auto eth0
> iface eth0 inet dhcp
> and i have no network cable pluged in while im starting my laptop then it 
> tries to fetch an ip at startup and if there is no connection it tries very 
> long till it gives up. Is there a config method that this process is 
> completly backgrounded? The interface should always be activce and as soon as 
> i plug a cable in it should gather an IP imediatly (like on Win2k).

Seems that you are looking for ifplugd (only in testing/unstable, it is
not in woody). Also, don't put eth0 in the "auto" line of
/etc/network/interfaces to avoid being brought up automatically at
booting time. 

> 
> Second case: wireless card. If we have a pcmcia wireless card and plug it into 
> a running system a new interface is created. Is there a method to let the 
> debian interface system react on that? As soon as i plug in my wireless card 
> it should set it up and gather an IP via dhcp. I cant just enter that device 
> into the interfaces file because it does not exist while the card is not 
> pluged in.
> 

I don't have a wireless, but with a normal PCMCIA I would do the
following:

write an appropiate section in /etc/network/interfaces (but don't put it in
"auto"). When the PCMCIA card is entered the PCMCIA scripts should bring
it up. E.g.

iface eth1 inet dhcp

When the pcmcia card is entered, the system will do and "ifup eth1", and
bring up the network.

Hope this helps,

Jaume

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