How do I install a LAN driver in a Linux OS?

8daysaweek

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I'm completely new to the Linux OS, and I'm trying to get some server software to work with a new LAN card, on an old P3 PC.

I have installed the above onto this old PC, so it's wiped Windows & replaced it with Linux + the server software.

I fitted the new LAN card, but I now need to install its driver.

So how do I do that ?
How do I get the driver from the CD that came with the card to this PC ?
The PC has a floppy & CD drive & USB.

The LAN card is a: TP-Link TF-3239DL
Which comes with a driver CD which has this Linux folder: Linux-2.4.x
with these files: 8139too.c & Makefile

I've found 2 similar (but older) files on their website, which also has a readme.txt file, that explains how to install the driver, but this does not make any sense to me.

When I boot the PC, I have to login, and then I get the prompt:
[root@localhost ~]#

Thanks
 
What Linux distro you are using? It should pick up this card without any additional work.
You can execute
Code:
# ifconfig
and check whether you have any Ethernet configured. Also, do
Code:
# dmesg | grep eth
and see whether the kernel has detected your card. Finally,
Code:
# lsmod
will show whether the 8139 driver is loaded.
 

8daysaweek

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Thanks Alabalcho...

I will follow the procedure you recommend, but what do you mean by:
'What Linux distro you are using? '

If you mean what version, then:
It uses: Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition.
And when its booted it says: Centos 4.3 Kernel 2.6.9-34 EL on an i686

And: How can it find/use the driver, if I haven't installed it ?

Thanks
 
This version of RedHat / Centos is pretty ancient even for Linux standards (released 2005 or 2006), and I am not sure whether it includes RTL8139 driver. Check with commands I provided, and post results if in doubt.

If this is your first entry into Linux - get something more modern.

On Debian-based, Ubuntu variants are considered quite user-friendly, and you will find much more support for them.

If you a fan of RedHat-derived distributions, have a look at SuSE.
 
RTL8139 support:

found in Linux kernels all the way back to 2.4
modules built: 8139too, 8139too

Your kernel should have the correct modules. Try 'modprobe 8139too'

The module/s on the CD will not work as they were compiled for a different kernel version.

 

8daysaweek

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I guys, thanks for your help so far.
Please take a look at the following 4 screen-shots,
for the 4 commands mentioned above, ie:
ifconfig
dmesg | grep eth
lsmod
modprobe 8139too

http://

Thanks.
 

8daysaweek

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Thanks ex_bubblehead:

Yet: If I follow the info on this page:
http://computernetworkingnotes.com/network-administrations/basic-networking-commands.html

...ie: and run the set-up command from root user, ie: #setup
...and then select from the (Choose a Tool) window: network configuration

...it says that: I should now see the 'Select A Device' window, (ie: 3rd image) showing all of my available LAN cards.

...and: ( if you don’t see any LAN card here mean you don’t have install driver)'

Well: I don't see this window !
 
That setup script is just a tool for lazy folk. You can edit /etc/conf.d/net in your favorite editor and achieve the same result.

This is what it looks like on just one of my machines:

config_eth0="192.168.0.6/24"
routes_eth0="default via 192.168.0.1"

Just change the IP addresses to match your network.